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ZORA NEALE HURSTON by Paul Witcover

ZORA NEALE HURSTON

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Pub Date: Dec. 7th, 1990
Publisher: Chelsea House

One of the better entries in the ""Black Americans of Achievement"" series. Witcover flashes back from the first official recognition of the noted folklorist/author's talent to recount her early years in the African-American-founded community of Eatonville, Florida; her turbulent (and mysterious) adolescence; and the beginning of her hard-earned education in Baltimore. He goes on, clearly but dispassionately, to describe the heights of Hurston's success in the 30's and her final years of obscurity. More incident-detailed but without the immediacy of Lyons' Sorrow's Kitchen (p. 1533/C-281), which included a wealth of quotes in Hurston's own vibrant voice. Still, though less inspiring, this contains an admirable amount of useful information. Chronology; bibliography; index.