Alice Walker: A Life

This is really more of an acclamation than a review. It is simply the most inspirational book I have ever read. It deeply and personally touched me on so many levels and recalled many memories of my own life and childhood. I became aware of Ms. Walker with "The Color Purple" and loved it but had never read any of her other work and did not know much else about her life. Ms. White clearly shows her to be a woman of uncommon intellect, divine talent, genuine compassion and sterling integrity. After reading the book I recommended it to everybody I knew because I thought it was so powerful in its message and lesson about struggle, redemption and the power of love. It also rekindled my desire to become a serious and successful writer. It is truly phenomenal! Michael Sainte-Andress

Well now, here I am on page 316 of this biography, over 100 pages to go, yet I felt compelled to scream, shout and holler about it! Evelyn C. White's expertly crafted, brilliant portrayal has lifted me up in much the same way that Alice Walker's poems, essays, and novels send me soaring.It is a celebration of not only Alice Walker's genius, but an affirmation of many unheralded black women writers as well. While riding a crowded subway, I found myself scraping the bottom of my purse for a scrap of paper in which to jot down the names of authors and works that I've overlooked, forgotten about, and/or never heard of. What an absolute JOY! Throughout this biography, I am reminded of why Alice Walker's work is so important, so necessary. I am astounded by her courage and bravery and genorosity. Where in the world would we be without an Alice Walker? Now, I must press on and finish the book, though I am conflicted--I don't know whether to go slowly to savor every single sentence and stretch out my experience for a few more days, or to hurry up so I can bask in the feeling of being utterly inspired.

If one were to ask, most people most closely identify Alice Walker with her extraordinary novel that was later made into a movie, The Color Purple. However, this complicated, deeply-intelligent child of southern roots has never shied away from controversial subjects in her writing, constantly tackling issues that call for attention. Often drawn to the rebellious factions of a changing society, Walker is fearless, throwing her considerable energy into ideas whose time has come, as well as important causes. The Georgia-born Walker showed her intelligence early, an avid learner who was drawn to educational pursuits and the written word. She has challenged racial, political and sexual boundaries, daring to bring such topics to light as FGM, aware that such practices cannot be eradicated until society as a whole acknowledges the horror of such acts perpetrated upon young African women. Yet Walker has tackled less predictable ground in her work as well, with more esoteric novels that envision a more utopian world (The Temple of My Familiar), giving reign to a creative vision that expands upon the conventional. Yet The Color Purple becomes the novel that defines Walker to most audiences. Walker has deep roots in the literary community and author Evelyn C White makes liberal use of quotations to illustrate Walker's impact on black literary society. As in life, these authors frequently draw strength and support from each other, breaking new ground and daring to speak about forbidden topics, family abuse, violence and the mutilation of women's bodies. In pursuit of an honest portrayal of the world she sees, Walker wields words as her most powerful tool. White has compiled an impressive biography, a fully-fleshed examination of Walker's life, both public and private, her personal struggles as a writer and her evolution as a woman. Walker is still an active writer, and, as such, a work-in-progress, with much to contribute as a female and an author who refuses to be intimidated or restricted by the world. In Walker's own words: "Love is big. Love can hold anger, love can hold pain, love can even hold hatred. It's all about love." Luan Gaines/2004

Minus the footnotes, this book has approximately 450 pages of text. I was expecting to read this during winter break because I couldn't possibly read it outside of off-time. However, once I started, I couldn't put it down. It just took a few days to breeze through. Whether you love or hate her, Alice is a powerhouse. Even outside of the book and film The Color Purple, she invented the term "womanist", she fought female genital mutilation, she revived Zora Neale Hurston. Alice is a major player in the history of African-American women. In fact, this book tells even more. She taught the first college course on black female authors in the country. Langston Hughes and James Baldwin sought her out, as opposed to the other way around. One of the reasons that I couldn't put the book down is because every 10 pages something would come up that I would find fascinating and feel that I was a better person for having known about. Sometimes this book is a little gushy, but that's not surprising since Miss Alice is a born genius. Maybe this is just a result of the biographer really enjoying her subject. The biographer took ten years to create this book. Sometimes I think journalists should stick to articles rather than books, but Evelyn White is an exception to my rule. In fact, I think her journalism background helped to make the book move quickly. I worship Frida Kahlo, but it's taking me forever to wade through Herrera's definitive biography on her. White saved me and other readers from that challenge here. She makes a point of letting people know that Gwendolyn Brooks is the first black woman to win a Pulitzer, not Alice. She is a cool sista that all readers should keep their eyes on. This book can be disheartening. White details stories that make female artists look sooooo hypersensitive, vindictive, gossipy, and catty. Later for "sisterhood is powerful!" cliches. In this non-fiction work, older female artists bicker with younger ones. Black women and white women duke it out. Lesbian writers and bisexual ones roll their eyes at each other. At the end of the book, the biographer straight up admits it: Alice can be grounded and non-plussed by the forces against her, but she can also be shady and she reads men and women, of many racial backgrounds, left and right. For example, she wrote to a critical reader, "I take what I find useful from people and discard the rest. Have you ever thought about doing that?! SNAP!" [She didn't really snap, but I added that for diva! effect since it's such a shady, attitudified comment. LOL!] This book concentrates on the beginnings far more than the ends. Thus, much is made of Alice's younger years while the last 15 years or so are summarized in a chapter or two. Much is written on "Meridian" and "The Color Purple", but nothing is said about "The Same River Twice" or "Anything We Love Can Be Saved." The chapter titles will be meaningless to any person just flipping through the table of co