A Zora Neale Hurston Companion (Hardcover) (ISBN-13: 9780313307072)

Anthropologist and author Zora Neale Hurston (1891-1960) is one of the most significant African American writers of the 20th century. Born in Alabama, she grew up in a small town in Florida, where she developed an interest in African American folklore. In 1925 she moved to New York and became part of the Harlem Renaissance, meeting such figures as Langston Hughes and Carl Van Vechten. She continued her anthropological research at Barnard under Franz Boas, and African American folklore became central to her fiction. She is best remembered as the author of IJonah's Gourd Vine, R ITheir Eyes Were Watching God, R and IMules and Men, R her study of African American folklore of the South.

This reference is a convenient and thorough guide to her life and writings. A chronology outlines the major events in her life and her most significant accomplishments, while a short biography offers a narrative assessment of her career. The heart of the book is a collection of hundreds of alphabetically arranged entries. These cover her works, characters, themes, motifs, family members, and acquaintances. Entries for the most important topics include suggestions for further reading, and the volume closes with extensive primary and secondary bibliographies.

Author: Robert W. Croft
ISBN-10: 0313307075
ISBN-13: 9780313307072
Publisher: Greenwood
Language: English
Published: 11/30/2002
Pages: 288
Format: Hardcover
Weight: 1.24lbs
Size: 9.66h x 6.14w x 1.03d

Review Citation(s):
Booklist 02/15/2003 pg. 1096
American Reference Bks Annual 01/01/2004 pg. 491