Search
    Search FictionDB
      Tap cover to enlarge

      The Color Purple

      by Alice Walker
      Published
      Jun 1982
      Main Genre
      General Fiction General Fiction
      Rating
      Pages
      295
      Buy on Amazon Book

      About This Book

      Celie is a poor black woman whose letters tell the story of 20 years of her life, beginning at age 14 when she is being abused and raped by her father and attempting to protect her sister from the same fate, and continuing over the course of her marriage to "Mister," a brutal man who terrorizes her. Celie eventually learns that her abusive husband has been keeping her sister's letters from her and the rage she feels, combined with an example of love and independence provided by her close friend Shug, pushes her finally toward an awakening of her creative and loving self.

      Awards

      Genres & Themes

      Genres

      General Fiction

      Subgenres

      Literary

      Themes

      Movie/TV Adaptations

      Age Level

      Young Adult / Teens

      Buy This Book

      Amazon Physical Book | Kindle
      Barnes & Noble Physical Book | Nook
      Bookshop.org Physical Book Books-A-Million Physical Book Apple Books eBook Google Play eBook Kobo eBook Audible Audiobook

      Formats & Editions

      Browse the different covers, formats, and publication history for this title.

      Paperback

      Paperback edition cover
      Mass Market Paperback
      Jun 1985 Pocket ISBN13 9780671617028 ISBN10 0671617028
      Buy
      Paperback edition cover
      Paperback
      Houghton Mifflin ISBN13 9780594167617 ISBN10 0594167612
      Buy
      Paperback edition cover
      Paperback
      Jun 1983 Washington Square Press ISBN13 9780671526023 ISBN10 0671526022
      Buy
      Paperback edition cover
      Mass Market Paperback
      Mar 1987 Pocket ISBN13 9780671647452 ISBN10 0671647458
      Buy
      Paperback edition cover
      Mass Market Paperback
      Apr 1990 Pocket ISBN13 9780671727796 ISBN10 0671727796
      Buy
      Paperback edition cover
      Trade Paperback
      May 1992 Rourke Publishing (FL) ISBN13 9780685571460 ISBN10 0685571467
      Buy
      Paperback edition cover
      Paperback
      Jan 1996 Washington Square Press ISBN13 9780671668785 ISBN10 0671668781
      Buy
      Paperback edition cover
      Trade Paperback
      Feb 1998 Washington Square Press ISBN13 9780671019075 ISBN10 0671019074
      Buy
      Paperback edition cover
      Paperback
      Jun 2000 Prentice Hall ISBN13 9780205150472 ISBN10 0205150470
      Buy
      Paperback edition cover
      Paperback
      Jun 2003 Harvest ISBN13 9780156028356 ISBN10 0156028352
      Buy
      Paperback edition cover
      Trade Paperback
      Aug 2004 Phoenix (UK) ISBN13 9780753818923 ISBN10 0753818922
      Buy
      Paperback edition cover
      Trade Paperback
      Nov 2006 Harvest ISBN13 9780156031820 ISBN10 0156031825
      Buy
      Paperback edition cover
      Paperback
      Sep 2012 Research & Education Association,U.S. ISBN13 9780878910090 ISBN10 0878910093
      Buy
      Paperback edition cover
      Paperback
      Nov 2015 Houghton Mifflin ISBN13 9780544805026 ISBN10 054480502X
      Buy
      Paperback edition cover
      Paperback
      Sep 2017 Orion (UK) ISBN13 9781474607254 ISBN10 147460725X
      Buy
      Paperback edition cover
      Paperback
      Jul 2019 Orion (UK) ISBN13 9781474612944 ISBN10 1474612946
      Buy
      Paperback edition cover
      Trade Paperback
      Dec 2019 Penguin ISBN13 9780143135692 ISBN10 0143135694
      Buy
      Paperback edition cover
      Trade Paperback
      Dec 2023 Penguin ISBN13 9780593512357 ISBN10 0593512359
      Buy

      Hardcover

      Hardcover edition cover
      Hardcover
      First Edition Jun 1982 Harcourt ISBN13 9780151191536 ISBN10 0151191530
      Buy
      Hardcover edition cover
      Hardcover
      Perfection Learning ISBN13 9781690382690 ISBN10 1690382694
      Buy
      Hardcover edition cover
      Hardcover
      Jan 1985 Turtleback Books ISBN13 9780606005876 ISBN10 0606005870
      Buy
      Hardcover edition cover
      Hardcover
      Jan 1990 Cambridge University Press ISBN13 9780521403979 ISBN10 0521403979
      Buy
      Hardcover edition cover
      Hardcover
      Apr 1990 Turtleback Books ISBN13 9780808518471 ISBN10 080851847X
      Buy
      Hardcover edition cover
      Hardcover
      Jun 1992 Harcourt ISBN13 9780151191543 ISBN10 0151191549
      Buy
      Hardcover edition cover
      Hardcover
      Dec 1995 Buccaneer Books ISBN13 9781568496283 ISBN10 1568496281
      Buy
      Hardcover edition cover
      Hardcover
      Jun 2003 Turtleback Books ISBN13 9781417632817 ISBN10 141763281X
      Buy
      Hardcover edition cover
      Hardcover
      Jun 2003 Perfection Learning ISBN13 9780756929732 ISBN10 0756929733
      Buy
      Hardcover edition cover
      Hardcover
      Nov 2006 Perfection Learning ISBN13 9781680651966 ISBN10 168065196X
      Buy
      Hardcover edition cover
      Hardcover
      Jan 2022 Penguin ISBN13 9780143137047 ISBN10 0143137042
      Buy
      Hardcover edition cover
      Hardcover
      Aug 2022 Orion (UK) ISBN13 9781474625586 ISBN10 1474625584
      Buy

      eBook

      eBook edition cover
      eBook
      Hester Press ISBN13 2940012471109
      eBook edition cover
      eBook
      Jan 2010 ISBN13 9781124001364 ISBN10 1124001360
      Buy
      eBook edition cover
      eBook
      Apr 2010 Recorded Books ISBN13 9781440792496 ISBN10 1440792496
      Buy
      eBook edition cover
      eBook
      Sep 2011 Open Road Publishing ISBN13 9781453223970 ISBN10 1453223975
      Buy
      eBook edition cover
      eBook
      Sep 2011 Open Road Publishing ISBN10 B005NY4QGM
      Buy
      eBook edition cover
      eBook
      Jan 2012 Orion (UK) ISBN13 9781409139263 ISBN10 1409139263
      Buy
      eBook edition cover
      eBook
      Oct 2023 Open Road Publishing ISBN13 9781504093538 ISBN10 1504093534
      Buy

      Audio

      Audio edition cover
      Audible
      Dec 2009 Recorded Books ISBN10 B0030MR01W
      Buy
      Audio edition cover
      Audible
      Jan 2011 Whole Story Audiobooks ISBN10 B005GL907W
      Buy
      Audio edition cover
      Audio CD
      Feb 2011 Recorded Books ISBN13 9781440792304 ISBN10 1440792305
      Buy
      Audio edition cover
      MP3 CD
      Jul 2015 Brilliance Audio ISBN13 9781501259050 ISBN10 1501259059
      Buy
      Audio edition cover
      Audible
      Dec 2018 Audible Studios ISBN10 B07LCSL8PS
      Buy
      Audio edition cover
      MP3 CD
      Mar 2019 Brilliance Audio ISBN13 9781978665279 ISBN10 197866527X
      Buy

      Large Print

      Large Print edition cover
      Hardcover
      Dec 1986 G.K. Hall & Company ISBN13 9780816141425 ISBN10 0816141428
      Buy
      Large Print edition cover
      Hardcover
      Dec 1986 G.K. Hall & Company ISBN13 9780816141418 ISBN10 081614141X
      Buy