Zora Neale Hurston : A Life in Letters

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Summary: a new fan
Review: I wasn't a Hurston fan when I started reading, but now I find myself fascinated by her life and her times. This book was such a detailed and compelling introduction to both. And so well written!

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Summary: Adventurous life-journey captured in letters
Review: Kaplan's collection of Hurston's letters provides her fans with a first-hand intimate view into the mind of the author which has previously been restricted to the perview of scholars. For the first time, readers can draw their own conclusions about Hurston's often contradictory, enigmatic, and adventurous life.
The letters are logically organized in chronological order with a comprehensive and lively introduction to each decade. Kaplan's painstakingly thorough research, evidenced in her footnotes and glossary, help guide the reader's interpetation and understanding of events in a way that a biography cannot. For this reason, I have read Valerie Boyd's excellent biography in tandem with Kaplan's collection of Hurston's letters. I was also impressed with the "new" research in Kaplan's book that sheds light on some of Hurston's social and political stands, such as her involement in the first black doll to be produced in the U.S. In addition to the many new facts she presents, I also found Kaplan's editorial comments to be extremely enlightening and well-founded. I beleive that most fans who read this collection of letters will most likely feel the same way toward Kaplan as I do . . . deeply grateful for the gift of insight.

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Summary: Hurston Fans Rejoice!
Review: This collection of Hurston's letters not only offers insight into the life and thoughts of this fiercely independent and enigmatic writer, it also lends clarity to the historical and cultural context in which they were written. Kaplan's lively introductions to each decade are laced with intelligent commentary and fascinating details that define the complexities of Hurston's life and time.