Skip to content
TrackPodcasts
artsNov 29, 202534:41pending

Revisiting ‘Their Eyes Were Watching God’

About this episode

Janie Crawford – back in her hometown of Eatonville, Florida – recounts a journey of self-discovery, structured around three marriages. Their Eyes Were Watching God is Zora Neale Hurston’s most celebrated work and a classic text of the Harlem Renaissance. In today’s Books We’ve Loved, Andrew Limbong and B.A. Parker, joined by R. Eric Thomas, discuss what makes this novel a coming-of-age story, despite its focus on a woman in her late 30s. And special guest Tayari Jones shares her take on Hurston’s relationship to folklore.


Eric’s Recommendation: ‘Getting Mother's Body’ by Suzan-Lori Parks

Parker’s Recommendation: ‘Like Water for Chocolate’ by Laura Esquivel

Andrew’s Recommendation: ‘Tom Lake’ by Ann Patchett


To listen to Book of the Day sponsor-free and support NPR's book coverage, sign up for Book of the Day+ at plus.npr.org/bookoftheday

See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.

NPR Privacy Policy

Get every episode summarized

Each time NPR's Book of the Day publishes, we email you a written briefing from the transcript — the topics, who appeared, and any specific claims, with the ad reads skipped.

Email me new episodes

Free for 3 shows. No card needed.

Hosts & guests

No transcript yet

This episode has not been transcribed. Request it and it moves to the front of the queue.

Revisiting ‘Their Eyes Were Watching God’

NPR's Book of the Day

0:00
34:41

More episodes

More from NPR's Book of the Day

View all episodes →