Their Eyes Were Watching God

This is the story of a woman struggling against the expectations of everyone in her life who is supposed to care for her; her grandmother, the man she wanted her to marry so she would have a "good life" but without love, and the man she ran off with to make a "better life" and what she thought was love, which turned out to be yet another disappointment. It is a bittersweet story, beautifully written with memorable, full-bodied, thought-provoking characters, and expertly read by Ruby Dee. I was pleasantly surprised from beginning to end. If you have a long, tedious project, pop this one in and you will be finished with both before you know it. Definitely recommend!

This book was so beautifully painful, so wondrously wrought and read with such revelation that there have been few books in my lifetime of reading that have touched me so intensely that I had to stop listing at times to ponder what I was experiencing. And no other than Ruby Dee could have possibly read this book in the manner of a revelation to the listener. Stories need to be told and this book is such telling at it's highest. Even Toni Morisson could not have achieved more!

I am new to audiobooks, and while I don't intend to stop actually reading, I now understand how a skilled narration can create a completely different experience for the listener, and enhance the enjoyment of a novel far beyond a simple read. It's a wonderful story and artfully written. But the narration is so well-done that I don't think I would have enjoyed the book as much had I read it myself. Highly recommended.

I've tried to read Zora Neale Hurston before, gotten ten pages in thinking "wow, she really can write" then put the book down and never picked it up again.

In audio I was drawn in and listened happily to the end.

I think this happens a lot to me, that with the voice in my mind I could read other Hurston (or any of a dozen other authors) cheerfully.

Truer words could not be spoken, when in the introduction, the narrator says, "performed by Ruby Dee". The narrator is none other than Ruby Dee, and her performance is spectacular! I listened to this book with my teenage granddaughter and we were enthralled. I remember when I first read the book while in college, how I frequently read out loud, to audibly hear the voice of the characters of the story. It is a story begging to be read aloud. Ruby Dee masterfully captures all the characters and voices. It is beautiful and mesmerizing. I loved it. This is my all time favorite audio book.

The story itself is not gripping. It's a tragic tale of love long awaited and too soon lost. I usually avoid tragedies, but this came so highly rated that I thought I'd give it a try, and I am so happy I did.
You know from the beginning that it isn't a happy story, that the love isn't going to end well, but- despite not liking the leading man- you root for the couple and try to find a way around the impending tragedy.
The writing is heartbreakingly beautiful, with perfect dialect for the characters and breathtaking language in the narration. It combines the colloquial with the esoteric.
The narrator is perfect. She gives a rich preformance that makes characters out of people who otherwise could be caricatures and gives passion wisdom and heart to the voice of the narration.

I have been meanng to read this book for some time, having seen it on so many "recommended" lists. I am a writing teacher and am especially sensitive to the use of language. I was immediately captivated by Hurston's exquisite descriptions and observations about human nature and race relations. I've since bought the book so I can underline the passages I especially love.
I've listened to many audio books but have never heard a better reader than Ruby Dee. What a wonder she is, making this book come alive with her many varied and realistic voices.

This book is fantastic. The narrator is one of the best I have ever heard. I didn't want it to end.

If you fail to give this one a try you are only cheating yourself out a wonderful experience! A beautifully written story that is fabulously narrated! Definitely will be on my list of "all time favorites".

Although I had read the book in print, the narration of this audiobook moved me to tears multiple times. I was stunned at how much of the story and emotion I had missed in the print book. Ruby Dee did a phenominal job as the narrator. I can't imagine this book read by anyone else.