About the Author

Alice Walker won a Pulitzer Prize and a National Book Award in 1983 for The Color Purple which was a first for an African American woman. The Color Purple was based on her and her family history. She wanted it to reach out to the people who wouldn't normally pick up a book, let alone read it. It was written in a unique way so people would really be able to indulge themselves in to the book so they could really get a glimpse as too what was happening in that time period and in those specific situations. Walker knew what it was like to have an abusive life, she wanted people every where to know they weren't alone. This story hit home with many people and was made into a major motion picture directed by Steven Spielburg in 1985. Alice walker wanted to bring nineteenth century slave autobiographies and sentimental fictions together. By successfully doing so, she was able to sell over 5 million copies and in 25 different languages.