Saturday Morning Book Review

Their Eyes Were Watching God, by Zora Neale Hurston

I promised a romance today and this whole novel is about the main character's, Janie, search for true love, or her idea of true love. Zora Neale Hurston was a writer during the Harlem Renaissance of the first part of the 20th Century in New York. Hurston is an amazing writer as can be seen from this passage:

"She was stretched on her back beneath the pear tree soaking in the alto chant of the visiting bees, the gold of the sun and the panting breath of the breeze when the inaudible voice of it all came to her. She saw a dust-bearing bee sink into the sanctum of a bloom; the thousand sister-calyxes arch to meet the love embrace and the ecstatic shiver of the tree from root to tiniest branch creaming in every blossom and frothing with delight. So this was a marriage! She had been summoned to behold a revelation. Then Janie felt a pain remorseless sweet that left her limp and languid."

If that is not the most amazing discription of the birds and the bees, I don't know what is. It touches Janie to such an extent that she spends her whole life in search of this one act of nature that she saw when she was sixteen. I had to read this novel for my African American Womens Novelist Class and I thought it was the perfect book to talk about during Valentines Week. There are many wonderful characters in this story, but it is Janie's story. I think a lot of people can relate to it as their story as well. Their Eyes Were Watching God , also deals with black/white social issues, women's issues, class issues, but most importantly relationship issues. If you are yearning for true love pick up this book. I am including it on Favorites-Book Review.

On the Green Front I have been asked in a comment on whether or not it is ok to reuse plastic bags. I think it is ok to reuse everything as long as it is sanitary. I don't think I would reuse a plastic bag if meat products have be involved, but if it is just canned goods and the like sure, take your bags back with you on your next shopping trip and refill them. Also, many grocery stores have recycle bins as you walk in. Check them out and on your next trip, take items to be recycled. Did you know that you can wash Ziplock type baggies. My mother has been doing this for years and I have always laughed at her, who knew she was a trend setter, she was just saving money. Again, I would not reuse them if meat products have been in them, but you can even get a baggie dryer stand to dry them on after you have washed them in warm soapy water. You can purchase the stand from Greenfeet at www.greenfeet.com and at Amazon, I have added a link under Favorites-Green .

Peace,
Laura