The Same River Twice

Chronicles the experiences of Alice Walker in the aftermath of the publication of The Color Purple and its winning of the Pulitzer Prize, as illustrated by essays, journal entries, and the author's never-used screenplay. Reprint.

Alice Walker, a writer who had generally shunned public life, reached a period of great achievement in the early 1980s. Her novel, The Color Purple, was awarded both the Pulitzer Prize and the American Book Award. But when Steven Spielberg made a film of the novel, intense controversy erupted. In this provocative and thoughtful collection of essays, Walker takes, as she puts it, a "lingering look backward at a dangerous crossroad in one's life." How does a serious writer engage popular culture? What are the costs? What are the joys? The eloquent Ms. Walker offers insights.