Imitation of Life (Paperback)

Fannie Hurst

366 ratings by Goodreads

Language: English

Published by Duke University Press, North Carolina, 2004

0822333244 / 9780822333241

  • Softcover
  • New
See all details

Seller: Grand Eagle Retail, Bensenville, IL, U.S.A.Grand Eagle Retail

5-star seller

AbeBooks seller since October 12, 2005

View this seller's items
Softcover

Condition: New

£ 31.88

 Free Shipping 
Ships within U.S.A.

Quantity: 1 available

Add to basket
Free 30-day returns

Item description from seller

Paperback. A bestseller in 1933, the novel Imitation of Life was made into two popular movies. Most well known today is Douglas Sirk's lush, stylized 1959 adaptation starring Lana Turner and Juanita Moore. The first film version, released in 1934, featured the Hollywood star Claudette Colbert and Louise Beavers, the most celebrated black actress of her day. Imitation of Life is the story of Bea Pullman, a white, middle-class widow, and her African American maid, Delilah Johnston, also a widow. The two women raise their daughters together and eventually collaborate on a restaurant venture. By combining Bea's business savvy with Delilah's irresistible southern recipes, they build an international restaurant empire. Yet their public success brings little happiness at home. Bea is torn between her responsibilities as a businesswoman and a mother. Delilah's light-skinned daughter, Peola, moves away in an attempt to pass as white. The book's central themes - relating to race, single motherhood, femininity, and the consumer marketplace - struck a chord with many readers in the 1930s and continue to resonate today.The novel's author, Fannie Hurst, was a major celebrity in the first half of the twentieth century. A highly paid writer of short stories, the author of numerous bestselling melodramatic novels, and an outspoken social activist, Hurst was surprised at the level of controversy generated by her characterizations of African Americans and inter-racial relations in Imitation of Life. Her friend Langston Hughes wrote a one-act parody, Limitations of Life, in which he reversed the races of Bea and Delilah. Daniel Itzkovitz's introduction situates Imitation of Life in its literary, biographical, and cultural contexts. Among the topics Itzkovitz addresses is the role of Zora Neale Hurston in the novel's development. Hurston worked as Fannie Hurst's personal secretary for a time. They later became friends, and Hurst's memoirs indicate that Imitation of Life is based in part on their relationship. This edition brings a classic of popular American literature back into print. A reprint of the 1933 classic novel, the basis for two film versions, with a new introduciton. Shipping may be from multiple locations in the US or from the UK, depending on stock availability.

Seller Inventory # 9780822333241

Title
Imitation of Life (Paperback)
Author
Fannie Hurst
Publisher
Duke University Press, North Carolina
Publication year
2004
Condition
new
Binding
Paperback
Language
English
ISBN 10
0822333244
ISBN 13
9780822333241

Grand Eagle Retail

Bensenville, IL, U.S.A.

5-star seller

AbeBooks seller since October 12, 2005

Shipping rates within U.S.A.

Item6 to 14 business days6 to 16 business days
First item£ 0.00£ 0.00
Delivery times are set by sellers and vary by carrier and location. Orders passing through Customs may face delays and buyers are responsible for any associated duties or fees. Sellers may contact you regarding additional charges to cover any increased costs to ship your items.

Payment methods

  • Visa
  • Mastercard
  • American Express
  • Apple Pay
  • Google Pay

Seller's business information

APOLLO ONLINE CORP.

605 Geddes Street
Wilmington, DE U.S.A. 19805