Today is Alice Walker’s 67th birthday. Her Pulitzer Prize winning novel, “The Color Purple,” is one of my favorites; the movie is too. But beyond the brief biography I read in connection with her book, I didn’t know a thing about her. Until today.
Thank you, Internet!
Her perfectly titled website Alice Walker’s Garden is an incredible place to visit, walk around, admire, and enjoy. The site includes Ms. Walker’s blog, information on books old and new, poetry, audio and video interviews, photos, and a biography. It’s the biography that captured my attention the longest. It starts out saying Alice Walker is a “Poet, short story writer, novelist, essayist, anthologist, teacher, editor, publisher, womanist and activist.”
Nice resume!
It goes on to talk about a childhood experience involving lying, which, as she explains, “… is the root of my need to tell the truth, always, because I experienced, very early, the pain of telling a lie.”
It’s fascinating to read about this early experience that helped shape the woman she became. To learn more for yourself, or read some of her poetry, essays, or other words, visit Alice Walker’s Garden. While you’re there, wish her a happy day.
Away with Words 