First published 1934
Jonah's Gourd Vine follows the life of John Buddy Pearson, a charismatic preacher whose love for the Lord is matched only by his love for the fairer sex. Though his devoted wife Lucy is his true soulmate, John can't resist the temptations of other women - from the conniving Hattie to the alluring Mehaley. As his popularity grows, so do the demands on his heart, forcing John to confront the tension between his spiritual calling and his carnal desires. Hurston's sympathetic portrait of this flawed man and his community explores the human struggle to reconcile faith and the flesh.
Genres: fiction, american-fiction, 20th-century, african-american, african-american-historical-fiction
Vibes: atmospheric, emotional, intimate
Tropes: faith-and-morality, flawed-protagonist
288 pages · Paperback · Amistad
Content warnings: sexual-content