Jazz Audiobook By Toni Morrison cover art

Jazz

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Jazz

By: Toni Morrison
Narrated by: Toni Morrison
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From the acclaimed Nobel Prize winner, a passionate, profound story of love and obsession that brings us back and forth in time, as a narrative is assembled from the emotions, hopes, fears, and deep realities of Black urban life. With a foreword by the author.

“As rich in themes and poetic images as her Pulitzer Prize–winning Beloved.... Morrison conjures up the hand of slavery on Harlem’s jazz generation. The more you listen, the more you crave to hear.” —Glamour

In the winter of 1926, when everybody everywhere sees nothing but good things ahead, Joe Trace, middle-aged door-to-door salesman of Cleopatra beauty products, shoots his teenage lover to death. At the funeral, Joe’s wife, Violet, attacks the girl’s corpse. This novel “transforms a familiar refrain of jilted love into a bold, sustaining time of self-knowledge and discovery. Its rhythms are infectious” (People).

"The author conjures up worlds with complete authority and makes no secret of her angst at the injustices dealt to Black women.” —The New York Times Book Review

©2007 Toni Morrison (P)2015 Random House Audio African American Coming of Age Genre Fiction Literary Fiction

Critic reviews

“Wonderful. . . . A brilliant, daring novel. . . . Every voice amazes.” —Chicago Tribune

“She may be the last classic American writer, squarely in the tradition of Poe, Melville, Twain and Faulkner.” —Newsweek

“[A] masterpiece. . . . She has moved from strength to strength until she has reached the distinction of being beyond comparison.” —Entertainment Weekly

Featured Article: 85+ Toni Morrison Quotes on Life, Love, Freedom, and Hardships


The first African American woman to win the Nobel Prize for Literature, Toni Morrison, who passed away on August 5, 2019, left behind a legacy of wisdom in her novels and essays. Her work explores topics like human nature, happiness, love, and enduring hardships, but also delves into the subject of freedom and what that has meant for African Americans. These quotes will get you through tough times, inspire you to look at yourself, and much more.

Featured Article 85+ Toni Morrison Quotes on Life Love Freedom and Hardships
Beautiful Lyrical Prose • Complex Characters • Interwoven Stories • Historical Insight • Musical Storytelling
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What a wonderful short read and for it to be read by the author was a true treat! RIParadise to the Legend, The incomparable Toni Morrison!

Wonderful short read!

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I enjoyed the jazz music in the background. It helped communicate the mood of scene.

Good listen

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Toni Morrison's voice is like rolling thunder, the way she put together the story is magic. Her stories are a deep dive into the life of African Americans and gives so much insight. Truly her writing is art.

Intense and romantically tragic

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I decided to read along and there are so many skipped paragraphs- i don’t like that at all. Overall Toni Morrison is an excellent writer and story teller I just hate the missing parts.

Audio book missing paragraphs

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Another masterpiece from one of the greatest storytellers of the last century. Jazz is up there with The Bluest Eye.

Creative Genius

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Toni Morrison grabs your attention in the 1st paragraph. The jazz music enhances this sad story.

Gripping

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I read this book initially for school, but the book spoke to me as more than just a school book, literally. I will admit, it is a hard read but I truly enjoyed the love, lust, life, death, music themes in this extraordinary novel.

WOW

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The story is great and the narrator reads it well, the only, and biggest, problem is that the narrator skips chucks of the story. I know this because I am following along in a book. I will be trying to get my money back.

Skips

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Loved it !! Toni Morrison is missed but her beautiful writing will live forever ❤

Poetic but not to poetic

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the book was really good. I always enjoy Toni Morrison books. Excellent author very good.

Good read

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