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Mules and Men

By: Zora Neale Hurston
Narrated by: Ruby Dee
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Publisher's summary

In Mules and Men, some of the rich cultural heritage of black America is revealed and preserved. In the 1930s, Zora Neale Hurston returned to her home town of Eatonville, Florida, to collect and record the oral histories, songs, and sermons, many dating back to slavery times, that she remembered hearing as a child. These highly metaphorical folktales, "big old lies", and powerful songs helped her to recover her history, and preserve an important part of American culture.

The unique heritage of African-Americans, presented here with imagination, humor, and wisdom, has tremendous value for students of cultural history, as well as to anyone who loves a good story well told. This recording features Ruby Dee, a member of the Theatre Hall of Fame and actress in A Raisin in the Sun on Broadway and Spike Lee's Do the Right Thing.

(P) and ©1992 HarperCollins Publishers, Inc., All Rights Reserved, Caedmon, An Imprint of Harper Audio, A Division of HarperCollins Publishers
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Critic reviews

"[Ruby Dee's] narration of this seminal collection of black American folklore is nothing short of extraordinary....The stories are a treasure." (AudioFile)

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The history of the American South is a complicated one. The region is marked by resilience and cultural depth in the face of adversity. From mountain folk celebrating their communities in southern Appalachia to the chefs working tirelessly to honor the South’s traditional cuisine, the culture of the South is vibrant, diverse, and wholly its own. This list presents the multifaceted identity of the South with listens that get to its heart.

What listeners say about Mules and Men

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Great book!

Well worth the listen Ruby Dee is amazing and the stories are an insightful and delightful look into African American culture. Read/hear more of Zora Hurston's writing. You'll learn something new every time.

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Incredible Stories

Great narration. The stories remind me of my uncles and aunts. Very entertaining. Excellent writing. Highly recommend! Big Ben Sixteen my favorite!

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Black Folklore

Ruby Dee is awesome and brought great life to this already interesting story. This book brought a new understanding of the purpose and strength of Black folklore...it beautifully unveiled vodou and its practices.

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Breathtaking

I laughed and cried. I was fully absorbed in the narrative and in absolute admiration of the author.

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an excellent work by an amazing anthropologist!

this book was entertaining and offered a real glimpse into the past. Hurston set high standards for the next generations of anthropologists.

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Brilliant

Zora Neale Hurston’s love of the folklore of people from African descent from the Deep South resonates throughout this collection of stories..

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fantastic

I enjoyed this book so much, I have to listen to it again and again

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Dropping gems 💎

This was a great book, I’m only upset it took me so long to get it. Now I see why they say what they saw about this book. Add this one to your curio of books

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classic

to hear Ruby Dee speak the words of the ancestors is truly a blessing. Capturing the faith and enduring spirit of the bountiful continent. Africa, the rich repository of wisdom.

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Powerful, sacred text

It is such an honor to hear these stories, rituals, and histories told. I hope audible releases an unabridged version soon.

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