This winter, a novel from the late literary genius Zora Neale Hurston will be released for the first time on January 7th to coincide with Hurston’s 134th birthday.
Titled The Life of Herod The Great, the manuscript was unfinished at the time of the author’s death. It’s a biblical epic of “first century BC Judea,” and aims to portray the historical Herod the Great as “not a villainous monster, but as a religious, philosophical, and adventurous man who lived a life of valor and vision.”
HarperCollins is set to publish the work, and it features an introduction and afterward by the prominent Hurston scholar Deborah Plant. In 2018, Plant posthumously published Hurston’s highly successful non-fiction work, Barracoon: The Story of the Last Black Cargo.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Zora Neale Hurston was a renowned African American author, anthropologist, and filmmaker, born on January 7, 1891. She grew up in Eatonville, Florida, one of the first all-Black towns incorporated in the United States, which significantly influenced her work. Hurston is best known for her 1937 novel, “Their Eyes Were Watching God,” a seminal work in African American literature and women’s literature. A prominent figure in the Harlem Renaissance, Hurston’s work celebrated African American culture and folklore.
In addition to her literary contributions, she conducted extensive anthropological research on African American and Caribbean folklore, which she documented in her book “Mules and Men.”
Despite facing considerable challenges and criticism during her lifetime, Hurston’s work has gained widespread recognition posthumously, solidifying her legacy as a key figure in American literature and cultural history.
As an independent magazine with a small team, we rely on the support of our readers to keep JARO’s content free and accessible to everyone. Please support our ability to continue delivering the best of the African Diaspora with a donation as little as $1. Thank you!
