Moses, Man of the Mountain
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About this ebook
“A narrative of great power. Warm with friendly personality and pulsating with . . . profound eloquence and religious fervor.” —New York Times
In this novel based on the familiar story of the Exodus, Zora Neale Hurston blends the Moses of the Old Testament with the Moses of black folklore and song to create a compelling allegory of power, redemption, and faith.
Zora Neale Hurston
Zora Neale Hurston was a novelist, folklorist, and anthropologist. She wrote four novels (Jonah’s Gourd Vine, 1934; Their Eyes Were Watching God, 1937; Moses, Man of the Mountains, 1939; and Seraph on the Suwanee, 1948); two books of folklore (Mules and Men, 1935, and Every Tongue Got to Confess, 2001); a work of anthropological research, (Tell My Horse, 1938); an autobiography (Dust Tracks on a Road, 1942); an international bestselling nonfiction work (Barracoon: The Story of the Last “Black Cargo,” 2018); and over fifty short stories, essays, and plays. She attended Howard University, Barnard College, and Columbia University and was a graduate of Barnard College in 1928. She was born on January 7, 1891, in Notasulga, Alabama, and grew up in Eatonville, Florida.
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Reviews for Moses, Man of the Mountain
76 ratings5 reviews
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5In Western and Middle-Eastern thought, undergirded by three monotheistic faiths, the Moses story carries overarching significance. It tells of liberation from bondage and the struggle of living with that freedom. It tells of the temptations to lapse into prior, seeming comforts of slavery. It tells how freedom, best exercised, consists of communing with a transcendent yet imminent God. This story is taught to children regularly in synagogues, churches, and mosques the world over.For those who are not familiar with her writings, Zora Neale Hurston is a storyteller par excellance. Her area of experience and expertise lies in African-American culture. Liberation Theology, particularly in the more recent works of James Cone, shows how the Exodus story – that is, Moses’ story with Israel – centrally defines the identity of African Americans. For centuries, they lived their lives in bondage to American whites with only faith to inspire that someday, somehow, some might have freedom. They were freed only to be pushed back socially into the bondage of Jim Crow. Even after the Civil Rights movement of the 1960s, white backlash in systemic racism can keep people down.Zora, as she is affectionately known, speaks to this experience even though she wrote in the 1930s, well before the protests of Martin Luther King. She brings this Moses story to life. If this world had any justice, this book would be used universally in religious centers to convey this story’s depths to young schoolchildren. While being generally faithful to the religious texts, it does so in an African American dialect of English with rich idioms that only Zora can convey.In a post-George Floyd era where the struggle regularly shows on news shows, this story is more relevant than ever. It can teach us all – no matter what skin color or ideological disposition – to find our way out of self-made prisons. It speaks about the strife and struggle to living freely. It speaks about eschewing the trappings of material comfort or of petty jealousies. Zora’s narrative brings all these, already present in the Exodus narrative, to richer life through amazing prose. I wish more people would know and revel in her beautiful writing and in this beautiful story. It’s extraordinarily well done.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5This is one of the most captivating, beautifully written and meaningful books I have read. Seriously. Hurston takes the biblical story of Exodus and modifies it to represent what it would be like with "real" people going through the events of that story. And what could be more real than blending the experiences of the Israelite slaves in Egypt with the African American slaves in our own country? Being Jewish, I know the standard biblical version. What I didn't realize before I began reading this book is that there are "African American versions" of these biblical stories that were taught to people in the churches they attended. I am not sure, but possibly the author is telling that story or a modification that she has generated as part of her artistry. Her characters use "American black dialect" to express themselves and I find this very compelling. I will definitely read more of her work.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5This felt like a longer read than Zora's previous novels, but it was easier too. It's the story of Moses using elements from the Exodus and black folklore. I really liked the mix and it fit well. I'm actually reading the King James version of the Exodus at night as I read this book, feels like a good companion. I'll note that there are 40 chapters in this book and 40 chapters in Exodus, all intentional I think.
I'm kind of interested to find out the history of this book. Leaves me to wonder how people viewed this book. I liked this book because you don't have to be religious to enjoy this or get this either. I'm not sure Zora was even Christian. Some might be bothered seeing Moses as a black man, but for me it makes sense with how Zora writes the book.
I think out of all her novels, this one is the most integrating one. I urge people to give this one a chance too. You know, she didn't just write one novel... - Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The author takes some liberties in logic and there are a couple of “he did not just go there” moments, but his writing style overcomes any of that kind of criticism . ... If you have some great stories like this one, you can publish it on Novel Star, just submit your story to hardy@novelstar.top or joye@novelstar.top
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Hurston's tale adds life and depth to the biblical account of Exodus. She examines Moses both as a leader and a man and she gives us a full view of everything that drives Moses. She also shows the ways in which slavery impacted the Hebrews mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. It is one of the best books I've read this year
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