by Zora Neale Hurston (1937)

This groundbreaking novel, first published in 1937, chronicles the rise of a young African-American woman—the granddaughter of a slave—and her struggle to establish control over her choices in life. At the center of the novel is a charge that she murdered her estranged husband. The novel, written in dialect, explores the turbulence of a sexuality and human identity repeatedly defined by men.

Note: The book was originally condemned by many mainstream African-American critics, but became recognized over time as a literary masterpiece. In 2005, Time recognized it as one the great books written in the English language since 1923 (the year Time began publishing).