Sassafrass, Cypress and Indigo A Novel

Sassafrass, Cypress and Indigo is the story of three "colored girls," three sisters and their mama from Charleston, South Carolina: Sassafrass, the oldest, a poet and a weaver like her mother, gone north to college, living with other artists in Los Angeles and trying to weave a life out of her work, her man, her memories and dreams; Cypress, the dancer,who leaves home to find new ways of moving and easing the contractions of her soul; Indigo, the youngest, still a child of Charleston-"too much of the south in her"-who lives in poetry, can talk to her dolls, and has a great gift of seeing the obvious magic of the world.

Ntozake Shange is a renowned playwright, poet, and novelist. Her novels include Betsey Brown and Liliane, both of which are available from Picador. She lives in Philadelphia with her family.

"Miss Shange writes with such exquisite care and beauty that anybody can relate to her message."—Clive Barnes, The New York Times

"A marvel . . . Languages—colloquial, established, lyric—play together like the most lush chamber music, the coolest jazz, the brassiest marches, the hippest jug band . . . [It] leaves us filled with joy and yearning for more."—Philadelphia Inquirer

"A jubilant celebration of womanhood—as moving as the moon . . . pure magic."—Kansas City Star

"Possessed of poetry, motion, and light . . . Shange's tale is poignant, surprising, and deep as she looks at the different worlds of women and their special places therein."—Publishers Weekly