Hard Times Require Furious Dancing

By Alice Walker

Categories: Literature & Fiction

Alice Walker's 2010 collection of poems, illustrated with paintings by Shiloh McCloud, was written during a period of loss, including the deaths of friends and family members. The poems explore how joy, dancing and creativity can carry people through grief and hard times. Walker writes about the natural world, her ancestors, activism and personal healing, offering short, direct poems meant to encourage resilience and celebration in the face of sorrow.

Recommended by 1 person

• Hillary Clinton: “I will read anything by Laura Hillenbrand, Walter Isaacson, Barbara Kingsolver, John le Carré, John Grisham, Hilary Mantel, Toni Morrison, Anna Quindlen and Alice Walker.”