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A Raisin in the Sun
A Raisin in the Sun | Lorraine Hansberry
75 posts | 189 read | 36 to read
When it was first produced in 1959, A Raisin in the Sun was awarded the New York Drama Critics Circle Award and hailed as a watershed in American drama. Not only was it a pioneering work by an African-American playwright - Lorraine Hansberry's play was also a radically new representation of black life, one that was resolutely authentic, fiercely unsentimental, and unflinching in its vision of what happens to people whose dreams are constantly deferred. In her portrait of an embattled Chicago family, Hansberry anticipated issues that range from generational clashes to the civil rights and women's movements. She also posed the essential questions - about identity, justice and moral responsibility - at the heart of these great struggles. The result is a work that captivated audiences from every walk of life and has become a classic of American letters.
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marleed
A Raisin in the Sun | Lorraine Hansberry
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Pickpick

I read a lot of historical fiction but what impacts me even more is reading contemporary fiction (in this case, a play) 50+ years after publishing. It makes me consider about how much we have and have not learned.

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Cortg
A Raisin in the Sun | Lorraine Hansberry
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Pickpick

I can‘t remember the last time I read a play but I love going to the theater to see plays and musicals. This book is a fantastic story of a black family in Chicago trying to make a good life for themselves and their children. The characters are complicated and made for a great story. #Pop23 ~a book you should have read in high school

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Nebklvr
A Raisin in the Sun | Lorraine Hansberry
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Pickpick

An immensely talented playwright lost too soon. The depth of character and the bonds of family at their best and worst moments have never been as compellingly represented as in this play.

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sdbruening
A Raisin in the Sun | Lorraine Hansberry
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Pickpick

A play about a black family living in the south side of Chicago that struggles with money, their place in the world, family, racism, identity, and the future. I felt like there were a lot of twists in the story and really well-written philosophical commentary. The ending wasn‘t entirely satisfying for me even though it ended on a hopeful note.

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TheKidUpstairs
A Raisin in the Sun | Lorraine Hansberry
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#OnThisDay in 1965 a bright, beautiful light was extinguished too soon when playwright Lorraine Hansberry lost her battle with cancer at the age of 34. Her best known work, A Raisin in the Sun, is considered by many to be one of the best ever written. Highlighting the lives of the Younger family fighting for security in a world of racism, Raisin has maintained critical and popular acclaim since it opened in 1959. #HistoryGetsLIT

batsy I know she died young, but didn't realise how young 💔 2y
TheKidUpstairs @batsy I hadn't realized just how young she was either! She was only 29 when Raisin first opened. 2y
64 likes1 stack add2 comments
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Butterfinger
A Raisin in the Sun | Lorraine Hansberry
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#Sundayfunday @ozma.of.oz

1. Oh yes. I enjoy writing them too.
2. Watching. I miss the theater.
3. Tagged one of my favorites.

TiredLibrarian I miss the theater too. 🎭😕 3y
BookmarkTavern I miss the theater too. I live a few hours away from a fantastic Shakespearean Festival, and I just can‘t risk it right now. Maybe next year. 🤞🏻 Thanks for sharing! 3y
27 likes2 comments
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tenar
A Raisin in the Sun | Lorraine Hansberry
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Pickpick

- Langston Hughes

I found A Raisin in the Sun both tender and brutal. The level to which Hansberry develops each unique character, each adult family member‘s dreams, lets her tackle an amazing breadth of social issues without seeming forced at all. Segregation, poverty, beauty, feminism, religion, more. It‘s masterful.

In my edition, the intro discussed what was cut for the stage & film. I was shocked - it all seemed vital! Vital in every sense.

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TheBookAddict
A Raisin in the Sun | Lorraine Hansberry
Pickpick

In the Southside of Chicago sometime after WWII & no later than 1959 an African American family awaits an $10,000 insurance check in the mail, due to the father‘s death...not enough money to replace a loved one, but more money than they‘ve ever had, & enough to change their lives.

It‘s about much more than financial struggles & family problems. It‘s about segregation, gender roles, cultural identity, black beauty standard, & much more.
#YesiReads

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TheBookAddict
A Raisin in the Sun | Lorraine Hansberry
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I‘ve been mia for a bit, without meaning to. It just happened 😔. So now I have to catch up and post all of my reviews of books I‘ve finished this past month.
This is my current read. It‘s been on my TBR for years. Even though it‘s a screenplay it‘s really good so far. It‘s giving me Death of A Salesman vibes. Maybe it‘s because it was the only play we read in HS, other than Shakespeare‘s stuff.
All I need now is a mug of hot cocoa.🙂
#YesiReads

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Bookwormjillk
A Raisin in the Sun | Lorraine Hansberry
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On the second day of Christmas my true love gave to me A Raisin In The Sun. This book is a classic for a reason. #12Booksof2020

EadieB This book was a required reading book when I was in high school. Loved it! 3y
Andrew65 Need to explore this one, not heard of it before. 3y
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Schnoebs
A Raisin in the Sun | Lorraine Hansberry
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Pickpick

5⭐️

The Youngers are a family of three generations in an apartment on the south side of Chicago. With so many people living under one roof, family dynamics can get a little heated. Due to the recent passing of a family member, a very large life insurance check is coming and could change all their lives. This play beautifully addresses segregation issues, black beauty standards, gender roles, cultural identity, and so much more

#diversity #race

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Bookwormjillk
A Raisin in the Sun | Lorraine Hansberry
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Pickpick

I‘ve loved this play ever since my Mom took me to see it in Boston as a teenager. I‘m so glad my library had it digitally so I could re-read it this month. It takes place in the small apartment of the Younger family in the weeks after they receive a windfall insurance payment. They all want to escape, but disagree about the best way to do it.

What happens to a dream deferred?

Does it dry up
like a raisin in the sun?

Bookwormjillk #ReadYourSign Leo- sun in the title 4y
Clwojick ♥️♥️♥️ 4y
45 likes2 comments
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HelvetiCannnoan
A Raisin in the Sun | Lorraine Hansberry
Pickpick

Another #classicread to have on my checklist, glad I finally got around to this one. Always felt like I was missing out on something and now I‘ve seen the mountain top and I‘ve gotta say it was quite grand. I hope that after I loan this out to a cousin of mine I‘ll get the chance to revisit it again.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ #5starreview #loaner

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HelvetiCannnoan
A Raisin in the Sun | Lorraine Hansberry
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The hard truth, but something everyone needs to hear and understand sometimes. #hardtruth

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HelvetiCannnoan
A Raisin in the Sun | Lorraine Hansberry
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Even when you‘re at the bottom of it all you gotta have some semblance of pride and I understand this wholeheartedly. #fittingquote #blackpride

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Schnoebs
A Raisin in the Sun | Lorraine Hansberry
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#BLM

From the introduction: “Northerns, for example, shield themselves from the extent and virulence of segregation in the North, so that each time an ‘incident‘ of violence so egregious that they cannot look past it occurs they are ‘shocked‘ anew, as if it had never happened before or as if the problem were largely passé.”

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HelvetiCannnoan
A Raisin in the Sun | Lorraine Hansberry
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Just met this guy, already hate him. 😡
#fuckthischaracter

TheBookAddict RIGHT! 😠😤 3y
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Melkyl
A Raisin in the Sun | Lorraine Hansberry
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Pickpick

This is one of those books that I can‘t believe it took me so long to read. I have heard of it all my life and just finally read it this week. It‘s tragic and uplifting, and some of the passages are heartbreakingly beautiful. Now, I need to watch the movie to see the differences. My edition has commentary by Spike Lee that discusses the brilliance of the play and some of the changes that were undoubtedly made to get the movie completed.

erzascarletbookgasm I hope to read this soonish, but it‘s quite a chunkster 😬 4y
Melkyl @erzascarletbookgasm since it is a play, it is a very quick read. 4y
erzascarletbookgasm Oh, now that you mention it‘s a play, I think I‘ve mistaken this for another book..The Warmth of Other Suns. 🤦‍♀️ 4y
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Copwithabook
A Raisin in the Sun | Lorraine Hansberry
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In an effort to give voice to the anger and frustration black people are feeling, I‘m going to flood my account with the #pocliterature that I have loved. I was fortunate early in my reading life to be introduced to diverse literature. It has been vital to my ability to carry compassion and empathy into my profession. This play is one that my mind has returned to for several days now. How is it that this still feels so relevant?!

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Butterfinger
A Raisin in the Sun | Lorraine Hansberry
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#FancifulFebruary @4thhouseontheleft

Raisin - TBR by AOC and Own Voices
Keeper of Lost Causes - purple

alisiakae Great job! 4y
38 likes1 comment
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Butterfinger
A Raisin in the Sun | Lorraine Hansberry
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Pickpick

What an incredible piece of literature. This will probably be in my top 5 of 2020. A story of a hard-working family who gets knocked down over and over. But they have hope. And, they have pride. I'm exhausted with all the feelings.

#Booked2020 bottom of tbr
#PopSugar20 written by author in her 20s
Illinois 1958
#ReadHarder20 play by AOC

sprainedbrain I loved this play! ❤️ 4y
NeedsMoreBooks I loved this play 💖 4y
Butterfinger @sprainedbrain @NeedsMoreBooks we discussed it in my high school drama class, but I had never read it. 4y
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Butterfinger
A Raisin in the Sun | Lorraine Hansberry

Then isn't there something wrong in a house - in a world - where all dreams, good or bad, must depend on the death of a man?

😭

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Butterfinger
A Raisin in the Sun | Lorraine Hansberry

"Seem like God didn't see fit to give the black man nothing but dreams - but He did give us children to make them dreams seem worth while."

A universal sentiment - especially to the impoverished.

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Butterfinger
A Raisin in the Sun | Lorraine Hansberry
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I decided I wanted to attempt a play so I chose Raisin in the Sun, a classic @Reviewsbylola #classicschallenge2020. While reading the introduction, I found out that Esther Rolle ♥️ and Danny Glover 😍played the main characters. Fingers crossed, I can watch this on YouTube when I finish.

jewright My students always liked reading this play. 4y
Panic70 I‘m currently reading this one too. I‘ve seen the movie and I know how it ends. The writer was the first black woman to get a play on broadway. Sadly she passed away at a young age. If your book doesn‘t include the poem by Langston Hughes, it‘s worth looking up. It makes the title make sense. 4y
Butterfinger @panic70 it does. I want to also read her To be Young, Gifted, and Black. It is sad that she died at 34. 4y
Panic70 @Butterfinger I‘m going to track that one down! 4y
Reviewsbylola I‘ve never read (or watched!) this one. 4y
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Panic70
A Raisin in the Sun | Lorraine Hansberry
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My kind of girls day. Skipped school. 😬 Bought some books. Enjoyed a 50/50 burger. (beef and bacon mince) Now we are hanging out at the pool. This book (play) starts with a Langston Hughes poem. Looks promising.

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MrBook
A Raisin in the Sun | Lorraine Hansberry
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Today‘s author spotlight: Lorraine Hansberry! Born in Chicago in 1930, she passed away from cancer in NYC at 34. The tagged play made her the first African-American playwright on Broadway; she became the youngest one and only fifth woman to win the prestigious NY Drama Critics Circle Award for Best Play. She inspired Nina Simone‘s “To Be Young, Gifted, and Black”. James Baldwin set up a meeting between her & RFK. #AuthorPotpourri #TheMoreYouKnow

Hooked_on_books I played Taboo once and was partnered with someone I didn‘t know. The word I had to get him to say was “raisin.” So I said, “a blank in the sun” and he got it immediately. The other team was perplexed and clearly not bookish. So glad I had a bookish partner! 4y
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Jillylovesbooks
A Raisin in the Sun | Lorraine Hansberry
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Pickpick

A powerful play about an African American family living together in a small apartment in Chicago. It‘s about family dynamics and how each generation has different ideas about how to achieve their dreams and be more successful than their ancestors. It‘s also about the racism and poverty that creates obstacles and oppression for reaching those dreams. #readingwomenchallenge #femaleplaywright

S3V3N This is one of my favorites. I love the play and the movie too. 4y
30 likes1 comment
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alisonrose
A Raisin in the Sun | Lorraine Hansberry
Pickpick

A short but compelling & poignant story, one which is sadly still quite relevant in this country & our current reality (political & otherwise). I came to care about this family right away & felt so angered by the racism they confronted even tho it was hardly unexpected. Heart wrenching to watch them struggle to just live & find a little joy in a world that seeks to forever deny it to them. Would‘ve liked it to be longer, but still loved. 4/5 ⭐️

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alisonrose
A Raisin in the Sun | Lorraine Hansberry
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Still true in a lot of places in this country.

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alisonrose
A Raisin in the Sun | Lorraine Hansberry
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I‘ve of course heard a lot about this play but have never seen or read any part of it and didn‘t know the exact synopsis until I bought it a few weeks ago. But I know it‘s quite renowned and an important part of Black American history. #nowreading

Erinreadsthebooks I taught that play for years when I was in the classroom. Love it! Definitely an important work in American Lit. 5y
Lauren_reading I haven‘t read it since high school 5y
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Rothdell
A Raisin in the Sun | Lorraine Hansberry
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Pickpick

I‘m always at a loss of words whenever I reread anything because I try to answer the age-old question of, “Did I forget or did I not understand?” This play is remarkable. I forgot so much of the dialogue that I was astounded at the end. Highly encourage anyone of any age to read this and then read it again.

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Rothdell
A Raisin in the Sun | Lorraine Hansberry
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My girlfriend and I are moving to her home-state of Colorado in the next week and a half, and I get the pleasure of cleaning out all my books! Find this little guy and started a reread this morning #wishmeluck #raisininthesun #plays #bookshelf #moving

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madamereadsalot1
A Raisin in the Sun | Lorraine Hansberry
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📚 - A Raisin in the Sun

🎬 - Before Sunset

🎧 - Island in the Sun, Weezer

#manicmonday @JoScho

vivastory I had Weezer stuck in my head yesterday. It was enjoyable. 5y
madamereadsalot1 @vivastory Weezer is usually enjoyable! Did you ever see the Matt Damon/Leslie Jobes SNL skit about Weezer? It's worth looking up for a chuckle! 5y
vivastory I just watched it. "No offense, but burn in hell. You don't understand what Rivers is going through right now." ?? 5y
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madamereadsalot1 @vivastory I died when I saw it! Kept making people I know watch it. I've seen it probably more than is necessary for any normal person. 😂 5y
vivastory Some of the best snl skits have involved music...two words-more cowbell 😂😂 5y
madamereadsalot1 @vivastory oh that was is iconic! 5y
JoScho 💙🌞💙 5y
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TheSpineView
A Raisin in the Sun | Lorraine Hansberry
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#manicmonday @JoScho

📘 A Raisin in the Sun
📽 Empire of the Sun
🎶 Sunshine on My Shoulders by John Denver

JoScho Thanks for playing 🌞💙🌞 5y
45 likes1 comment
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SaunteringVaguelyDownwards
A Raisin in the Sun | Lorraine Hansberry
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Pickpick

Read for JHU project. A stirring look at the aspirations and struggles of an African-American family in Chicago. I actually see some echoes of this play in Danai Gurira's play Familiar (which I highly recommend to anyone who gets the chance to see it!)

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amma-keep-reading
A Raisin in the Sun | Lorraine Hansberry
Pickpick

Okay, okay, okay! I get it. I believe the hype. Amazing writing. Memorable characters. It makes me curious of what other contributions Lorraine Hansberry could have made.

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kindergartenkat
A Raisin in the Sun | Lorraine Hansberry
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Pickpick

What a fantastic play! I would like to see it performed. #readingwomenchallenge- read a play
#bookfitnesschallenge

Erin7 I‘ll have to look into this one too. I just The we don‘t give enough credit to plays sometimes. 5y
Caterina I loved reading this in high school! Good job knocking another book off for the challenge! 5y
alisiakae I want to see it performed someday too! 5y
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Plaidsticks
A Raisin in the Sun | Lorraine Hansberry
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Pickpick
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MaureenMc
A Raisin in the Sun | Lorraine Hansberry
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Pickpick

I saw a few posts this month about this play which reminded me I had it on my shelves. It was truly excellent, and I‘d like to see a live performance.

My daughter has yet another snow day today (actually for ice). We‘ve had 4 now, which is very unusual for us (at least in recent years). I swear these kids are going to go into “summer slide” in March!
#readblackwomen #Blackhistorymonth

Weaponxgirl I really loved this read this month too. I would love to see it performed live! 5y
25 likes1 comment
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Weaponxgirl
A Raisin in the Sun | Lorraine Hansberry
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Pickpick

I saw some other littens reading this for #readingwomenchallenge2019 and #readblackwomen and I was inspired to pick this up as it has been on my radar a while. I don‘t normally read plays but I really enjoyed this.
The dialogue is wonderful and the different types of strong women portrayed and the emotions bubbling underneath was done so well. I also haven‘t done a #booksandvinyl for ages cont in comments

Weaponxgirl Nina Simone wrote young gifted and black about the author and I don‘t have that particular Nina song on vinyl but I have arethas version so you are getting two albums for the price of one and really that‘s not a bad thing at all. 5y
Weaponxgirl I now really want to see a stage adaptation of this play live. 5y
58 likes2 comments
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Weaponxgirl
A Raisin in the Sun | Lorraine Hansberry
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She ain‘t wrong. The dialogue in this play is just wonderful #readblackwomen

GingerAntics That‘s true. I will admit to disliking people with money. Not ALL people with money, just the ones with the privileged, entitlement mentality. (edited) 5y
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sprainedbrain
A Raisin in the Sun | Lorraine Hansberry
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Pickpick

I am not a huge fan of reading plays (but I love to watch them), so I was pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed this one.

Set sometime between WWII and 1958 in Southside Chicago, it‘s a glimpse into the lives, hopes and dreams of a working class family, and it‘s a beautiful read. I would love to see a production!

#readBlackwomen
#readingwomenchallenge (a play)

Andrea313 This play is so wonderful! I hope you can see a production soon. If you're up for another play, a recommend the 2010 spin-off/companion to it, 5y
sprainedbrain @Andrea313 I stacked it right after I finished this one! ❤️ 5y
hermyknee I just taught this play to my sophomore English class ♥️♥️♥️ 5y
Erinreadsthebooks Love it! I taught that play for years and years and years and loved it everytime! #damnmyeggs 5y
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Adventures-of-a-French-Reader
A Raisin in the Sun | Lorraine Hansberry
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Mehso-so

It's a book I'm glad I read, but the story by itself didn't really talk to me. The character of Walter really angered me: screwing up your own life is one thing, but jeopardizing selfishly the future of another person is unforgivable for me. I would recommend the pictured edition of the play because of the related readings added at the end, which give different perspectives and enrich the play.

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monalyisha
A Raisin in the Sun | Lorraine Hansberry
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Last night, I had a dream that I wanted to find out how you can tell if a raisin is bad. So, I did a Google search. I typed, “How do you know if a raisin” & it autofilled “is pregnant?” I laughed so hard I cried.

monalyisha This morning, I know that I‘d just look at the package for an expiration date. But I needed to share what my subconscious is up to. 😆 5y
monalyisha Question: do you think a raisin would be pregnant with a grape? Or another raisin? 5y
julesG 😂😂😂😂 Love your musings. 5y
See All 9 Comments
CouronneDhiver 😂😂 5y
Godmotherx5 Great for a laugh. Thanks for sharing. 5y
Tamra Bah!!! 5y
Hollie But how DO you know if a raisin is pregnant? 😂 5y
monalyisha @Hollie A friend of mine suggested that you‘d have to figure out if they were made from seeded or seedless grapes. 😅 5y
Clare-Dragonfly 😂😂😂😂 5y
79 likes9 comments
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sammisho
A Raisin in the Sun | Lorraine Hansberry
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Pickpick

This play, written in 1959, could have been set in 2019. Which is a sad commentary on the lack of progress we made in this country.
This was one of my grandmother's favorite films. As an adult, I can really appreciate the Younger family and their struggle to provide a better a life. But what really struck me, was the sterotypes of educated black people, within the black community. It is something I have experienced first hand.

57 likes3 stack adds1 comment
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DegenerateReads
A Raisin in the Sun | Lorraine Hansberry
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Rereading this little beauty!

#currentlyreading #blackhistorymonth #reviewtocome

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sammisho
A Raisin in the Sun | Lorraine Hansberry
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JazzFeathers I haven't read the play, but l watched the film with Sidney Poitier and loved it! 5y
sammisho @jazzfeathers I remember watching the film with my grandmother. It was one of her favorites. 5y
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Anna40
A Raisin in the Sun | Lorraine Hansberry
Pickpick

Wow! Highly recommend it. Will read it again and try to see it on stage.