Zora Hurston and the Strange Case of Ruby McCollum

By: C. Arthur Ellis Jr

Narrated by: Trei Taylor, C. Arthur Ellis Jr.

In the timber camps of North Florida in the 1930s, Zora Neale Hurston, a famous African-American anthropologist and author, discovered the unwritten segregationist law allowing a white man to force a white woman to have his children. Dr. Ellis coined the term "paramour rights" and attributed it to Hurston's character in this novel.

Twenty years later, she received an assignment from the Pittsburgh Courier to cover the murder trial of Ruby McCollum, a wealthy colored woman accused of slaying a white physician who had recently been elected to the Florida state senate - and rumored to be her lover and father of one of her children.

Intrigued by what she considered a case of paramour rights, Hurston accepted the Courier assignment. What she discovered in the small town of Live Oak was a sordid tale of interracial sex, greed, drugs, and murder, concealed by the guilty silence of its fearful citizens who did not want their secret involvement in the subterranean world of illegal gambling and liquor sales to be revealed. To paraphrase Hurston, she felt that the story played itself out in a conspiracy of silence, behind a curtain of secrecy.

The audio version of the story contains a new introduction and afterword narrated by the author, while the novel itself is narrated by the talented Trei Taylor, who brings a unique depth of character to Zora Neale Hurston.

©2009 C. Arthur Ellis, Jr., PhD (P)2017 C. Arthur Ellis, Jr., PhD

Womderful

I was angry yet sadden with Ruby actions. saddest moment death of Sam Ruby's Husband

A compelling story

I did not like the music that accompanied the introduction of the new chapters, I found it to be annoying and unnecessary, other than that, the story was compelling, interesting, educational, and lightning, and her truth.

Ruby as a complex personality; unheard of in her time but makes me wonder how many others???

This is a story that could and should be on the big screen!!! Today's headlines have nothing on this...It has all the elements that tell the story of political corruption and a caste system used to support it in the midst of our celebrated democracy!

Who knew it was a true story!

I rarely read a prologue to a book so imagine my surprise when, at the end, I realized that I was reading a piece of non-fiction! I put it on my reading list because of Zora Neale Hurston. I thoroughly enjoyed this book, the twists and turns, meeting Ruby and her family through the pages. There were surprises for me throughout. I cried when Sam died of what had to be a broken heart. I was angry at Ruby for making the decision that forever changed her life and those of her children. I tried to understand the time and what she felt she had to do to Doc Adams. I didn't like him so I never shed a tear for him. The court case was interesting but true to form given the era. Since finishing I've gone on to read more about the case and true life characters. The Sentinel's article is a good read https://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/fl-....
Note: this book was read via audible.com The reader was excellent! I will also definitely add more from Dr. C. Arthur Ellis to my list.

Performance

Narrator was calming & beliebable as Zora, but her southern accent, pronunciation & annunciation was not very consistent. I found it annoying.

Bravo

When I learned of the story on the sistas who kill podcast I knew I wanted to dig deeper. I became elated to learn one of my favorite authors has covered the story and this book lived up to my expectations. And the reader did an amazing job covering different voices and inflections.

A Good Book

The book is so well written that it transport you to that time and that place. There were times during my experience with the read that overwhelming sadness gripped me. Ruby, in many ways, is a heroine and I want to know more.

GREAT WORK

WELL DONE. HISTORY, ALWAYS TAKE YOU BACK..STRUGGLED WITH JIM CROW SOUTH MANNERISUMS. I WOULD RECOMMEND THIS BOOK.