I purposely only read Morrison every once in a while, for the same reason people don't go on vacation everyday - her work, to me, is something to anticipate, then savor. Your essay has me eyeing my bookshelf, eager to get back to her worlds and words.
I love this! I read Sula in high school and now I see the depth of it a decade later. Thank you for sharing your thoughts and I hope your old friendship finds you again.
Absolutely! But with gentle care as Tempe says the books do have a spiritual depth to them that I feel pretty holy and supernatural in my real life as I have read each book.
A couple of things I’m feeling after reading this. 1) I tell myself that I’ve fallen out of touch with this one specific friend, but that’s not true. I’ve chosen to move differently for reasons I’ve felt too embarrassed/shy/sorrowful to even admit to myself, but the Nel Sula dynamic makes me wonder what I really should do?? Maybe I’ll write a letter lol maybe this is the letter. 2) a quote I really loved was earlier on when you’re talking about shifting the power balance and creating psychic sovereignty. I could come up with a list a million miles long of all the ways we mistakenly think we really hold the power and it still would be too short. 3) the last Toni Morrison book I read was beloved about 4 years ago & this makes me feel like I’m due for another ago around. Thank you for sharing!!!
This was SPECTACULAR thank you Tembe! I recently discovered that my library has an audiobook copy of Sula read by Ms Morrison herself and I am on the waitlist for my turn with it (current estimate is early Feb). I love this book but I am excited to listen to it read by the author and see how that changes my experience. What a joy that my reread will now be enhanced by this beautiful writing of yours!
PS: I thank the reader above for the suggestion of printing this and adding it into my copy because I heartily agree!
I’ve just finished Sula and I’m amazed at the depth that lies within 175 pages. Thank you for this beautiful summary that accurately captures the nuances in the characters and the town itself. I also wondered why Sula slept with Jude and you explained it well. That based on Sula and Nel sharing everything it wasn’t that unconventional, however Nel had changed, conforming to society’s standard. What Sel did was an unforgivable transgression which ultimately led to the ending of their friendship. There’s so much to talk about. That even 10,000 words wouldn’t be enough, thank you for sharing your thoughts with us 🩷
the tiktok is sending me 😭 im so glad sula was my first morrison. we read it in hs and it showed me that matters of friendship and love are not trivial. nurturing friendship is grown woman business, and as grown women, we’ll have to nurture and let go and re-nuture many times.
Loved this. In Song of Solomon and Jazz there's also a shared thread of women's demise being related to men. Unmet expectations and loving them too much. I need to revisit Sula soon.
Various reading and writing groups in Ohio are honoring Toni Morrison throughout 2026. I am partnering with a group and we are rereading Sula. Thank you for this offering. It is timely.
I purposely only read Morrison every once in a while, for the same reason people don't go on vacation everyday - her work, to me, is something to anticipate, then savor. Your essay has me eyeing my bookshelf, eager to get back to her worlds and words.
I hope the reread is fruitful!
YES
I love this! I read Sula in high school and now I see the depth of it a decade later. Thank you for sharing your thoughts and I hope your old friendship finds you again.
Thank you x2!
let me make 2026 my year of morrison
So far I’ve read one per year the past two years and I think I’ll have to continue!
Absolutely! But with gentle care as Tempe says the books do have a spiritual depth to them that I feel pretty holy and supernatural in my real life as I have read each book.
A couple of things I’m feeling after reading this. 1) I tell myself that I’ve fallen out of touch with this one specific friend, but that’s not true. I’ve chosen to move differently for reasons I’ve felt too embarrassed/shy/sorrowful to even admit to myself, but the Nel Sula dynamic makes me wonder what I really should do?? Maybe I’ll write a letter lol maybe this is the letter. 2) a quote I really loved was earlier on when you’re talking about shifting the power balance and creating psychic sovereignty. I could come up with a list a million miles long of all the ways we mistakenly think we really hold the power and it still would be too short. 3) the last Toni Morrison book I read was beloved about 4 years ago & this makes me feel like I’m due for another ago around. Thank you for sharing!!!
Thank you for reading!! Loved everything you said here. I need to reread Beloved next year!
This was SPECTACULAR thank you Tembe! I recently discovered that my library has an audiobook copy of Sula read by Ms Morrison herself and I am on the waitlist for my turn with it (current estimate is early Feb). I love this book but I am excited to listen to it read by the author and see how that changes my experience. What a joy that my reread will now be enhanced by this beautiful writing of yours!
PS: I thank the reader above for the suggestion of printing this and adding it into my copy because I heartily agree!
Thank you so much for reading
Beautifully written thank you for reminding me of Sula and a book that grabbed me so much. 🤍
Thank you for reading <3
I love Sula
Saaaaame
I’ve just finished Sula and I’m amazed at the depth that lies within 175 pages. Thank you for this beautiful summary that accurately captures the nuances in the characters and the town itself. I also wondered why Sula slept with Jude and you explained it well. That based on Sula and Nel sharing everything it wasn’t that unconventional, however Nel had changed, conforming to society’s standard. What Sel did was an unforgivable transgression which ultimately led to the ending of their friendship. There’s so much to talk about. That even 10,000 words wouldn’t be enough, thank you for sharing your thoughts with us 🩷
I could've absolutely written double, triple, the words. There's so much to say. Thank you for reading.
Devoured this essay, and I think I am going to print this out and fold it up and tuck it in my book. 💕💕💕
This is one of the nicest things anyone has ever said to me! Thank you for reading.
One of the best books I've ever read, I think about it so often. <3
Same, it is absolutely on my favorite books of all time
the tiktok is sending me 😭 im so glad sula was my first morrison. we read it in hs and it showed me that matters of friendship and love are not trivial. nurturing friendship is grown woman business, and as grown women, we’ll have to nurture and let go and re-nuture many times.
Love everything about this comment
Loved this. In Song of Solomon and Jazz there's also a shared thread of women's demise being related to men. Unmet expectations and loving them too much. I need to revisit Sula soon.
Various reading and writing groups in Ohio are honoring Toni Morrison throughout 2026. I am partnering with a group and we are rereading Sula. Thank you for this offering. It is timely.