Porgy is a crippled street-beggar in Catfish Row, a black tenement of Charleston, South Carolina. Unwashed and unwanted, he lives just on the edge of subsistence, trusting his fate to the gods and chance. His one shining moment is his pursuit of Bess, whom he wins and then loses during one summer of passion and violence.

The basis for Gershwin's acclaimed folk opera Porgy and Bess, the novel portrays its characters with such sympathy, honesty, and insight that Porgy, Bess, Black Maria, Sportin' Life, and the other Gullah denizens of Catfish Row have ascended into the pantheon of the universal.

NOTE: This novel includes ethnic slurs and other language that some readers may find objectionable. Nevertheless, it reflects the reality of the time and setting of the culture it depicts.

Newly designed and typeset for easy reading. Printed on acid-free, archival-quality paper for long life and durability.