Wearing Purple

These four middle-aged African American women, all professionals in their fields, first met in 1954 at Alabama's Talladega College and in 1989 formed a ""working circle"" of support for one another. In addition to meeting twice a year and participating in conference calls, they have corresponded for the past seven years. The warm and affecting letters collected here testify to the deep devotion they hold for one another, as well as the concerns they share, including love relationships, children, the aging process, career issues and the death of close family members and friends. Patterson and Owens are both in long-term marriages and frequently refer to the power of the marital bond, while Alexander, a widow, and Harper, a divorcee, describe their lives as single women. Although they refer to episodes of discrimination they have faced as African American women, the emphasis here is on their experiences as females and how having close women friends has enhanced their lives. Their letters should appeal to women interested in friendship with their fellow women. Photos. (Dec.)