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Title: Gone With the Wind
ISBN: 068483068X
Author:
Margaret Mitchell
Publicate Date: 1936-09-01
Publish: 1936-09-01
List Price: $28.00
Average Customer Rating: 4.5
Format: Hardcover
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Amazon Lowest New Price: $8.81
Amazon Lowest Used Price: $8.27
Amazon Merchant Price: $18.48
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1: Timeless!
This novel is, I'm certain you must know by now, a family saga covering the Civil War and Reconstruction in the South from the viewpoint of a wealthy Southern family who live on a plantation called 'Tara.'
Easy to read, 'Gone With the Wind' is not only a family saga, but a fascinating character study of people who did what they had to do in order to survive the devastating war years and the reconstruction that followed. Lives and lifestyles were changed forever with the Civil War. Southerners had to adapt to an entirely foreign way of life and this novel explores how different people coped in the form of well-developed, complex characters.
Difficult to put down, this novel is one you will read over and over again and eventually pass down to your children. Don't hesitate to buy a copy!
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2: A 10-star epic novel.
Five stars is not enough to rate this timeless, flawless epic novel of the South. Miss Mitchell's talent has never been underrated or under-appreciated, but having read it as a teen - then, again recently, after having read "Rhett Butler's People," the authorized sequel to GWTW commissioned by the Mitchell estate, I am newly appreciative of Miss Mitchell's prodigious talent.
For those who have only seen the equally terrific, but different, movie, please read Mitchell's original.
The movie does stand on its own. I am a fan of novels-turned-books and have seen many. I never denigrate a movie if it differed from the original novel in any way. The two are different media.
But Mitchell's only novel earned her a place forever in American literature and is desrving to be read in its entirety.
Though long, it is a quick read for the engaged reader.
I have not read the much-ballyhooed but often best-seller, unauthorized sequels, but I will do so, mostly out of curiosity.
The authorized sequel, Rhett Butler's People, is also interesting, but can never live up to Mitchell's GWTW.
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3: I don't know what I can add, but....
This book probably has more reviews written for it than any other that I've seen on the Amazon site. As I said, I don't know what I can add that others haven't already said...but I have often thought, as I have read and re-read this wonderful novel, that I don't think Scarlett would get Rhett back in the end. I always thought Rhett was far more intelligent, well-rounded, and wise than she, and that an awful lot of his longing for her was comprised of her lack of availability (her heart, that is, that heart that belonged only to Ashley), and her looks. After all, when did he fall for her? When he looked up at her on the staircase and she was wearing that low-cut green-sprigged dress!
The fascinating characters that Mitchell so deftly brings to life are what make this novel so unforgettable. I don't know that any of them are truly believable, but somehow that doesn't matter. The writing style is dated (all those exclamation points!), and of course the dialect and political viewpoints are atrocious in this day and age. The amazing thing is that none of this matters as we find ourselves caught up in Scarlett's world, a world, as Mitchell so poignantly writes,that was gone with the wind.
When Rhett tells Scarlett at the end, "I won't be pursued as the luckless Ashley was pursued," I believe he meant it. The fact that he could coin a phrase like, "Someone or something has convinced you that your lover is too large a piece of Dead Sea fruit for even you to chew" (not sure if I'm quoting this 100% correctly, but I've memorized large portions of the dialogue through re-reading) simply showcases how much more extensive his intellect is than Scarlett's. He realizes now that she no longer holds any appeal for him; her charm for him, simply, was her unattainable-ness. (not a word, either - sorry!)
I never read the sequel. To me, that would be a sacrilege. Mitchell always said that for her, the novel ended when it ended. But no one who reads it can resist pondering..."Did she get him back?" And I say no.
But read it anyway. It's a long read, but oh, such an enjoyable one.
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4: Stand the test of time?
I've been thinking for a long time that I should read this book--and I'm probably not alone. It's not like I don't know the plot, but still, I've always imagined that it's a classic piece of American storytelling. Let's just say that the writing can be hackneyed, and at times cringe-worthy. But what will make this book last is Mitchell's ability to tell a story, to make people want to turn the page, and experience what happens next. This skill is often undervalued and overlooked, but makes her talent stand above the abilities of others who can write a better sentence. I would recommend this book, not as a timeless piece of literature, but of storytelling.
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5: Hands down the BEST book I have EVER read!
This book is now my favorite book of all time (it contends with the Bible people!) and is the reason I am grateful to have sight and the ability to read, to enjoy masterpieces like this. I will admit the first 100 pages were slightly slow, but necessary to build the story. I loved learning more about the Civil War and appreciated seeing it from a perspective that often gets shrouded in history. Slavery was never ok but this book allowed me to explore slavery from the South's point of view. I also loved Scarlet, even with all her downfalls, and enjoyed the book most all when Rhett was highlighted.
Every American should be required to read this book! That is how passionately I loved it.
Also, the un-sequel Scarlet was a lovely read. Some contest that Mitchell's work should have been left alone and I can see their point. However, I wasn't ready to say good-bye to Scarlet just yet. No, the sequel does not quite compare to the original, but I thoroughly enjoyed it and recommend the sequel to those who secretly want a happier ending for Scarlet.
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