Gone with the Wind

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  Despite the fame this book has long held, which might make devotees of the esoteric shy from its pages, it ultimately is simply a finely crafted story that marries a good set of fictional characters to a well researched and anecdotal account of a period of American history. This was the first grown up book I ever read. I was ten years old, got hooked from the start, pretended to be sick to stay home from school to finish it - and indeed I did, in about three days. I have reread it many ti... (show more)

  Despite the fame this book has long held, which might make devotees of the esoteric shy from its pages, it ultimately is simply a finely crafted story that marries a good set of fictional characters to a well researched and anecdotal account of a period of American history. This was the first grown up book I ever read. I was ten years old, got hooked from the start, pretended to be sick to stay home from school to finish it - and indeed I did, in about three days. I have reread it many times since. There is a whole story in there that was edited from the script of the 1939 Selznick production. I have a dream to become a movie maker one day and shoot a film of all the things that were not in the original - these scenes alone would make a tight, unlovely, brutal and sometimes tender story about the relationship between Scarlett and Melanie, the life of their slaves and, as well, the realities of Tara's journey from grand home to one mule farm. There are characters and scenes that were expunged from the screenplay that would make for great cinematic moments. Alas, for want of that, there is the book. (show less)

   

  by Paul Miller on Feb 14, 2009 at 05:52PM

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  I bloody loved this! It got me hooked from the first few pages. The American Civil War was a period which I knew very little about and, as with Wild Swans by Jung Chang, this book has improved my knowledge considerably. The plot and descriptions transported me to that time completely.

  Unlike other reviewers I wasn't bothered by the racist tone, it held true to the period in which it was set and added authenticity to the characters. Polictical correctness or avoidence of the facts would hav... (show more)

  I bloody loved this! It got me hooked from the first few pages. The American Civil War was a period which I knew very little about and, as with Wild Swans by Jung Chang, this book has improved my knowledge considerably. The plot and descriptions transported me to that time completely.

  Unlike other reviewers I wasn't bothered by the racist tone, it held true to the period in which it was set and added authenticity to the characters. Polictical correctness or avoidence of the facts would have jarred horribly. You can't rewrite history folks.

  Scarlett is a thoroughly selfish and dislikeable protaganist, a very brave move on Mitchell's part. One can't help but admire her strength of character, but compared to the almost impossibly saintly Melanie, her decisions and behaviour look more reprehensible than ever. Where as Rhett is simply the most romantic male lead ever to be written. I think I'm a little in love with him. (show less)

   

   

  by Jennet Singleton on May 10, 2009 at 09:35AM

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