2008 Book 100: Gone with the Wind

Book #:	100
Book Title:	Gone with the Wind
Author:	Margaret Mitchell
Publisher:	Scribner
Pub. Date:	1936 (original); 2007 (this version)
Pages:	959
Started:	November 15, 2008
Finished:	November 22, 2008
Time to Read:	8 Days
Back Cover / Inside Flap:	"Margaret Mitchell's epic novel of love and war won the Pulitzer Prize and went on to give rise to two authorized sequels and one of the most popular and celebrated movies of all time. Many novels have been written about the Civil War and its aftermath. None take us into the burning fields and cities of the American South as Gone with the Wind does, creating haunting scenes and thrilling portraits of characters so vivid that we remember their words and feel their fear and hunger for the rest of our lives. In the two main characters, the white-shouldered, irresistible Scarlett and the flashy, contemptuous Rhett, Margaret Mitchell not only conveyed a timeless story of survival under the harshest of circumstances, she also created two of the most famous lovers in the English-speaking world since Romeo and Juliet."
Stars:	****
Review:	When I first began on my quest to read Pulitzer Prize winning novels, I was actually surprised to find Gone with the Wind on the list. Seen the movie. Years ago. Didn't like it. (STOP GLARING AT ME!) Never read the book. (STOP IT!) Despite a passion for history, and in particular military history, and even more in particular Civil War history, I just never had a bit of interest in this story. Boy, did I make a mistake! The only reason this story took so long to read is because we have family visiting to meet our new baby and help us wrangle our yard into shape and get ready for Thanksgiving. Otherwise, I believe I would have glued myself to an armchair for however long it would have taken me to read this story straight through. What a vivid look at life during the Civil War and its aftermath - not from the same military viewpoint as I've read time and again - but from the class of people who stood to lose the most by the new world order. I felt myself feeling truly sorry for the richy rich...as they lost their riches and struggled to find their way in a completely different life. I felt myself feeling angry at those who were forcing the change. And through it all, I wanted more. Now...having said that...the drawbacks: I wanted to throttle Brett about a million times for his attitude issues and I wasn't much happier with Scarlett's behavior at times. Ashley was a wuss. SLAP! Melanie - the only sweet, sweet character. LOVED Mammy! If you're stubborn like me and haven't read this book in the past, drop everything and go get a copy now!

If you have read or are planning to read this book, please make sure to stop back by and leave me a comment to let me know your own thoughts!

From my library to yours,

Tiffany