Customer Reviews

Celia Garth

5 star:		(28)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
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CELIA GARTH takes place during the American Revolutionary War in the city of Charleston, South Carolina. Celia, the main character is a "sassy" twenty-year-old woman who worked as a seamstress in a very fashionable clothing shop. The inhabitants of Charleston were divided in their loyalties. Some were Tories and supported the king and England; many others were supporters of the revolution. After two months of conflict and bombardment, British forces occupied the city of Charleston.

The local hero in South Carolina was Francis Marion, called the "Swamp Fox," by the British. His goal was to keep the British army occupied in South Carolina, and away from General George Washington who was fighting another British army in the north. Celia and her friends supported the revolution and acted as spies for Francis Marion during the two years of the British occupation of Charleston.

The book is full of the flavor and feeling of the late 1700's. Luke Ansell, an American soldier sings the following little ditty, as he walks home after his first meeting with Celia Garth.

"Now girls why act so shy
When provoking men come by?
You know you're only wondering
how you strike us--

Oh forget the won'ts and can'ts!
For since half the world wears pants,
You might as well own up to it--
you like us!"

I learned a great deal about Charleston and how the people of that town lived through the very difficult years of the American Revolution. The book gives a lot of little tidbits of interesting information. For instance, it was popular for the colonial women to name their male babies, George. They would then tell if their baby was named after King George of England or General George Washington.

This is a well-written and very enlightening story.

At the prompting of my mother, grandmother, and aunt, I first read Celia Garth before I was old enough to even understand half of what Gwen Bristow writes about. Since then, I have read it many, many times, and it remains one of my favorites to this day. Celia is such a vivid character, and getting to see Charleston and the Revolutionary War through her eyes is like being there yourself! I cried my eyes out at the plantation death scene, marveled at Celia's courage through it all, and could barely contain my glee when she finally realizes her true happiness. I would recommend this book to anyone, young or old; if you haven't read Celia Garth, you're missing out. And if you haven't ever visited Charleston, SC--well, need I say more? You can see the harbor as Celia did, walk the same streets, see the spire of St. Michael's, and much, much more. It's not the same Charleston as it was a hundred years ago, but it's close enough and thoroughly enjoyable.

The first time I read Celia Garth was about eight years ago. I found it sitting on a bookshelf in my house, and I couldn't put it down. It immediately became my favorite book, and to this day still is. I just recently started reading Gwen Bristow's others, and I can't put them down either! Her Historical Fiction is amazing, and her ability to combine her fictional characters with non-fictional people and places is the best I have ever seen.

When I was in middle school, I had outgrown the Nancy Drew mysteries. I discovered this book in our school library. It quickly became a favorite. The language and style is easy to read and the descriptions make you feel like you are back in the time of the Revolutionary War. It is the intellectual equivalent of playing "dress-up" -- imagining that you are the beautiful heroine of another time.

I guess I just really liked historical fiction because it was so much more appealing to me than modern day. You didn't have to worry about the cliques at school.

The book is also just good clean story with an engaging story line. Themes are simple and there isn't the moral gnashing of teeth that seems to be much more popular in more recent books (such as the Luxe series that is currently en vogue).

And, being historical fiction, it also gives you a glimpse into history so when you read it -- especially as an adolescent -- you might actually wind up learning some real history... or at least be motivated to explore it some more.

I am the mother of two boys so they will never read these books. But I'm so happy to see them released again so I can go back and revisit another time -- in American life and in my own.

I read this book over 30 years ago and have never forgotten the heroine, the locale, or the story. Why JOHNNY TREMAIN has remained on shelves when CELIA GARTH has been allowed to go out of print absolutely astounds me. Together they form a picture of our Revolutionary times which is lively, entertaining, and educational-all in one package, a book. My copy of this book was "borrowed" long ago and never returned and I have been trying to locate it since. I'm taking this opportunity to find it and read it!

I have read this book once a year or more since the 1960's. I love it. The problem now is that I can't find it in libraries. It is out of print. The story is well written. It has romance intertwined with fictional and actual early American history, action, and drama. It has something for everyone. Spies, Secret passages in the houses, and American's fighting the English and how the towns people survive.

I have always been interested in this period of history and with the Civil War era. Gwen Bristow is a great author and this the best book she's ever written in my opinon.

Ms. Bristow's discription of her herione and her surroundings make you feel that you are actually there. You walk with Celia down to the shipyards. You go with her to seek employment as a personal seamstress. You feel her anger at her cousin for trying to get her mother's jewelry. You feel her sadness when her first love dies. When she marries, you feel her anger when her cousin gains co! ntrol of her home and she is allowed to stay on as "poor" relation..This is an inspiring book everyone should read. In fact they should reprint it for the newer generation to read.

I first read this book in high school many years ago. I have not been able to find another copy until Amazon. It is probably one of the best historical fictions next to Diana Gabaldon's Outlander series. Gwen Bristow is a great writer as you can also experience in her Santa Fe Trail. Anyone interested in the Revolutionary War from a woman's prospective will love this book.

I purchased a hardcover copy from the Charleston historical society's downtown office. I was vacationing and looking for local fiction, opted for Colonial period rather than Civil War or present-day. The streets and historical character of downtown are still present and make this book more interesting. The historial accuracy is very good, although overly worshipful of Marion and his role. I understand the cultural differences between present-day readers and Colonial slaveownwers, and we shouldn't demonize Colonists for that, but CG does tend to perpetuate the oxymoron "well-treated slave" (and Charleston's place as the busiest slave trade port in the New World is ignored by the book). As for Celia, "Sassyface" certainly has gumption, and this can get annoying for mature readers. But it's overall pretty good, and for teens (especially girls), this book is a treasure.

As a native Charlestonian, I first read this book more to see how historically accurate it was than for entertainment. So many authors try to set books in Charleston without doing research. I was very impressed. Ms Bristow certainly did her homework. The characters are real and human with human failings as well as human delights. I have since read Celia Garth many times, always with delight!

I first read this book as a very young girl of twelve and fell in love with the story of Celia Garth. I found the hard cover of this book at age nineteen and have read it countless times over the years. This book would make a wonderful movie or television miniseries. I now find myself a grandmother and will definitely encourage my granddaughters to read this wonderful book.