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33 of 33 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A brilliant, moving story of race relations and humanity, March 27, 2003
A Gathering of Old Men, set in 1970s Louisiana, is one of the richest and most powerful novels about race relations written in the last few decades. It's really a simple story that could be told fairly quickly, but the event upon which the novel is based is in some ways peripheral to the story. The whole point of the novel is to pry deeply into the hearts and minds of men, both black and white, reveal the pains and struggles that each of them has either dealt out or dealt with, and to reveal the poignant humanity in a group of brave old men who have essentially counted for nothing in their own minds and are determined to take advantage of one last opportunity to stand up for themselves, their friends and families, and their ancestors. Beau Boutan is dead, lying out in the weeds beside his shotgun, and everyone knows who killed him. He was shot in Mathu's yard, and Mathu is the only black man on the place that has ever stood up for himself against the Boutans. By the time Sheriff Mapes arrives on the scene, the situation is far from simple, though. Eighteen old black men are assembled in the yard, each with a shotgun and an empty shell of the type that cut Beau down, and each one of them says he killed Beau. Candy is there, the white lady half-raised by old Mathu after her parents were killed, and she is determined to defend Mathu and all of the blacks on her land the way her parents and grandparents defended them in the past. She says she killed Beau and will confess the crime in court. Mapes has a problem on his hands. Fix Boutan, the dead man's father, is sure to come down to the quarters seeking revenge, and there is bound to be a lynching if Mapes can't get everything straightened out before Fix has time to get there. All the old black men gathered in the yard are there because of Fix. Each one of them has lived a long time without ever really standing up for himself; they've all taken abuse quietly, and they have seen their women and children abused right in front of their eyes for what seems like forever. Now, they see they have a last chance to stand up for themselves against Fix and his cruel gang. They have come for a fight, and no one is going to talk them out of it. Gaines gives us multiple points of view in this novel. Each chapter is related in first person by one of the characters, and the results are incredibly revealing. We learn a great deal about these men, the lives they have led, and their own feelings about those lives. It's really quite intense and revealing. This is not a story of racial hatred, however, despite the fact that a number of white characters have led hateful lives. Twenty years earlier, Fix Boutan would have been revenged his boy's murder without even thinking about it, and this is the Fix Boutan the old black men expect and indeed hope to take their stand against. Times are changing, though, and the younger generation, men such as Beau's brother Gil, don't think the same way that the older generations do. Thus, there is as much hope as anguish in this novel. To some degree, not a lot happens in terms of action over the course of the story, so some may find the reading a little long and boring, but even those who don't fully appreciate the human dimensions of the story will be rewarded by the path the final chapters take and the action that does take place toward the end. I have to say that Ernest J. Gaines proves himself to be an incredible writer, able to communicate thoughts, feelings, and history itself in a manner most writers can never hope to match. A Gathering of Old Men isn't overly complex or lengthy, so there is no reason why anyone should deny himself or herself the pleasure of enjoying and learning from this true landmark of a novel.
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14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Taking a Stand, August 4, 2001
Ernest Gaines clearly demonstrates his love of the land and people of Louisiana in A Gathering of Old Men. In a storyline which has similarities with Agatha Christie's Murder on the Orient Express, eighteen old Afro-American men take a stand by admitting to a murder of the local racist bully Beau Boutan. Their position gives them the authority to redeem their dignity. Ernest Gaines is a masterful writer and a compelling story-teller. The book is structured almost as a number of short stories. Each chapter adds to the whole and is told from a different persons point of view. Each short synapsis provides insight into a new character and the choices and perspectives which they hold. This is a story about changing times, the late 1970's. This is a story about strength and dignity. This is a story about father and son. This is a story about black and white. There is so much involved in this short novel. In addition to that, it is told in a way that is interesting and readable. I had trouble putting the book down. It certainly was one of the more important books I have read in years. I advise anyone concerned about the vitality and diversity found in American Literature to read this.
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10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A Gathering of Old Men, November 2, 2003
"A Gathering of Old Men" is a great novel by Ernest J Gaines who again so vividly captures the prejudice in the south in the 1970's. The book focuses on racial issues of the Southern United States, and also the companionship between friends and the strength of family. Like I said the book takes place in Louisiana in 1970 and starts off with a killing of a Cajun farm worker, Beau Boutan. One of the black workers, Mathu, states that he's killed Beau. Candy, the Cajun owner of the farm says that Mathu is just protecting her, yet no one believes her. All the black men from the surrounding plantations come and state they have killed Beau too....or they just as much a reason to. Clatoo leads the black men to the plantation with their empty shotguns each of them trying to prove a point to themselves as well as to the whit community. The Sheriff, Mapes, arrived to meet them and figure out who he is going to take to jail, while also trying to radio to his deputy to keep Fix at home. Fix is Beau's father and notorious for organizing lynching mobs against blacks. Each chapter of the story is told by each character, including the black men, the sheriff and everyone in between. Giving us insight and history of Black Pride and how its formed. It gives a strong feeling of community and maturity. It shows how the South is changing, as well as the black community. "A Gathering of Old Men" by Ernest J Gaines is a great book to read and I highly recommend it. Gaines' vivid descriptions throughout the book makes you think you are there. You can feel the apprehension and frustration of the characters, as well as see the southern countryside through his words. His unique style of writing the book, telling the story from different points of view., from the good people and the bad people, the young and old. Gaines' new style along with the vivid description make this a must read book.
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