Customer Reviews

Ghosts Along The Mississippi: THe Magic of the Old Houses of Louisiana, New Revised Edition

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This book contains heart breaking photos of mostly Louisiana Plantations, some Beautifully restored but most are tragic beauties gone for ever, it is the only source for most of these homes to still exist, many of these photos are the only images of these magnificent homes ever taken, read the book front to back and you will agree, it reads like a novel of the tragic queens of the old south.

The evocative ruins of several Louisiana plantation houses are transformed by the brilliant photographs of Clarence Laughlin into a haunting elegy for a vanished society. Illustrating houses built between 1700 and 1861, the beautiful black-and-white photographs are especially useful now that many of these buildings have been destroyed. The text is best when it sticks to straightforward history about the buildings and their occupants. Laughlin is not nearly as talented a writer as he is a photographer, and his written attempts to describe the sensations evoked by these ruined structures sometimes become a bit pretentious. Worth having for those hot summer days when you want to indulge in a little Gone-With-the-Wind-style nostalgia for a world in which life was lived at a less hurried pace.

The Old South and particularly the Plantation homes is a subject that always interested me. This particular book is the best I have ever seen. Some of Mr. Laughlin's comments are a bit flowery, but for the most part, he captures the spirit of this time in history. I think it is wonderful that people have restored some of these homes back to their original splendor, but the pictures and the history of the homes that have long since been destroyed are the most interesting and are truly the "Ghosts Along the Mississippi".

This is a stunning portrait of history gone of the graceful architecture that was to epitomise the South in the US - the antebellum ladies. The oversize black and white photos so the decay nipping at the great ladies (some now sadly lost) with the haunting skill of a painter. Not just the houses themselves, but the smaller touches like the decorations, the outer buildings, the grave-markers. And not, pictures of perfection, so showing with time's ravage has done to them. He effectively catches the by-gone slice of history with a little camera magic, so at the superimposed image of a ghostly woman in the a mirror on the wall pf Parlange Plantation or the pencil portrait of the child of Voisin Plantation.

There are other plantation books that go into more detail of the history of these dying giants of America. But but none captured their spirit as well, and it's too late in many cases for anyone else to even try.

A beautiful work.

My mother originally bought this book for me when I was twelve, which was forty-some years ago. Even as a young kid, the haunting and heart-catching beauty of these magnificent old homes caught my heart and from then on, I have been a true lover of ante-bellum architecture and history....I pulled my original copy off the shelf the other night and just out of curiosity, looked it up on Amazon....I figured I would never find another copy of this great book, but leave it to Amazon! I can't believe its still available somewhere.....you must buy this book for your collection....most of the black and white shots are taken ( I think ) in the 1940's and early 1950's, when there was still something left to photograph....as someone else said on this site, these are probably the only actual photographs of many of these places. I am happy to report that there are some,including Oak Alley Plantation and Houmas House, that are still standing and beautifully restored, looking even better than the shots in this old book, so its not all sad, but if you buy it, you will never forget this tragic memoir of the past...

Laughlin's work is truly inspiring of the imagination; definite piece for the book lover of art and architecture.

This is one of my favorite photo books that details the stately old mansions. It's a shame that many were left to ruin, as a direct result of the terrible economic conditions imposed on the South following the widespread destruction by the Union troops in the Civil War. Through preservation efforts some have been spared as a lasting tribute to the South's heritage.

A fascinating, beautiful book. It will both break your heart at what has been lost, and astound you with what once was! Amazing history and exquisite photography.

VERY pleased to receive an item I have long desired in such terrific condition very quickly and inexpensively!