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Gone with the Wind

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It took this reviewer half a century to get around to reading this great novel for the first time! Appreciating it then, with 'fresh eyes' I share the view that "Gone With The Wind" is quite simply the most readable long novel of all time. With world-wide sales nudging 25 million, it's probably fair to say that most first-time readers (apart from the odd reviewer here at the world's biggest web site) have shared that opinion in the almost 70 years since Margaret Mitchell wrote her one-and-only book. At least one other, highly readable novelist of the past century, the late James A. Michener certainly felt that way.

I'm recalling an interview of thirty years ago in which Michener - a master storyteller in his own right - expressed awe at Mitchell's achievement. I remember Michener quoted a long-forgotten critic who greeted the book's release in 1936 with the perfect, one-sentence summing up: "It's the shortest long novel I have ever read!" Michener predicted at that time (1975) that "critics will forever have to grapple with the problem of why Margaret Mitchell's novel has remained so readable, and so important to so many people."

Michener singled out a few of the "super-dramatic confrontations" so perfectly conjured up in Mitchell's lucid, timeless writing style: Mammy lacing Scarlett into her corset; the wounded at the railway station; Scarlett shooting the Union straggler; the girls making Scarlett a dress from the moss-green velvet draperies; Rhett carrying his wife upstairs to the long-unused bedroom.

Yet for all of its amazing drama, the novel does not ultimately depend upon major confrontations for its page-turning momentum: Michener I remember, zeroed in on two 'central' paragraphs which provide the reader with perfect glimpses into the way the two major characters have 'grown' before our eyes within these pages. One of these paragraphs captivates our imagination in about the middle of the book (chapter 29):

"Somewhere, on the long road that wound through those four years, the girl with her sachet and dancing slippers, had slipped away, and there was left a woman with sharp green eyes, who counted pennies and turned her hands to many menial tasks, a woman to whom nothing was left from the wreckage, except the indestructible red earth on which she stood."

And, in the final pages, that indelible portrait of Rhett, age forty-five:

"He was sunken in his chair, his suit wrinkling untidily against his thickening waist, every line of him proclaiming the ruin of a fine body and the coarsening of a strong face. Drink and dissipation had done their work on the coin-clean profile, and now it was no longer the head of a young pagan prince on newly minted gold, but a decadent, tired Caesar on copper debased by long usage."

It's true to say (again as Michener noted thirty years ago) that the weakness of "Gone With The Wind" is the almost exclusive focus on Atlanta, ignoring the rest of the South: When in fact, it was really the ENTIRE South that changed, "altered by war, and defeat, and social upheaval - and stark determination to re-establish itself." Michener astutely observed that GWTW "depicts with remarkable felicity, the spiritual history of a region."

Most everyone these days would concede that Margaret Mitchell's personal views on the "liberation of the former slaves" (as expressed in subsequent interviews) were less than compassionate. Nevertheless, it was NOT Mitchell who composed those words which make some of us wince when they're scrolling up the screen in the movie version - words quaintly poetic perhaps, but manifestly insulting to those Americans whose ancestors never mistook the days of slavery as part of some "pretty world" poignantly longed-for, or in some way better than America today. (This reviewer has a pretty good memory for well-cadenced English prose, and this is his memory of those opening words from some anonymous male screenwriter.)

"There was a land of cavaliers and cotton fields called the 'Old South.' Here, in this pretty world, gallantry took its last bow. Here was the last ever to be seen of knights and their ladies fair, of master and slave. Look for it only in books, for it is no more than a dream remembered, a civilization gone with the wind."

So much better are the novelist's own words, distilled into so many sentences and paragraphs that positively 'sing' in our memory. Like this one:

"He swung her off her feet into his arms and started up the stairs. Her head was crushed against his chest and she heard the hard hammering of his heart beneath her ears. He hurt her and she cried out, muffled, frightened. Up the stairs, he went in the utter darkness, up, up, and she was wild with fear."

Or this:

"Hunger gnawed at her empty stomach again, and she said aloud: "As God is my witness, as God is my witness, the Yankees aren't going to lick me. I'm going to live through this, and when it's over, I'm never going to be hungry again. No, nor any of my folks. If I have to steal or kill - as God is my witness, I'm never going to be hungry again."

-----

I have often thought that "age twenty-six" is the single most important year of any long and healthy lifetime (for too many subjective reasons to list here; but think of the athletes or musicians we've admired when they were at the very summit of their game -- in their twenty-sixth year). So it comes as no surprise to learn that Margaret Mitchell was at that same magic age when she began work on this --- the book another great novelist of the last century would term "this long and powerful recollection of her home town - destined to become a titanic tale of human passions, loved around the world" . . . (its astonishing impact) "a mystery then, and remains one now."

I saw the movie before I read the book, and I thought it would be too much to read a book that was so long. But I was enthralled by the 2nd page, by the descriptions and the dialogue. The rest of the novel kept me enthralled because of the unconventionality of Scarlett and Rhett, and the messages about war, the finished past and the unavoidable future of the South in the mid-1800's. I loved the richness of the descriptions of the Old South, which made me feel so nostalgic even though I'm not even from the South! Also, I found the many characters to be well-developed and each major character had a distinct and sympathizable personality.

My favorite parts are the ones with Scarlett and Rhett at each others' throats, before and during their "courtship" and even after they were married. Their dialogue is hilarious and clever, though admittedly the wit is all from Rhett and the amusement comes from seeing Scarlett brought down a few notches. Though it hurts to know that even though Scarlett FINALLY matures enough to dump Ashley and realize she needed to change, Rhett is no longer willing to give her another chance. It seems whenever Scarlett is actually sincere about something nobody believes her or is willing to give her the benefit of the doubt (except Melanie of course). What's great about the novel is that if one was one of the characters, he would just see Scarlett on the surface: selfish, conniving and coy, but with the narration, one can see where Scarlett is coming from, and actually sympathize with her actions. She was definitely a woman born in the wrong era. She would do just fine in the 21st Century.

Scarlett is very much my favorite character, because even with her insensitivity, selfishness, and materialism, she is oftentimes the strongest person in the passel of main characters. She worked to the bone when she returned to Tara, knowing that her hands would have to be ruined in order to eat and live and provide for the family that looked to her for leadership. Sometimes it seemed she was the only practical, level-headed person in the whole book (excepting Rhett), especially since people like Suellen were just refusing to work because it was "beneath" them, refusing to admit things have changed and work had to be done. Scarlett knows what she wants and has the sense to go ahead and try to get it.

Although, many times Scarlett's selfishness comes up so unexpectedly I burst out laughing at the outrageousness of her personality. For example there would be a long conversation or narrative about how the past was so beautiful and peaceful or about a nice thing a person has done, and the book has Scarlett completely overturn the comments with her contemptous thoughts on the contrary of what was just described. Her problem is that though she sees what's in front of her, she doesn't get the POINT of what she's seeing. Hence the character of Rhett. He is so much like her, but he is able to see what she misses. He points them out to her plainly, and in Rhett Scarlett meets her match. He has what she's missing. As a result, another piece of the novel comes together: through Rhett, Scarlett is able to mature and bridge, to an extent, the gap between the ideals of people living in the past and those living in the present. Unfortunately, this maturation is not without consequences.

Because of Scarlett's headstrong personality, I found GWTW endlessy amusing, and I think it was meant to be - in showing the huge gap between the over-the-top, in-the-moment practicality of Scarlett and the immaterial dreams of yesterday held so tightly by Old Southerners like Ashley, Melanie, and the rest, Mitchell tells us that both ways of thinking have their benefits and faults. It's not good to hold on to the past without moving forward, but only worrying about current physical security without holding tight to family and identity will cause pain and loneliness in the future. The messages are many in GWTW, and none of the 1000+ pages are superfluous. It was a pleasure to read, to laugh at the witty dialogue, sigh with sadness or nostalgia, scoff with annoyance at characters' actions, and feel the pain of the bitter ironies that define the lives of characters like Scarlett and Rhett.

GWTW is not just a love story to me; it's so much more than that. It makes you think about what's past, but warns you not to dwell on the memories. Also, issues about war, race, and gender are definitely touched upon, oftentimes subtly, and it makes for great analysis. I can see why this novel won the Pulitzer Prize. Many issues are laid out all at once in front of you, forcing you to acknowledge their presence, whether it's painful to do so or not. "Gone With the Wind" made it to my "favorite books" list by page 150. It's an amazing literary work; a real masterpiece.

It's hard to believe that I'd never read GWTW. I've seen the film multiple times and I know a bit about the history of the novel. _Gone With the Wind_ sold more than 1,000,000 copies in the six months after it was released in 1936, and a year later Mitchell was awarded the Pulitzer prize for her effort. It's certainly one of the best-loved books of our century, with fans ranging from feminists who are trying to reclaim Scarlett to groups like the United Daughters of the Confederacy.

So when I picked up the book, my biggest question was whether or not it was worth so much fuss and adoration. I suppose that my answer has to be 'yes'. Mitchell's writing style is occasionally uneven and it took me 50 pages to get used to her diction, but the story is so sweeping and the characters so well-realized that all concerns about style and tone were lost in the experience of the book.

In many ways, I found the book a much stronger story than emerges in the film. Unhampered by censorship, the world that Scarlett moves in in the book is much uglier than the one in the film-- painful miscarriages, brothels, wounds and poverty fill Mitchell's picture of the post-war south and make Scarlett's character much stronger and much less petulant than she emerges in the film.

Although daunting in length, I found that the pages literally flew by, and I was sorry in the end when the story closed. Definitely a 'should read'.

What can I add that has not already been said about this novel? It truly is one of the best novels ever written. I read over 75 books every year, many of them historical novels. I don't know why I waited so long to read this one, but I'm glad I finally did. And no, I haven't seen the movie. The characters were multi-dimensional and despite their often-displayed negative qualities, we keep hoping for them. They are more real and probably like ourselves than most of us would care to admit. Perhaps that is the real beauty of the story. We can see how selfish actions can lead to consequences without having to live through the pain ourselves. The style is easy to read and enjoyable to follow. And the backdrop of the Civil War and the early reconstruction period (from the South's point of view) is among the best I've ever run across. Despite its length, the book keeps you enthralled, every step of the way. This is one of those classics that you simply must read, not because you should, but because you will be so glad you did.

When I was in middle school I shared my locker with my best friend. Her favorite movie and book were Gone With the Wind, we had posters in the locker and she talked about it non-stop. I looked at it, saw how long it was and laughed at her for her obccession.

Now as a senior in college I decided to pick it up and see what all the fuss was about. I don't have a lot of time to read during the semester, but I had this book finished in less then 3 weeks. I didn't want to put it down, and it ate at me during classes to not know what was going on in Atlanta in my absence.

This is quite possibly the most amazing book I have ever read. Mitchell's writting style is amazingly easy to read dispite the era she was writing during, and her descriptions make the state of Georgia come alive for a girl who has never left New England.

The character of Scarlett both infuriated me and drew commanalities to myself. While sometimes you want to scream at the book and make her realize her love for Rhett hundreds of pages before she does, I think theres a little of every women in her. Her hopes and fears are still very real so many years later.

I am so happy to have read this book, and now its one I'll reread in a few years. I highly reccamend it and am completely in love with it.

This book was wonderful. I love reading about the south and the Civil War era is a wonderful back drop for the story of the spoiled southern belle Scarlett, and the dashing Rhett. I personally feel that this book is the mother of historical romance and will last the test of time. I read this book the first time when I was 12 or 13 and re-read it again as an adult. My memory of this story was not altered by the length of time between these reads.

Better then the movie and wonderfully descriptive with real characters that grow as a result of their experiences you will not be disappointed with this book.

Thirty plus years ago, I lived and breathed "Gone With the Wind" in one huge, invigorating, life-changing gulp. I am writing this review because there is a whole new generation out there that should be exposed to this ground-breaking book.

Epic in scope at over 1,000 pages, "Gone With the Wind" is a story of the Civil War, set in the deep South. The central charater is the infamous Scarlett O'Hara, a tempestuous, beautiful southern belle who secretly loves Ashley Wilkes, a childhood friend who marries his saintly cousin Melanie. At their engagement barbeque, Scarlett meets the dashing, mysterious Rhett Butler, the black sheep of a distinguished Charleston family. This event marks the last day of their antebellum lives, and sets the stage for the ravages of war that follow. Covering a time frame of roughly twelve years, "GWTW" is also a story of the new South that rises from the ashes of the old.

Scarlett, one of the most indelible characters of modern fiction, is ruthless and selfish, a survivor and a fighter. A feminist long before her time, Scarlett pays dearly for the choices she makes. Rhett is a more complex individual with one weakness. He hides his love for Scarlett, prefering to pop in and out of her life until he "catches her between husbands". It is Rhett who is the more sympathetic character, deeply intelligent, self-mocking and sometimes heartbreakingly sad. Rhett, in spite of his worldly ways, is more representative of the old south, while Scarlett depicts the new.

"Gone With the Wind" is fabulously well-written, plotted and researched. It has been criticized as racist, and it is so. No author today could get away with these portrayals of African Americans. But you have to remember that this book was written in the 1930s. Keep that in mind if you become angry. Personally, I feel that Mammy is one of the strongest, noblest women to appear in a work of fiction.

This work is a must read for everyone. Savor it, reread it and be moved as many before you have been.

Being a guy this is kind of hard for me to admit, but this is the best book that I have ever read to date. I know that this is a "chick book" but I found it completely fascinating. I learned much more about the civil war from this book than I ever did from a history book or a classroom. I also learned about the origination of the KKK, all about slavery and all about real southern hospitality. There is so much more to this book than just a great story. You actually get to feel what it would have been like to grow up and live on a plantation before, during and after the civil war. I believe that this book should be read by everyone because of its historical value even though the story itself is fiction. I have read very few books where you really know and feel for the characters like you do in GONE WITH THE WIND.

A fourteen year old who loves to read almost anything under the sun:

I loved this book. When I was in seventh grade I checked it out of our little school library because it had a lot of points--we'd read books, take a test, and receive a certain number of points for that book. If we got everything correct, we got full points, and we needed many points to pass English every trimester.
I didn't realize I was going to fall in love with the characters. Each person is beautifully made, intricate, and unique. You grow to know everyone in the story. Margaret Mitchell doesn't let any detail slide. She describes Scarlett beautifully.
Scarlett is perhaps the most interesting character I've ever read. I hate her completely, and yet love her just the same. She was the most spoiled brat, and yet I felt like I was part of her, or she was part of me.
Also, Margaret Mitchell does a good job of justifying the Confederate's reasons for breaking off from the United States. Although I don't agree with slavery at all, I could see where the southerners came off, believing as they did, and even felt a little angry at the northerners for being so hotheaded themselves.
For those of you who have seen the movie and liked it, buy this book, its ten times better. And for those of you who disliked the movie, still get the book. It is very much different from the movie, you get in the whole world, and they left out so much in the movie. For instance, Scarlett ... well, just read it, it's good.

While I admit to not being a fan of the romance genre, Mitchell's "Gone with the Wind" towers above its imitators in style and substance. Set in the Atlanta area during the Civil War era, Mitchell's story exemplifies the proper writing of historical fiction, with painstaking accuracy of language, mannerisms, and morals. The war itself is also presented as it should be presented - in full color and with all its moral ambiguity, rather than the black-and-white presentation that so often is the norm in modern discourse.

Mitchell's painting of southern culture and the all-encompassing war, however, serve only as the background for one of the most poignant love stories ever written. Following the life and loves of the willful Scarlett O'Hara, the work delves straight into the meaning and nature of love. Torn between her now-married childhood love, Ashley, and the outcast Rhett Butler, and in dogged pursuit of financial success after the devastating war, Scarlett lives a life of emotion and passion that few fictional characters have rivalled.

Though this work is quite long, it is a very easy read. The style is light and brisk, the language uncomplicated except in the heavy dialect of the blacks, and the story compelling. "Gone with the Wind" is a great book, a great movie, and perhaps the greatest love story ever told. Highly recommended.