None Shall Look Back (Southern Classics Series) [Paperback]

Caroline Gordon (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 15, 1992 | Series: Southern Classics Series

A study of the hero in his archetypal struggle against death, this novel follows the Civil War in the West through the career of Confederate Rivers Allard, a Kentuckian who rides with Forrest. Southern Classics Series.

Editorial Reviews

From the Back Cover

"Her story is a legend of heroes, of those who fought well and lost their battle, and their lives. . . Miss Gordon's heart is fixed on the memory of those men who died in a single, superbly fought lost cause, in nothing diminished for being lost, and this devotion has focused her feelings and imagination to a point of fire."--Katherine Anne Porter (New Republic)

"Miss Gordon has done in this book what every novelist would do if he could, and what perhaps one in a hundred does. She has been real."--Mark Van Doren (Southern Review)

About the Author

Caroline Gordon (1895-1981), a native of Kentucky, began her literary career in the 1920’s after her marriage to poet Allen Tate. In 1929 her first story appeared. In 1931 her first novel, Penhally, was published. This was followed by three volumes of short fiction and eight more novels.

Caroline Gordon (1895-1981), a native of Kentucky, began her literary career in the 1920’s after her marriage to poet Allen Tate. In 1929 her first story appeared. In 1931 her first novel, Penhally, was published. This was followed by three volumes of short fiction and eight more novels.

Product Details

• Paperback: 399 pages
• Publisher: J.S. Sanders Books (September 15, 1992)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1879941112
• ISBN-13: 978-1879941113
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.6 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15.5 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,403,365 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A well-written, engaging and thoughtful novel, July 20, 2000

By 

Simon Jackson - See all my reviews

This review is from: None Shall Look Back (Southern Classics Series) (Paperback)

First published in 1937 "None Shall Look Back" represents an attempt by author Caroline Gordon to follow the fortunes of one family throughout the Civil War years. In this she has achieved her goal admirably. The story focuses on the Allard family of Kentucky and Georgia as they struggle with the consequences of war both for those who take up arms and for those left behind.

The central character of the novel is Rives Allard, a scout under General Nathan Bedford Forrest. Gordon follows Rives with skill and eloquence, she writes well of both the physical battles and the internal conflicts that Rives experiences.

Gordon writes with a passion regarding her subject matter, at times however I felt that she has the tendency to over romanticise the idyllic nature of the pre-war south. However this is a small quibble and one that does not detract from the overall power of the book. General Forrest appears throughout None Shall Look Back and as a personal preference I would have liked him to play a larger part the novels structure but again this is not a criticism of the book just a personal observation.

Ultimately None Shall Look Back is an account of what the author saw as the stand of the heroic south, both Rives and Forrest are presented as heroes of the Southern cause and the struggles against deprivation and poverty are presented in an heroic yet believable manner.

Before reading the novel I had some reservations regarding both its age and subject matter. Other accounts of Civil War written during the same period as None Shall Look back have at times been cliched and repetitive. Gordon relies on neither of those qualities with the end result being a well-written, engaging and thoughtful novel.

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars None Shall Look Back, May 17, 2000

By 

Mike W. Yorke (NC) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: None Shall Look Back (Southern Classics Series) (Paperback)

Margaret Mitchell was very lucky Gone With The Wind beat this great work by Caroline Gordon into print.None Shall Look Back was a better, richer story in all respects and, in my opinion, would have made a much better movie and still would. BTW - I'm a big Gone With The Wind fan. MWY

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent, December 7, 2011

By 

Paul H. Yarbrough (Houston, Texas) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: None Shall Look Back (Southern Classics Series) (Paperback)

None Shall Look back was published about a year or two after Gone With the Wind. Had it been published earlier it may have been THE Southern novel of the period. I loved GWTW but almost as much I loved NSLB. Caroline Gordon knew the South. Knew that world.