OT- Rhett Butler's People

[Aliceacc]

I'm so psyched!!

I'm a huge Gone With the Wind fan; I re-read it every few years. (In fact,last summer was a re-read year.)

But I had no idea that there was a new book out on Rhett Butler!!

I got a gift cert to the mall from one of my students at Christmas... I'll be reading the book tonight and tomorrow. (Hey, the laundry can wait!)

 

[TaraZ]

I already read it-- and really liked it! I'm anxious to hear your thoughts on it!

 

[Aliceacc]

I'll get back to you in a few days. I'm on vacation through Sunday and I'm a quick reader!!!

 

[TaraZ]

Its a long book... I read quickly as well, but I broke it into segments so it would last longer! Happy reading!

 

[southernbelle20]

I love Gone With the Wind! Let us know how you liked the new book!

 

[CampbellScot]

Did y'all read Scarlett by Alexandra Ripley? I absolutely love love LOVED Scarlett!!!! Wonderful sequel to Gone with the Wind!! I highly recommend it! I discovered it last summer and was entranced!

Gone With the Wind was on Turner Classic Movies the other night. I love the movie too...even though it leaves out important bits of the book IMO!

I can't wait to read this new one!!! I dearly love Rhett...I'd love find out about his upbringing in Charleston...and how he became such a charming scallywag!



I'm such a book dork!

 

[eh24fan]

I watched GWTW on TCM the other night. It was a nice little surprise to see when I was channel surfing. DBF came home from work (he works 2nd shift) and was annoyed with me. He is not a fan of old movies.

I love the book and Scarlett was a GREAT follow up! I loved it! Now I have to find the new one.

If I ever had a girl, I wanted to find a way to use one of the cool names from the movie or actresses, but I just can't seem to find a way to do it without being teased. Scarlett is just a little too much I think and Olivia is my sister's name (Olivia de Havilland) and then Vivien is such a pretty name (Vivien Leigh). I had boys though.

 

[karajeboo]

Who is the author? I just couldn't get into Scarlet! I guess becaue it wasn't Margaret Mitchell? I also wanted to name my kids something from GWTW but DH said NO WAY!

 

[Aliceacc]

ACK!!!

Build a Bear with my own 3 kids, my husband, my sister and her 3 kids and my mom. Followed by lunch at the food court (just TRY getting seats for 10 during a week when school is off!) and a mega-marathon trip to the Limited 2. We never GOT to the bookstore!!!!

 

[TaraZ]

I wasn't a huge fan of the "Scarlett" book either... but I really enjoyed Rhett Butler's people. Well written, interesting... but true to the characters, I thought.

And, for the record, my name is Tara. My parents are both from Georgia... guess GWTW was a *slight* influence!

 

[belle&sebastiansmom]

Who is the author? I just couldn't get into Scarlet! I guess becaue it wasn't Margaret Mitchell? I also wanted to name my kids something from GWTW but DH said NO WAY!

My mother is a big GWTW fan. Named me Tarra. Added that extra r for originality. It's served me well over the years, but when I was younger I didn't know why she didn't name me Scarlet?

 

[storzo]

Already read Rhett Butler's People and thought it was very good. I loved GWTW and thought Scarlett was so-so.

 

[karajeboo]

My mother is a big GWTW fan. Named me Tarra. Added that extra r for originality. It's served me well over the years, but when I was younger I didn't know why she didn't name me Scarlet?

Love it!!!!

I wasn't a huge fan of the "Scarlett" book either... but I really enjoyed Rhett Butler's people. Well written, interesting... but true to the characters, I thought.

And, for the record, my name is Tara. My parents are both from Georgia... guess GWTW was a *slight* influence!

Hey, we all know Scarlett was original in her own way!!!

Anyone know who authored Rhett Butler's People (is that the right title?)?

 

[TaraZ]

Its by Donal McCaig... I just re-read parts of it-- I was inspired by this post!

 

[PrincessBelle39]

I'm a huge GWTW fan also. I didn't know about this book. I might go out this afternoon and have a look for it. Hope they have it in Australia.

 

[Aliceacc]

I tried 2 different bookstores today; both were sold out. So I asked the nearer one to order it for me.

Now I won't get to read it until Easter break! The next 3 weeks of school are insanely busy!

 

[Aliceacc]

Well, it's Easter vacation, I finally have some free time, and I just finished Rhett Butler's People.

To be honest, I didn't love it.

Just as with Scarlett, I'm happy to revisit my old friends from Gone With the Wind-- in fact, I re-read GWTW last summer.

But I'm not crazy about McCaig's writing. (And, if you haven't read the book yet, I wont' reveal any of the plot, I promise )

Specifically:
- I hate the way he tells what happens, but doesn't give you any clue as to what the characters are thinking. His book reads like an itinerary: Rhett did this, Isiah did that, Rosemary said this... It makes it hard to really like the characters, or to get into their heads. Margaret Mitchell, on the other hand, made it seem effortless. Remember that opening scene of GWTW, where Scarlett is on the porch with the Tartletons? You just knew that she was sure she was the cutest, most wanted Belle in Clayton County. I didn't get that sense of who the characters really were in RBP.

- I don't like what he did with some of the characters, Melly in particular. I always pictured Melly exactly as both Margaret Mitchell and the movie did: blissfully unaware of what was going on with Ashley and Scarlett, Scarlett's undying supporter-- you know what I mean. But in this book, it seems that she did some conniving of her own. I don't like the Melly in this book nearly as much as the original.

- Rhett Butler is a very minor character throughout most of the book. We read about the other people in his life, then Rhett &/or Scarlett make a brief appearance, then we go back to the other people. The references to GWTW seem forced, as though the author was forced to relate the book to GWTW to sell it.

-To be honest, I think this book got better only when GWTW left off-- after Melly died and Rhett left Scarlett. At that point, maybe because he couldn't assume we already knew what happened, the author seems to take a bit more care about the backstory, and what the characters are feeling.

Anyone have any thoughts?

 

[ADAMANDLISA]

I absolutely loved Scarlett! I've read it three times. I remember how excited I was for the movie to come out, and then, well................isn't the book always better than the movie! What a let-down that was! Can't wait to read all about Rhett Butler!

 

[MDTerrapin]

I don't agree that in GWTW Melanie was as clueless as you think. She knew things were as they seem but being the ultimate southern lady she choose not to focus on the negative.

I loved Rhett Butler's People. I was able to borrow it from our library the week it came out so you might try your library


Karen

Karen

 

[Aliceacc]

Nah, I disagree.

Remember when Ashley wanted to come up north, maybe work in a bank or something (after he and Scarlett kissed that first time)?? And Melly gave it to him: (my words, not Margaret Mitchel's): Oh Ashley, how could you be so mean? How could we desert Scarlet? After all she's done for us?... I would think that if she had any sort of a clue that her marriage was in trouble (or that the husband she loved so much desperately needed that distance to preserve his marriage) she would have backed her husband. She could have promised to send money back to Tara, but she could have found a way to do it. Instead she persuaded Ashley to remain at Tara, where Scarlett wanted him.

I picture Melly as undyingly loyal to those she loves-- so loyal she could never imagine that anyone she loved (particularly Ashley or Scarlett) could ever by disloyal to her. Not clueless exactly, but blinded by her love for those she was closest to.