Gone with the Wind

An anniversary edition of Margaret Mitchell's timeless classic.

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Gone with the Wind is an American War & Peace. This is serious literature, which won the Pulitzer prize, no less. Most people don't see past the epic plot (which isn't as cut and dried as you may think) or the love story, but this is no less than a successfull attempt to reclaim a discarded culture. It is not about crinoline and lace, it it about the Apocalypse and how losers of the counter-revolution must learn to live in a place where all their politics, personal or civil, are demolished. Scarlett O'Hara is popular because she is an American, driven, materialistic, sentimental and utterly ruthless. Rhett Bulter is the tragic character of this book; the way of life and ideals he disdained are killing him, and he suffers like no one else in this post-apocalyptic landscape. His departure at the end is an act of contrition as much as a romantic failure; he had tried to recreate the materialism of the ante-bellum world, but negeclected the spirituality (such as it is) of men like Ashley Wilkes. Both men, the dreamer and the realist end up alone in a very sterile place. This book is proto-feminist as well. Scarlett survives, even as everything around her dies, but in the end, she too is alone.

Don't dumb this masterpiece down. The movie fails to capture even a tenth of the depth here. And that awful sequel! Caused by the mistake that this book is some kind of romance novel. This is Art, and you can't stick a new ending on it, any more than you can a great painting or musical composition.

95 of 99 found the following review helpful:

The BESTJul 13, 2000

I've read GWTW many times -once you get going you can't stop! I once gave a copy to a friend to read -she said it was 'too old fashioned' oh well her loss. I'm glad I'm in the company of true 'Windies' so I thought I'd share with you some interesting facts about the book: -Scarlett was originally named Pansy

-Scarlett was partly based on Mitchell herself and her grandmother

-Rhett was based on Mitchell's first husband Red Upshaw

-the initials JRM in her dedication refer to her second husband John Reginald Marsh

-Margaret Mitchell maintained the only character taken from real life was Prissy the maid

-When asked who she'd like to be in the movie version, Mitchell said 'Prissy'

-Like a detective novelist, Mitchell wrote the last chapter first and the first chapter last

-GWTW is the only book to sell more copies than the bible

-Mitchell nearly went blind just proofreading the manuscript!

-Mitchell scrupously researched every detail for GWTW, even going to the town register to ensure there was no Rhett Butler or Scarlett O'Hara alive during the Civil War

-The novel took ten years to complete, most of it was written in three

-For style, she endeavoured to make her prose so that a five-year old could read it

-If she were ever to write a sequel, it would be called 'Back With the Breeze' On that note,please avoid the Ripley penned sequel 'Scarlett', it is atrocious.

-Gone with the Wind is my favourite book of all time, and yours too, I hope. Enjoy!

87 of 93 found the following review helpful:

One word --- WOW!!!!Aug 31, 2007
By Misfit
I would give this 10 stars if I could. I haven't read this since I was a young girl in the early 70's and should never have waited so long to read it again. The characters were exceptionally well drawn, the dialogue was brilliant, particularly between Rhett (SIGH!) and Scarlett. I swear there was sparks flying off the pages. I am going to miss the people I will have to put behind me now that the book has come to an end, Rhett (SIGH), Scarlett, Mammy, Prissy and Aunt Pitty Pat (LOL).

The author's use of prose was beautiful, all the scenes and action came alive for me. Some people seem to be offended by the racism in the book, but that's how things were back then. Sugar coating it would have ruined the story reducing it to a Harlequin romance.

This is an incredibly well written book about the death of a civilization and the struggles to survive in the new era. This is a book that should not be missed, particulary those who enjoy historical fiction.

65 of 74 found the following review helpful:

Great book but don't buy this edition...Feb 17, 2008
By K. Armstrong
I love this book and have read it many times however this particular edition is missing a page, page 713 has been replaced with page 813, and you don't want to miss a word of Gone With the Wind!

38 of 42 found the following review helpful:

The best fiction ever writtenJul 18, 2007
By James Hobson Jr.
Growing up in Georgia, I've had a first hand look at the American South. After reading Gone with the Wind, I realized the South hasn't changed that much. We don't have slavery anymore but the lifestyle and traditions remain much the same. THAT is what makes Mitchell's work so enlightening. She relates the Southern Culture better than any other writer barring Pat Conroy. She shows the strength, the loyalty, the compassion, and the gumption of a good southern woman. She also relates the frustration and rebellion at being expected to take a backseat service-oriented role in society and especially in the family. But it doesn't stop there. Mitchell also weaves one heck of a story scattered with some of the most unique and memorable characters in fiction. Characters such as Scarlett O'Hara's love interest Ashley, her bestfriend/worst enemy Melanie (Ashley's wife), and of course the sly Rhett Butler. The book is timeless, the story compelling.

A romantic at heart, I appreciate the subtleties of the struggle for love unattained and love unreturned, both of which give this story a personal touch. If you are curious to see why this novel is the 2nd best selling book in the world next to the Bible, pick it up and expect a long, complex story with unforgettable characters, a glimpse of a fleeting culture, and prose that tastes like an expensive red wine.

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