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Plantation Trilogy #1
Deep Summer
The New York Times–bestselling author of Jubilee Trail does “a grand job of storytelling” in this saga of pioneers who settled the Louisiana wilderness (The New York Times). For his service in the king’s army during the French and Indian War, Judith Sheramy’s father, a Puritan New Englander, is granted a parcel of land in far-off Louisiana. As the family ventures down the Mississippi to make a new home in the wilderness, Judith meets Philip Larne, an adventurer who travels in the finest clothes Judith has ever seen. He is a rogue, a killer, and a thief—and the first thing he steals is Judith’s heart. Three thousand acres of untamed jungle, populated by native tribes and overrun with jaguars and pirates, await Philip in Louisiana. He and Judith will struggle through their stormy marriage and the challenges of the American Revolution as they strive to build an empire for future generations. This is the first novel in Gwen Bristow’s Plantation Trilogy, which also includes The Handsome Road and This Side of Glory.
426 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 1937
About the author
Gwen Bristow
26 books175 followersAmerican author and journalist. She studied at Columbia University and afterwards wrote for a number of literary magazines and journals. Eventually she moved to New Orleans, and worked at the Times-Picayune. She became interested in longer forms of writing—novels and short stories—through her husband, screenwriter Bruce Manning, and published her first novel in 1929.
Bristow reached the pinnacle of her career with the western romance Jubilee Trail, which became a bestseller in 1950, and was adapted to a moderately successful film in 1954.
Bristow reached the pinnacle of her career with the western romance Jubilee Trail, which became a bestseller in 1950, and was adapted to a moderately successful film in 1954.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 131 reviews
September 20, 2016
My Goodreads friend Anne, suggested this older book and I'm so thankful that she did. Somehow I had never gotten around to reading any of Gwen Bristow's book but I will be making up for lost time now.
The Puritan Sheramy family travel by flatboat from Connecticut to Louisiana after Mark Sheramy receives a grant of land there. Judith Sheramy, his 16 year old daughter secretly falls in love with a fellow traveler, Phillip Larne and they elope soon after their arrival in LA.
Phillip Larne, a rather ne'er do well, Rhett Butler type, from S.C. owns the property next to the Sheramy family. I found the trials and tribulations each family experienced while trying to clear and cultivate the Louisiana forests fascinating reading. The author is from Louisiana and brings all the beauties of that state to life.
The characters are all well developed and complex and I soon became invested in all of them.
Life is not easy for both of the pioneering families and I was enthralled as they met each difficulty with character and grace.
I'm looking forward to reading the sequel The Handsome Road and many other books by this talented author of historical fiction.
The Puritan Sheramy family travel by flatboat from Connecticut to Louisiana after Mark Sheramy receives a grant of land there. Judith Sheramy, his 16 year old daughter secretly falls in love with a fellow traveler, Phillip Larne and they elope soon after their arrival in LA.
Phillip Larne, a rather ne'er do well, Rhett Butler type, from S.C. owns the property next to the Sheramy family. I found the trials and tribulations each family experienced while trying to clear and cultivate the Louisiana forests fascinating reading. The author is from Louisiana and brings all the beauties of that state to life.
The characters are all well developed and complex and I soon became invested in all of them.
Life is not easy for both of the pioneering families and I was enthralled as they met each difficulty with character and grace.
I'm looking forward to reading the sequel The Handsome Road and many other books by this talented author of historical fiction.
June 3, 2014
This is a wonderful tale of two families settling into Louisiana while it was still a wilderness, carving out their homes, crops, subsequent plantations and family dynasties, along with their dependence on slaves to maintain those plantations.
The author has a nice way of making you feel and see the realities of life in the south, including the bugs and the oppresive heat. It was wonderful learning about the early settlers in Louisiana, up to its entrance into the US as a territory. Prior to that, sometimes they were governed by the French, sometimes by the Spanish, etc.
Well worth taking the time to read, this is the start of Bristow's Plantation Trilogy, the next being during the time of the Civil War. While the price of the used book is more than a bit over the top for me, I readily found it at my local library.
The author has a nice way of making you feel and see the realities of life in the south, including the bugs and the oppresive heat. It was wonderful learning about the early settlers in Louisiana, up to its entrance into the US as a territory. Prior to that, sometimes they were governed by the French, sometimes by the Spanish, etc.
Well worth taking the time to read, this is the start of Bristow's Plantation Trilogy, the next being during the time of the Civil War. While the price of the used book is more than a bit over the top for me, I readily found it at my local library.
September 26, 2017
If you are a fan of American civil war novels as me, you won't regret reading this one. Beautifully written and I can't help myself but admire the beauty and the bravery of southern women.
July 11, 2018
I was led into a false sense of security, snuggling down for a couple of hours reading to finish this book, and in fact finished in 5 minutes because 20% of the kindle count was the beginning of the next in series. Grr..
Anyway, absolutely loved this. I’ve read the Calico palace too and really enjoyed that too. I love the writing, written In The 1940s and 50s, these books have aged well. Timing wise, I guess this is just a bit before or about the same time frame as the beginning of Gone with the wind. Please correct me if I’m wrong! I learned a lot I didn’t know before: about the Louisiana purchase, some background context of the culture mix around New Orleans, about the industrialisation of farming methods. I’m looking forward to discovering the span of this trilogy, although I suspect it’s really just one long book, it would make Gone with the Wind look like a flimsy pamphlet instead of the doorstep it is, were it to be only one volume!
Anyway, absolutely loved this. I’ve read the Calico palace too and really enjoyed that too. I love the writing, written In The 1940s and 50s, these books have aged well. Timing wise, I guess this is just a bit before or about the same time frame as the beginning of Gone with the wind. Please correct me if I’m wrong! I learned a lot I didn’t know before: about the Louisiana purchase, some background context of the culture mix around New Orleans, about the industrialisation of farming methods. I’m looking forward to discovering the span of this trilogy, although I suspect it’s really just one long book, it would make Gone with the Wind look like a flimsy pamphlet instead of the doorstep it is, were it to be only one volume!
June 1, 2014
Originally published in 1946, this novel is the embodiment of classic southern historical fiction! Suffice to say, I LOVE IT!!! Well developed characters and a fast paced storyline... I really didn't want it to end!!! But I'm happy to say I get to enjoy two more books in this trilogy... I recommend to every historical fiction fan!!!
April 20, 2015
Where to begin.
I know that when I pick up a book by Gwen Bristow, I'm bound to enjoy it. I haven't yet read a book of hers I didn't like. This was no exception, but I'll admit it isn't my favorite.
Each character is so completely human that I found myself cringing when they'd make choices that wouldn't turn out well. And when they made good ones it just seemed to fit their characters. Philip, the hero never claimed to be good, he was a pirate and for much of his life a delinquent. Although I liked him, I just never fully warmed up to him and his illegal ways. And that kind of tarnished my enjoyment of the heroine, Judith who was Puritan and while not agreeing with his ways, still went along with them. (Not that she could stop him)
But characters aside, the plot was great. I'd never read a book set during/before the American Revolution that didn't go into the war so much as the Luisiana purchase and what life was like for the settlers of Luisiana. It was a painless way to learn the history, as it should be.
I can only imagine what it must have been like for Judith to go from New Hampshire's cold climate to Luisiana's muggy-buggy one. If I'd been in her shoes during the beginning what with the ants, dirt floor, hot weather and a husband who forgot to get the essentials when he went out and came home with fripperies instead, I'd have been a walking bomb. It's really rather surprising how well she took everything. Other than one big outburst during the worst of it she was calm as a 1950s housewife.
We see Luisiana through its first rough years, years when it begins to boom and through its several owners. Judith and Philip live through all the tough spots, both with themselves, their family and their land. I particularly like how they acted when they had children so much like themselves...
PG-13 This is really hard to rate. But for thematic events I'll just put it at this. I don't mean to imply that this book was graphic or even detailed. (Bristow's books never are, that I've seen) Just that two characters are adulterous, (not together) and there was some swearing do mainly by a Spanish girl. Bs, Ds and Hs. Some name calling like sl*t and so forth.
April 2, 2012
This is the type of book that sucks me in from the first page. It has everything I love in a book. History of a place I know little about (Louisiana) human endurance, complex family relationships, and love. It was written in the 1930's and told of the building up of a Louisiana plantation in the late 1700's. I am not sure if it is because of when it was written, or because the author was trying to be true to the time that the story took place, but the story was told by the white people and only the white people. The slaves had no voice in this story. I found parts of it hard to read from the perspective of a woman who lives in our day and age. It seemed very biased and one sided, yet of course that is what plantation life was. So...as much as I was sucked in, I think if it was written today, it would have been done with more sensitivity. I would have liked it more if it had been. There are 2 more books in the trilogy, and I am curious to read them to see how things change. They take place during the Civil War and just after the war. Plantation life will never be the same.
November 4, 2016
This book has two big advantages:
1) It is a good historical fiction.
There are many facts and important happenings. I have known nothing about Louisiana (maybe a little about contemporary New Orlean). I am also surprised how complex was the history of USA. For years, for me it was something like: Indians > Columbus > first English colonies > the American War of Independence > the American Civil War plus fight with Indians, problems with racism. And of course the myth of the wild west. Thanks to such novels I learn the true history of USA. They inspire me to search more information and so I know a bit more and more with each next book.
Louisiana in this book is memorable. The big plantations, indigo, cotton, cane, hot summer, big spaces. Of course there were slaves, illnesses, poverty too. But first of all there was a hard work and pride of self. I can't judge how good Bristow caught a reality of those days and people but for me it is real and interesting world.
2) The narration is very smooth and fast.
I was never bored. I would even say that sometimes I would rather that the story slowed a little. For example, in the beginning it was slower and I liked it more than the later tempo. But, I suppose, it had to be that to put almost forty years on two hundred pages.
What would I like to change in this book?
It is hard to explain. For me the story of Judith, Philip, their children and relatives wasn't so much engaging as it could be. I know Bristow's other books and I know she could write more complex story. There were here a few touching fragments, but I think that Bristow was focused more on the historical background and the general atmosphere of those times than on the fictional characters.
So, for me it is a good historical fiction, by which you will not be bored. But it lacks a little in a human complexity. Those times were a great opportunity for showing this complexity.
1) It is a good historical fiction.
There are many facts and important happenings. I have known nothing about Louisiana (maybe a little about contemporary New Orlean). I am also surprised how complex was the history of USA. For years, for me it was something like: Indians > Columbus > first English colonies > the American War of Independence > the American Civil War plus fight with Indians, problems with racism. And of course the myth of the wild west. Thanks to such novels I learn the true history of USA. They inspire me to search more information and so I know a bit more and more with each next book.
Louisiana in this book is memorable. The big plantations, indigo, cotton, cane, hot summer, big spaces. Of course there were slaves, illnesses, poverty too. But first of all there was a hard work and pride of self. I can't judge how good Bristow caught a reality of those days and people but for me it is real and interesting world.
2) The narration is very smooth and fast.
I was never bored. I would even say that sometimes I would rather that the story slowed a little. For example, in the beginning it was slower and I liked it more than the later tempo. But, I suppose, it had to be that to put almost forty years on two hundred pages.
What would I like to change in this book?
It is hard to explain. For me the story of Judith, Philip, their children and relatives wasn't so much engaging as it could be. I know Bristow's other books and I know she could write more complex story. There were here a few touching fragments, but I think that Bristow was focused more on the historical background and the general atmosphere of those times than on the fictional characters.
So, for me it is a good historical fiction, by which you will not be bored. But it lacks a little in a human complexity. Those times were a great opportunity for showing this complexity.
November 2, 2020
Изключително наивно написана книга, но и много увлекателно.
Нямаше силно въздействие върху мен, но някак ме откъсваше и разсейваше от заобикалящата ни действителност .
Нямаше силно въздействие върху мен, но някак ме откъсваше и разсейваше от заобикалящата ни действителност .
March 31, 2012
Die 15-jährige Judith aus Connecticut ist mit ihren Eltern und ihrem Bruder auf einem Boot in Louisiana unterwegs, um sich dort niederzulassen und ein neues Leben auf der eigenen Plantage zu beginnen. Unterwegs begegnen sie dem etwas zwielichtigen Philipp, in den sich Judith prompt verliebt. Kaum am Ziel angekommen, brennt sie mit ihm durch. Philipp hat wie Judiths Vater Land von der englischen Krone für Verdienste im Krieg bekommen. Auch er gründet eine Indigo-Plantage. Wie wird Judiths Leben dort aussehen?
Die Geschichte des jungen Paares und des Aufbaus ihrer Plantage fesselt vom ersten Moment an. Die ganzen Widrigkeiten, die sie in Lousiana erwarten, Krankheit, Ungeziefer, mörderische Hitze, durchleben und durchleiden wir mit ihnen. Die Charaktere sind sympathisch, auch wenn Judiths anfängliche Naivität manchmal schon zum Haareraufen ist. Doch sie ist zu Beginn des Buchs ja auch erst 15. Sie wird einige Prüfungen durchmachen und daran reifen. Die politischen Hintergründe, die Unabhängigkeit der Vereinigten Staaten, der mehrfache Besitzwechsel des Landes Louisianas, der Beginn der Plantagenwirtschaft, Gelbfieberepidemien, all das bildet ein wunderbares Panorama, vor dem die Familiengeschichte wunderbar und anschaulich erzählt wird. Besonders interessant fand ich auch, dass auf den Plantagen zunächst Indigo angebaut wurde, bis man durch technische Errungenschaften auf Zuckerrohr und Baumwolle umstieg. Auch dies wird sehr anschaulich geschildert. Ein Thema ist natürlich auch die Sklaverei, die für die Protagonisten des Buchs einfach selbstverständlich war, uns aber natürlich abstößt. Die Familie behandelt ihre Sklaven sehr gut, an einem Beispiel wird jedoch deutlich, wie gnadenlos ausgeliefert diese ihren Besitzern waren. Auch thematisiert wird das Leben der armen weißen Bevölkerung, die eben keine Plantage ihr Eigen nennen können. Etwas irritierend ist die – halt nun mal 50 Jahre alte – Übersetzung, es wird teilweise sehr wörtlich übersetzt, außerdem wird wirklich alles eingedeutscht. Neuorleans! Pennsylvanien! Der Schreibstil ist jedoch sehr gefällig und liest sich hervorragend.
Kurzum eine runde, fesselnde Familiensaga, die den Leser völlig in ihren Bann zieht. Ich freue mich schon auf die beiden folgenden Teile.
Die Geschichte des jungen Paares und des Aufbaus ihrer Plantage fesselt vom ersten Moment an. Die ganzen Widrigkeiten, die sie in Lousiana erwarten, Krankheit, Ungeziefer, mörderische Hitze, durchleben und durchleiden wir mit ihnen. Die Charaktere sind sympathisch, auch wenn Judiths anfängliche Naivität manchmal schon zum Haareraufen ist. Doch sie ist zu Beginn des Buchs ja auch erst 15. Sie wird einige Prüfungen durchmachen und daran reifen. Die politischen Hintergründe, die Unabhängigkeit der Vereinigten Staaten, der mehrfache Besitzwechsel des Landes Louisianas, der Beginn der Plantagenwirtschaft, Gelbfieberepidemien, all das bildet ein wunderbares Panorama, vor dem die Familiengeschichte wunderbar und anschaulich erzählt wird. Besonders interessant fand ich auch, dass auf den Plantagen zunächst Indigo angebaut wurde, bis man durch technische Errungenschaften auf Zuckerrohr und Baumwolle umstieg. Auch dies wird sehr anschaulich geschildert. Ein Thema ist natürlich auch die Sklaverei, die für die Protagonisten des Buchs einfach selbstverständlich war, uns aber natürlich abstößt. Die Familie behandelt ihre Sklaven sehr gut, an einem Beispiel wird jedoch deutlich, wie gnadenlos ausgeliefert diese ihren Besitzern waren. Auch thematisiert wird das Leben der armen weißen Bevölkerung, die eben keine Plantage ihr Eigen nennen können. Etwas irritierend ist die – halt nun mal 50 Jahre alte – Übersetzung, es wird teilweise sehr wörtlich übersetzt, außerdem wird wirklich alles eingedeutscht. Neuorleans! Pennsylvanien! Der Schreibstil ist jedoch sehr gefällig und liest sich hervorragend.
Kurzum eine runde, fesselnde Familiensaga, die den Leser völlig in ihren Bann zieht. Ich freue mich schon auf die beiden folgenden Teile.
April 6, 2010
I am torn between 'liked it' and 'really liked it'. Great read for anyone intersted in the old south and new orleans. The portrayal and address of slavery is a bit off putting. this book was written in 1937 and there is a liberal use of the "n" word. Otherwise, it is a good story. Felt that parts of it were a bit rushed. Starts off with good charater development but towards the end there are some holes. I liked it well enough to put the next installment on hold at the library.
October 2, 2018
Couldn’t deal with the nonchalant presence of slavery (no big deal to have humans stored in boxes). Stopped reading after a few chapters... also seemed like it was heading to be a cheesy bodice-ripper, with a 15-year old girl, no less.
August 18, 2020
Пет звезди от преводача 🌞
April 6, 2018
Tolle Südstaatengeschichte. Freu mich sehr auf die weiteren Teile.
March 30, 2017
Had some corny parts, but the story got better as it went on and actually became interesting.
April 13, 2020
What an absurd book!
I cannot express enough how absolutely absurd and naive this story is as written! A total fantasy of early American plantation life in Louisiana Territory.
I'm absolutely shocked at the lack of taste by this author as it relates to the ownership of black people. This story stinks of the idea that blacks were well treated and cared for by the well meaning white plantation owners. How offensive!
I read the book in its entirety so I could give my honest opinion. By the ending I am so thoroughly disgusted and angry I could spit!
God only knows why this author believes that any human would or should have been grateful to be owned by a so-called good master is beyond comprehension and ignorant to facts. I have no intention of reading the rest of this naive and stupid series. Shame on the lack of historical fact and sugar-coating the truth even in a fictional setting.
I cannot express enough how absolutely absurd and naive this story is as written! A total fantasy of early American plantation life in Louisiana Territory.
I'm absolutely shocked at the lack of taste by this author as it relates to the ownership of black people. This story stinks of the idea that blacks were well treated and cared for by the well meaning white plantation owners. How offensive!
I read the book in its entirety so I could give my honest opinion. By the ending I am so thoroughly disgusted and angry I could spit!
God only knows why this author believes that any human would or should have been grateful to be owned by a so-called good master is beyond comprehension and ignorant to facts. I have no intention of reading the rest of this naive and stupid series. Shame on the lack of historical fact and sugar-coating the truth even in a fictional setting.
June 29, 2008
I liked this quite a bit; it's an interesting look at the very beginnings of plantation life (first indigo plantations; later sugar and cotton) in Louisiana. There is a lot about the slave trade and slavery which is uncomfortable to read now, but which I'm sure is pretty accurate. This is the start of a three-volume family saga, and it's interesting to follow the fates of the several different families in the book, who are from quite different social classes.
May 9, 2009
I loved Gwen Bristow's Jubilee Trail so wanted to read another. I enjoyed it but didn't really like one of the main characters. It was interesting to read about life back then on the southern plantations (this was set in Louisiana) were just starting, about the same time as the Revolutionary War.
March 1, 2013
This series is very good. I read it years ago and still remember them. I introduced my daughter to them and she loves them also. I would recommend them if you enjoy reading about a family and following them through the years.
July 26, 2021
This book could have been so much more!
Beginning in the 1770s as the wild and untamed territory of Louisiana is being settled by planters who were given massive land grants by King George III, this 1937 novel by Gwen Bristow is the story of Philip and Judith Larne. They begin their married life in a hovel of a shack but soon live in a large, 16-room house constructed of moss and clay on a 3,000-acre plantation indigo, tobacco, sugar cane, and cotton are cultivated. Of course, the plantation's crops only succeed financially because of the extensive slave labor. In addition to the Larnes and their four children, the story focuses on Judith's father and brother and the brother's extremely colorful Cuban-born wife, as well as old family friends who own a nearby plantation.
This is meant to be a sweeping historical and family saga, which continues in two more books, but it is more a soap opera of family crises that could happen in any time period, almost all of which the astute reader can see coming a mile away.
The greatest difficulty I had with this book is the dialogue. Most of it is so implausible that it's laughable. This is a direct result of extremely limited character development. The characters are, for the most part, one-dimensional. Once a personality is portrayed in a certain way, it stays that way; we don't see growth or change in the characters based on what happens to them in this life.
The portrayal of the slaves, including how they were treated and their living and working conditions, is completely glossed over. Most offensive of all, the author is astoundingly tone deaf to what their lives were really like. For example, when Philip Larne impregnates a slave, his wife Judith is incensed at not only Philip's infidelity, but also at the slave's betrayal of her mistress. As if the slave had a choice in the matter! The characters call the slaves everything from the "n word" to "servants." (Servants…really?) This is a historical novel, and Gwen Bristow has failed at a deep and disturbing level writing about these enslaved men, women, and children. That said, it was published in 1937 so the fault may lie in the way this horrific part of our history tended to be sugar-coated then, especially by Southern writers.
The story itself is fairly engaging—think historical ChickLit—but it could have been so much more.
I was extremely disappointed in the book. Based on other readers very high ratings, I expected more.
Beginning in the 1770s as the wild and untamed territory of Louisiana is being settled by planters who were given massive land grants by King George III, this 1937 novel by Gwen Bristow is the story of Philip and Judith Larne. They begin their married life in a hovel of a shack but soon live in a large, 16-room house constructed of moss and clay on a 3,000-acre plantation indigo, tobacco, sugar cane, and cotton are cultivated. Of course, the plantation's crops only succeed financially because of the extensive slave labor. In addition to the Larnes and their four children, the story focuses on Judith's father and brother and the brother's extremely colorful Cuban-born wife, as well as old family friends who own a nearby plantation.
This is meant to be a sweeping historical and family saga, which continues in two more books, but it is more a soap opera of family crises that could happen in any time period, almost all of which the astute reader can see coming a mile away.
The greatest difficulty I had with this book is the dialogue. Most of it is so implausible that it's laughable. This is a direct result of extremely limited character development. The characters are, for the most part, one-dimensional. Once a personality is portrayed in a certain way, it stays that way; we don't see growth or change in the characters based on what happens to them in this life.
The portrayal of the slaves, including how they were treated and their living and working conditions, is completely glossed over. Most offensive of all, the author is astoundingly tone deaf to what their lives were really like. For example, when Philip Larne impregnates a slave, his wife Judith is incensed at not only Philip's infidelity, but also at the slave's betrayal of her mistress. As if the slave had a choice in the matter! The characters call the slaves everything from the "n word" to "servants." (Servants…really?) This is a historical novel, and Gwen Bristow has failed at a deep and disturbing level writing about these enslaved men, women, and children. That said, it was published in 1937 so the fault may lie in the way this horrific part of our history tended to be sugar-coated then, especially by Southern writers.
The story itself is fairly engaging—think historical ChickLit—but it could have been so much more.
I was extremely disappointed in the book. Based on other readers very high ratings, I expected more.
July 15, 2018
This is a historical novel of Louisiana covering the time period from around 1770 to around 1810. Judith Sheramy meets Philip Larne while she is flat-boating with her family down the Mississippi River to Louisiana where her father, Mark, was given land by the King of England for fighting in the English Army. Philip also had a gift of land. Mark and Philip will both build plantations based upon slave labor and crops of indigo.
The story of the Sheramy and Larne families as they build new lives gives an excellent account of how Louisiana was developed as a slave state wrapped in the rich culture of the great plantation owners. But, the superrich were not alone in Louisiana. This story cleverly expands into the lives of the super poor (poor white trash) struggling in filthy, unhealthy slums in the river towns. I found the main characters to be mostly interesting, and I cared about the things that were happening.
I was disappointed in Bristow’s depiction of slavery. Though there is one slave uprising; lead by an unhappy mulatto who created unwarranted malcontent among a few slaves, for the most part, the slaves are happy with their lives, dedicated to serving their masters and celebrating family events with them and singing happy songs as they work in the fields. The plantation is just one big, happy family, where, in this story, the members are never sold. When there is sex between the master and a slave, it is consensual, no rapes in this world. There is occasional mention that slavery could be bad, but it seems to be the exception.
I enjoyed the characters and story, and I imagine it gives a fairly accurate depiction of how the mega rich lived in the culture of their plantation world and how the poor white trash suffered in their slums. When the disaster of yellow fever strikes, it does not spare the rich. However, the unrealistic fairy land depiction of the slave world significantly dulls what was otherwise a five-star effort.
Started; 2018.07.02 - finished 2018.07.11
The story of the Sheramy and Larne families as they build new lives gives an excellent account of how Louisiana was developed as a slave state wrapped in the rich culture of the great plantation owners. But, the superrich were not alone in Louisiana. This story cleverly expands into the lives of the super poor (poor white trash) struggling in filthy, unhealthy slums in the river towns. I found the main characters to be mostly interesting, and I cared about the things that were happening.
I was disappointed in Bristow’s depiction of slavery. Though there is one slave uprising; lead by an unhappy mulatto who created unwarranted malcontent among a few slaves, for the most part, the slaves are happy with their lives, dedicated to serving their masters and celebrating family events with them and singing happy songs as they work in the fields. The plantation is just one big, happy family, where, in this story, the members are never sold. When there is sex between the master and a slave, it is consensual, no rapes in this world. There is occasional mention that slavery could be bad, but it seems to be the exception.
I enjoyed the characters and story, and I imagine it gives a fairly accurate depiction of how the mega rich lived in the culture of their plantation world and how the poor white trash suffered in their slums. When the disaster of yellow fever strikes, it does not spare the rich. However, the unrealistic fairy land depiction of the slave world significantly dulls what was otherwise a five-star effort.
Started; 2018.07.02 - finished 2018.07.11
August 14, 2022
The first of a trilogy, Deep Summer is an engaging story about Judith, a young Puritan girl, and Philip, a haughty smuggler/adventurer, who meet and wed against Judith’s parents’ better wishes. The remainder of the story focuses on their struggle to support a family during a revolution amidst the untamed Louisiana landscape. Gwen Bristow does a fine job of moving the novel along at a brisk pace with a fair share of scandals thrown in. This was a favorite among the many novels my Mom read in her youth and I see now why she treasured it so much.
August 30, 2023
A fan of Gwen Bristow since my US History teacher required us to read a historical novel in 11th grade (1969). I wish I could tell him thank you for starting me on a journey. My quest at almost 71 is to reread all of her novels. I have re-read Jubilee Trail this summer an now Deep Summer. I remembered Deep Summer's details more than Jubilee Trail's.
Gwen Bristow, though gone for 43 years, is definitely among the GREATS.
Gwen Bristow, though gone for 43 years, is definitely among the GREATS.
January 8, 2022
Dieses Buch hab ich schon in meiner Jugendzeit verschlungen und finde es auch heute noch interessant.
Die Entwicklung Amerikas so mitverfolgen zu können hat mich immer schon fasziniert und Gwen Bristows Schreibstil gefällt mir damals wie heute.
Die Entwicklung Amerikas so mitverfolgen zu können hat mich immer schon fasziniert und Gwen Bristows Schreibstil gefällt mir damals wie heute.
July 25, 2014
Deep Summer is the first novel in the Plantation Trilogy originally published in 1946 and thanks to Open Road Media it is now available digitally. It takes us into the lives of Judith Sheramy who along with her family traveled down the Mississippi River from New England to begin life anew in Louisiana. Along the way they encounter Philip Larne, a charismatic slave smuggler who enchants young Judith and encourages her to come build an empire with him.
Caffeinated Aspects:
• Bristow brings the Mississippi and Louisiana to life in panoramic view and shares with us the obstacles these pioneers faced. Not only did she bring their immediate world to life, but shared the political climate of the United States, racism and the mixing of cultural beliefs and religion.
• Through her characters particularly young Judith; Bristow took us into the overgrown jungles and let us experience the hardships and joys of cultivating a savage land. Through her writings I could see their temporary homestead and feel Judith’s struggles with the heat, bugs and language barriers.
• The story is very reflective of the period, and we see the effects of government ownership and the impact of the Louisiana Purchase.
• The birth of Judith’s first son will forever be etched in my mind *shivers* In that one scene Bristow brought the brutal reality of this rural land to life and it's a passage that will stay with me.
• We experience Judith and Philip’s marriage from the early days of poverty to their final years. We share their successes, failures, and betrayals. Their's was a fascinating and realistic marriage.
• We also get the story of Caleb, Judith’s brother. His wife Dolores was a colorful character, filled with spit and fire. To me she often stole the show.
• The tale is brimming with interesting details from Louisianan history to keeping bed bugs away. I loved all of the attention to detail from slave crafted furniture to how they prepared food.
Decaffeinated Aspects:
• Deep Summer was written in 1946. While the historical aspects were fascinating, the tale is written by a white woman and is a true reflection of the period. You need to keep this in mind, as it is easy to be offended by how slaves were treated. The language, slang and racial tones reflect the period and have a biased slant.
• I did not always like the characters. These characters while realistically portrayed often-displayed behavior that rubbed me the wrong way. Disregarding the period, they often behaved childishly; there was miscommunication, murder, betrayal and hard lessons to be learned.
If you are looking for a richly detailed look at plantation life in the Deep South, then this tale is sure to captivate you. While I did not love the characters, Bristow brought the story to life and her talent is evident. The Handsome Road the second book set during the Civil War was written in 1958. I for one am very excited to see these older novels republished in digital format for a new audience.This review was originally posted at Caffeinated Book Reviewer
Caffeinated Aspects:
• Bristow brings the Mississippi and Louisiana to life in panoramic view and shares with us the obstacles these pioneers faced. Not only did she bring their immediate world to life, but shared the political climate of the United States, racism and the mixing of cultural beliefs and religion.
• Through her characters particularly young Judith; Bristow took us into the overgrown jungles and let us experience the hardships and joys of cultivating a savage land. Through her writings I could see their temporary homestead and feel Judith’s struggles with the heat, bugs and language barriers.
• The story is very reflective of the period, and we see the effects of government ownership and the impact of the Louisiana Purchase.
• The birth of Judith’s first son will forever be etched in my mind *shivers* In that one scene Bristow brought the brutal reality of this rural land to life and it's a passage that will stay with me.
• We experience Judith and Philip’s marriage from the early days of poverty to their final years. We share their successes, failures, and betrayals. Their's was a fascinating and realistic marriage.
• We also get the story of Caleb, Judith’s brother. His wife Dolores was a colorful character, filled with spit and fire. To me she often stole the show.
• The tale is brimming with interesting details from Louisianan history to keeping bed bugs away. I loved all of the attention to detail from slave crafted furniture to how they prepared food.
Decaffeinated Aspects:
• Deep Summer was written in 1946. While the historical aspects were fascinating, the tale is written by a white woman and is a true reflection of the period. You need to keep this in mind, as it is easy to be offended by how slaves were treated. The language, slang and racial tones reflect the period and have a biased slant.
• I did not always like the characters. These characters while realistically portrayed often-displayed behavior that rubbed me the wrong way. Disregarding the period, they often behaved childishly; there was miscommunication, murder, betrayal and hard lessons to be learned.
If you are looking for a richly detailed look at plantation life in the Deep South, then this tale is sure to captivate you. While I did not love the characters, Bristow brought the story to life and her talent is evident. The Handsome Road the second book set during the Civil War was written in 1958. I for one am very excited to see these older novels republished in digital format for a new audience.This review was originally posted at Caffeinated Book Reviewer
December 20, 2015
What a surprising read.
The last books I have read about plantation life are always filled with judgement about the slave trade but this author just told the story and you can make your own judgments which I liked.
After reading 1/5th of the book I wrote:
"Well I have already read nearly 1/5th of this book in one go because it is an easy read. I was quite surprised that I liked it because yes these were the books I used to read when I was much younger. I loved books that were situated on a plantation,books like Gone with The Wind but I thought I would get easily bored now. No I am not bored because still much is happening and sometimes the author surprises me."
Yes the other 4/5 was just as enjoyable. If you are looking for an easy read where your mind can relax and you pretend you are there, living that life this is the book for you. This book was written around 1945?
I am going to give book 2 a try. To my surprise the rating is quite good which is not normal for sequels.
The last books I have read about plantation life are always filled with judgement about the slave trade but this author just told the story and you can make your own judgments which I liked.
After reading 1/5th of the book I wrote:
"Well I have already read nearly 1/5th of this book in one go because it is an easy read. I was quite surprised that I liked it because yes these were the books I used to read when I was much younger. I loved books that were situated on a plantation,books like Gone with The Wind but I thought I would get easily bored now. No I am not bored because still much is happening and sometimes the author surprises me."
Yes the other 4/5 was just as enjoyable. If you are looking for an easy read where your mind can relax and you pretend you are there, living that life this is the book for you. This book was written around 1945?
I am going to give book 2 a try. To my surprise the rating is quite good which is not normal for sequels.
June 16, 2016
Deep Summer - 5 Stars
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I loved the characters and how the family started their dynasty carved from the wilderness on not much more than a dream and a prayer. I loved how the story was a real story and not just the usual historical love story all tied up neat with ribbons and bows. It made me look forward to the sequel. The only negative thing I can say about the book is that it was offered to me thru my Kindle Unlimited Membership, but the sequel was not and appears to be not but about $10.00 cheaper than I could buy it at my local book store, Books A Million (which I have also a paid Membership Card but which I have not used since I was given my Kindle E-reader as a gift). Hardback books have gotten so expensive that I had started to force myself to wait for the paperback books to be released.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I loved the characters and how the family started their dynasty carved from the wilderness on not much more than a dream and a prayer. I loved how the story was a real story and not just the usual historical love story all tied up neat with ribbons and bows. It made me look forward to the sequel. The only negative thing I can say about the book is that it was offered to me thru my Kindle Unlimited Membership, but the sequel was not and appears to be not but about $10.00 cheaper than I could buy it at my local book store, Books A Million (which I have also a paid Membership Card but which I have not used since I was given my Kindle E-reader as a gift). Hardback books have gotten so expensive that I had started to force myself to wait for the paperback books to be released.
January 16, 2012
I've been a fan of Gwen Bristow since I was a teenager when I first read Celia Garth so I was quite excited when my sister gave me this to read. It's a pretty good story about pioneering in Louisiana in the years before and after the Revolutionary War. Although the historical detail is completely accurate, I was a bit ashamed of the way the slaves were discussed and treated and also how those with money looked down on the poor whites. Judith and Philip Larne are likeable, but since my present world is so far removed from them, I found it difficult to relate with them.
The book is the first in a trilogy, but resolves Philip and Judith's lives and so I'm not in a rush to try to find the other books in the series (which might be difficult since they are out of print).
The book is the first in a trilogy, but resolves Philip and Judith's lives and so I'm not in a rush to try to find the other books in the series (which might be difficult since they are out of print).
September 2, 2014
First of a trilogy, we meet the Larne family - Judith, the matriarch's story. How the family came to live in New Orleans, the children, extended family, and some friends. Although a good story, it skims over so much and Judith, although in the long-run is a good person who learns a lot through her life, the story begins when she is 15, so she complains a lot. I kept picturing a technicolor movie from the old movie studios... but will probably read the other two just to see what happens to the family.
December 6, 2014
I totally skimmed the last half of this book. The storyline moves along quickly, but it's TOO quickly. I wasn't given enough time during their struggles to develop real feelings about the characters and because of that, nothing they go through seems important. It all came off as shallow. Too bad because I love the time period and the setting.
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