Rhett Butler's People

Title: Rhett Butler's People

Author: Donald McCaig

Summary: This book gives one author's ideas about more details in Rhett Butler's life. In story form, an explanation is sought for many of the unexplained things about the character.

Recommendation: I wouldn't recommend this book very highly, mostly because I don't find most of the author's ideas about Rhett's background plausible! Also, as you might expect in a book about such a man, language and content are not particularly clean.

Hearts: 2
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1 comments:

Anonymous said...

Summary: I picked up Rhett Butler's People with a bit of trepidation. Gone With The Wind has been a favorite of mine since I first read it the summer I turned eight. Though not written as densely, has managed to capture the essence of the original. That said, this is a very different book. Born into wealth and comfort, Rhett Butler chose a different path than most young men of his time. He lives as he pleases, true to his beliefs and concepts of right and wrong. He has already deviated from his family's wishes enough by the time he meets Scarlett O'Hara at Twelve Oaks, that he is no longer received in the right homes. The forces that shaped the young man are continual and intertwined with the lives of several of the main players in this book. There is mention of Scarlett's family, her mother in particular, that remind the reader that this was an insular society. It also continues after Scarlett sinks to the stairs in despair after Rhett spurns her long withheld affections. If you are reading this book hoping to compare it side to side to GWTW, you may be disappointed. I was saddened to see some of the most memorable scenes (in my mind) have slight or no mention. The opportunity to look at other characters in some depth is well worth those momentary disappointments.

Recommendation: I would recommend this to others. I would mention that it isn't a complete parallel to Gone With the Wind.

Hearts: 4

July 23, 2008 1:17 PM

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