I, TOO, am a literary snob. But I have to say, I had to go back again and read this much-loved book of my younger years -- well, only 5 years ago. But I relayed this heart-felt literary love of mine to my other great hardcover friends, Tawney and Marie (one, a long-time member of the illustrious Corduroy Club/Manhattan chapter), and they immediately nodded and tilted their heads at my cerebral connection to this masterpiece. I hope that we all, including myself (after countless other reads, good and bad, achievements and not so much of sad, downwardly-glanced works, but I digress) revisit this delightful glance at a telling of history that few these days pause to the written word. I commend my fellow apprecianados. Life - let it be lived.

I, TOO, am a literary snob. But I have to say, I had to go back again and read this much loved book of my younger years -- well, only 5 years ago. But I relayed this much-loved literary love of mine to my great hardcover friends, Tawney and Marie, and they immediately nodded and tilted their heads at my cerebral connection to this masterpiece. I hope that no one, including myself (after countless other reads, good and bad, achievements and not so much so for other sadly downwardly-glanced works) revisit this delightful glance at a telling of history that few these days pause to the written word. I commend my fellow apprecianados. Life - let it be lived.

This book has a very involving story and I quite literally could not put it down, though I did a few times in outrage over the portrayal of slavery, the Civil War, and the Reconstruction. This novel exemplifies the Lost Cause movement, which showed the Confederacy as noble but outnumbered, and slavery as a benign and paternal institution. It is worth reading for the story, but I shudder to think that some may take what it states as fact. I am not saying that the book should be banned or censored, but it is certainly difficult to read the numerous descriptions of freedmen as lazy and the countless explanations that slaves were just so dumb that they needed the care of white people.

Also, Scarlett O'Hara is a terribly unlikeable character. Whether she is stealing her sister's boyfriend or daydreaming about murdering her only true friend, Ashley, her actions and thoughts will just appall you. She is also phenomenally oblivious, not realizing that Rhett loves her until it is far too late. I was sad that Rhett left her, but who could blame him??

I can't help it. I have been a sucker for this classic story for as long as I can remember. I own the movie and a couple of the collectible dolls. Despite all the many flas people love to point out, this is a flippin' wonderful novel that has managed to stand the test of time.

Irritating and somewhat stereotypical characters? Melodramatic plots? Disgusting romance? Yes, it's all there, and I love every moment of it because Ms. Mitchell is THAT good of a writer and clearly has a passion for this story as she wrote it.

The story follows the life of a girl, Scarlett O'Hara, a young southern belle who is forever tainted by the Civil War that blasts through her land. But she is a stubborn Irish, prepared to do whatever she needs to do to survive, and her character, as much as you love or hate her, is fascinating to observe.

Then there is the romance. Gotta have the romance with this book. The man she continually waits for is Ashley, but we all know that her soulmate is the scoundrel Rhett Butler.

This is a classic, passionate story full of unforgettable drama and characters. That might annoy many people, but I can't read this book without being swept up into a fanciful romance of the Old South.

This novel is, I'm certain you must know by now, a family saga covering the Civil War and Reconstruction in the South from the viewpoint of a wealthy Southern family who live on a plantation called 'Tara.'

Easy to read, 'Gone With the Wind' is not only a family saga, but a fascinating character study of people who did what they had to do in order to survive the devastating war years and the reconstruction that followed. Lives and lifestyles were changed forever with the Civil War. Southerners had to adapt to an entirely foreign way of life and this novel explores how different people coped in the form of well-developed, complex characters.

Difficult to put down, this novel is one you will read over and over again and eventually pass down to your children. Don't hesitate to buy a copy!

Five stars is not enough to rate this timeless, flawless epic novel of the South. Miss Mitchell's talent has never been underrated or under-appreciated, but having read it as a teen - then, again recently, after having read "Rhett Butler's People," the authorized sequel to GWTW commissioned by the Mitchell estate, I am newly appreciative of Miss Mitchell's prodigious talent.

For those who have only seen the equally terrific, but different, movie, please read Mitchell's original.

The movie does stand on its own. I am a fan of novels-turned-books and have seen many. I never denigrate a movie if it differed from the original novel in any way. The two are different media.

But Mitchell's only novel earned her a place forever in American literature and is desrving to be read in its entirety.

Though long, it is a quick read for the engaged reader.

I have not read the much-ballyhooed but often best-seller, unauthorized sequels, but I will do so, mostly out of curiosity.

The authorized sequel, Rhett Butler's People, is also interesting, but can never live up to Mitchell's GWTW.

This book probably has more reviews written for it than any other that I've seen on the Amazon site. As I said, I don't know what I can add that others haven't already said...but I have often thought, as I have read and re-read this wonderful novel, that I don't think Scarlett would get Rhett back in the end. I always thought Rhett was far more intelligent, well-rounded, and wise than she, and that an awful lot of his longing for her was comprised of her lack of availability (her heart, that is, that heart that belonged only to Ashley), and her looks. After all, when did he fall for her? When he looked up at her on the staircase and she was wearing that low-cut green-sprigged dress!

The fascinating characters that Mitchell so deftly brings to life are what make this novel so unforgettable. I don't know that any of them are truly believable, but somehow that doesn't matter. The writing style is dated (all those exclamation points!), and of course the dialect and political viewpoints are atrocious in this day and age. The amazing thing is that none of this matters as we find ourselves caught up in Scarlett's world, a world, as Mitchell so poignantly writes,that was gone with the wind.

When Rhett tells Scarlett at the end, "I won't be pursued as the luckless Ashley was pursued," I believe he meant it. The fact that he could coin a phrase like, "Someone or something has convinced you that your lover is too large a piece of Dead Sea fruit for even you to chew" (not sure if I'm quoting this 100% correctly, but I've memorized large portions of the dialogue through re-reading) simply showcases how much more extensive his intellect is than Scarlett's. He realizes now that she no longer holds any appeal for him; her charm for him, simply, was her unattainable-ness. (not a word, either - sorry!)

I never read the sequel. To me, that would be a sacrilege. Mitchell always said that for her, the novel ended when it ended. But no one who reads it can resist pondering..."Did she get him back?" And I say no.

But read it anyway. It's a long read, but oh, such an enjoyable one.

I've been thinking for a long time that I should read this book--and I'm probably not alone. It's not like I don't know the plot, but still, I've always imagined that it's a classic piece of American storytelling. Let's just say that the writing can be hackneyed, and at times cringe-worthy. But what will make this book last is Mitchell's ability to tell a story, to make people want to turn the page, and experience what happens next. This skill is often undervalued and overlooked, but makes her talent stand above the abilities of others who can write a better sentence. I would recommend this book, not as a timeless piece of literature, but of storytelling.

This book is now my favorite book of all time (it contends with the Bible people!) and is the reason I am grateful to have sight and the ability to read, to enjoy masterpieces like this. I will admit the first 100 pages were slightly slow, but necessary to build the story. I loved learning more about the Civil War and appreciated seeing it from a perspective that often gets shrouded in history. Slavery was never ok but this book allowed me to explore slavery from the South's point of view. I also loved Scarlet, even with all her downfalls, and enjoyed the book most all when Rhett was highlighted.

Every American should be required to read this book! That is how passionately I loved it.

Also, the un-sequel Scarlet was a lovely read. Some contest that Mitchell's work should have been left alone and I can see their point. However, I wasn't ready to say good-bye to Scarlet just yet. No, the sequel does not quite compare to the original, but I thoroughly enjoyed it and recommend the sequel to those who secretly want a happier ending for Scarlet.

I loved this book. It is so much more in depth than the movie and gives the hard core fan a new perspective.

Gone with the Wind is a timeless, sweeping, epic masterpiece of American literature. It is the story of the South right before the Civil War, during the war, and the aftermath when Reconstruction began in the South. It is filled with drama, romance, tragedy, real characters with flaws, and I can see why this book won a Pulitzer Prize and why it continues to be a very popular book decades after it was first published in 1936.

I don't need to go into a synopsis of the book, if anyone hasn't heard of Scarlett O'Hara and Rhett Butler, I'd be very surprised. If you have only seen the wonderful movie adaptation of the book, but have never read the book, I highly recommend you read the book. The movie doesn't capture the essence of the characters, the entirety of their personalities and motives behind certain actions and behaviors.

I was captivated from the very first page. I can't describe exactly how or why, but Mitchell wrote in such a way that pulls you into the story. Her writing is simple and straightforward, and it touches you in a way that helps you relate to the characters and the world she wrote about. Her writing resonates with you, and keeps you reading. Her writing of the scenery and backdrop of the South, her depictions of the various characters, their motives, their thoughts, their innermost secrets that make them who they are. Mitchell brought this time period to life and causes you, the reader, to empathize with the characters and the struggles and upheaval they go through.

Even though I know this story, how it unfolds and how it concludes, I couldn't turn the pages fast enough until I reached the very end. Scarlett O'Hara isn't the most sympathetic character you'll encounter, but as I gradually read her story, I found myself liking this character and rooting for her happily ever after, although you know she doesn't get that HEA in the end. I actually found the ending appropriate, it fits in with Scarlett's personality of a person who won't quit no matter what. She has seen the worst in life, and she remains stubborn in defeat that she can win back Rhett's love.

Scarlett was a very selfish, manipulative, and cruel young woman, the only person she cared about was herself (with the exception of her mother, Ellen O'Hara, who she revered and respected and was the only woman she trusted). She was a simple person, not easily able to understand more serious and complex issues, which she usually shrugged off in a careless fashion as insignificant and unworthy of her time. She presented a facade of a lady of gentility to the world, all the while seething secretly inside at what she perceived as injustices against her or the unfairness of life if she didn't get her way. She was also willfully stubborn in her unrequited love for childhood friend, Ashley Wilkes, and it was quite sad to see her pine for a man who rejected her even though he did love her but was too cowardly to do anything about it.

Despite her numerous character flaws, Scarlett had some admirable traits, such as her perseverance and flinty determination to survive. There were so many times where she was numb with weariness and feeling desolate at the heavy burden on her shoulders, but she would always put off her morose thoughts and say, "I will think about it later", and mentally force herself to take it one step at a time in order to stay sane and calm in a chaotic world. This was in contrast to her weak sisters who couldn't seem to comprehend that their old lifestyle had vanished forever and that a change was needed within themselves in order to survive. Scarlett, with her unladylike blunt honesty and very practical nature realizes this almost immediately. She was so unlike her tender and kind mother, Ellen, in almost every way except in one. Like her mother before her, she became the mistress of Tara, and in her newfound role she fills her mother's shoes in becoming what her family needed. Someone to look up to and lean upon for aid when needed.

I found Scarlett a contradiction of sorts. She would look upon in contempt or disgust at those who depended on her, yet she would cast such thoughts aside in order to fulfill her duty to them as she couldn't abandon them. For her family because they *were* family and an O'Hara always helped family, and for Melanie, Ashley's wife, because of a promise. On the one hand she was a strong woman, strong in that she was able to survive the devastation of the South and show a courage of spirit in facing adversity and impossibility, but on the other hand, she was weak too. Weak in continuing in her girlhood, idealistic, puppy love for Ashley that blinded her to real, true lasting love with Rhett Butler who was her true soul mate. In some ways she was finally a woman, having the burden of responsibility of her family forcing her to mature, but in other ways, in her relationship with men, she was still a child. Of course, in the latter category she realizes too late what she knew instinctively all along, that Rhett Butler was the man for her and she had just been too immature, stubborn, and childish to see it clearly.

Rhett Butler was the perfect match for fiery Scarlett. He was exactly like her, unscrupulous and looking to number one first (although, he did have his gentlemanly and kind moments beneath the veneer of mockery and sardonic amusement). Unlike Scarlett, he didn't pretend to be what he was not. He was no refined Southern gentleman and he took perverse pleasure in flaunting this in subtle ways. He is basically Scarlett in masculine form, only more intelligent.

Some of my favorite moments of the book were the scenes with Rhett and Scarlett sparring with the other. It was amusing to see Rhett get the upper-hand over Scarlett every time. His witty quips most times went completely over her head, as she wasn't as clever as he, but that made it all the more amusing to see Scarlett finally meet her match in Rhett. I laughed aloud several times as I read Scarlett getting frustrated and upset stating he was no gentleman, only to see him laugh at her and agree with her he wasn't. Other scenes I enjoyed reading was the scenes back at Tara after she fled Atlanta, where you are witness to the transformation of Scarlett the Southern belle to Scarlett the survivor as she toiled in the cotton fields in Tara and tried to put food on the table for her family.

I thought it was quite saddening to read about the delusions people in the South had regarding the war. The characters in Atlanta, such as Mrs. Merriweather or Dr. Meade, with their desperate, futile hope, and optimism that the South would prevail was sad to read about. Defiant to the end, in their naive and stubborn pride they thought the South and "the Cause" they fought for would triumph no matter the cost. It was this hope they clung to even as Atlanta was under siege by the Union army. None would know (or wanted to admit to knowing), except those perceptive enough to see the truth, such as Rhett Butler or Ashley Wilkes, that the way of life the South enjoyed up to the war was dead and gone. An old world that wouldn't come back, even if they had won, as it was forever changed, and like the title of the book gone with the wind. This book was poignantly sorrowful in that regard, you get a brief glimpse into the South portrayed pre-war and then post-war, and you realize it was never to be the same again.

Although this story is told from the perspective of a Southern woman and her story of surviving the war, I think one could say her personal story reflects on a larger scale the entire South's struggles to survive in a new and changed world. The scenes of the ruined and abandoned plantations, with their eerie tomb stillness, was described in very convincing detail, and I found myself with Scarlett mourning the lost world she loved and grew up in.

I could keep on writing about the various aspects of this story that were enjoyable and what I thought, but this review would get very lengthy if I did! Let me say this: the book was wonderful. Just read it! You won't regret it, yes, it is quite a hefty book but this story is so engrossing, compelling, and captivating you won't even notice how long the book is.

The color red. It usually represents blood or love. However, Margaret Mitchell uses a little bit of both meanings in her description of Scarlett O'Hara, protagonist of Gone with the Wind. Scarlett represents two of the most powerful human emotions: love and hate. Gone with the Wind is truly classic American literature, as it encompasses such strong emotions and redefines the reader's historical understanding.

It is hard to describe the level of feeling one gets from reading this book. Mitchell has loaded her story from cover to cover with strong details that take the reader on an intense voyage of human emotion. The reader can easily become involved in the story through this detail. The feelings Scarlett has for Ashley draw the reader back to his or her childhood. As Scarlett matures throughout the course of the novel, so too does the reader. Love, hate, anger and sorrow are all common emotions everyone experiences, and Mitchell uses her words to draw out these emotions from her readers so that they can truly understand Scarlett's character.

They say that history is always written from the winner's perspective. This novel counters that, as it tells the story of the South from the South's perspective. For example, it provides a new point of view on Sherman's march to the sea, showing the way the Southern cities were affected and the feelings of the people living in them. Because the events are familiar to the reader, they stick out and maintain the reader's interest.

Gone with the Wind is a classic in American literature, and is a touching story of a young woman experiencing life. Her name reflects her various personality traits, and makes for an interesting story. Everyone should read this book, but make sure you have plenty of time, as it is quite a lengthy book. Also, while extremely touching and a fun read, it can be difficult at times due to the broken Southern used as dialogue. Despite these few drawbacks, the novel is highly recommended to anyone who enjoys curling up with a good book and becoming emotionally part of the story. It is a good story that reflects the many aspects found in the color red.

I read this book as a teenager and have absolutely loved it ever since. The descriptive quality of writing that Margaret Mitchell utilizes brings the story and its characters to life. It gives an good glimpse of the state of affairs in the antebellum and postbellum South.

I've read this on several occasions, and each time I get just as much enjoyment as I did the first! Excellent!

GWTW-I discovered it on the shelf of my highschool library & having never heard of it, I decided I would read it. I was completely unprepared for the ride! While we all want to be Melanie, the truth is-we're all a little Scarlett on the inside! I have since read the book many times (and of course own the DVD) and never tire of it. A definite book for gals-you get a glimpse into southern life at the time of the Civil War and experience a love story of enormous preportions. "Fiddle Dee Dee" is our catch phrase around the house! LOVED IT>

Gone with the Wind is one of the rare stories that delivers exactly what you wouldn't expect. Nothing about it is predictable, nothing is cliche. The heroine is infintely less of a heroine than ever before - she's Scarlett, the spoiled, selfish Southern daughter of a plantation owner, used to having everything handed to her on a silver platter. During the period of the Civil War, she is forced to grow up and become a woman, but she never loses childish inclinations to selfishness and pettiness.
Enter Rhett Butler, the conceited, vulgar 'Yankee' whom Scarlett despises and yet, is fascinated by. Though he is not quite a hero as Scarlett is not a heroine, he has become one of America's most beloved leading men.
Gone with the Wind is startling in its storyline and realism, and does not gloss over the brutality and harsh outcomings of the Civil War - on both sides.
I purchased my copy of Gone with the Wind at a library. The book had not been used by the library, but donated and then put for sale. I paid $3 for it - in very good condition. It was a 40th Anniversary Edition complete with slipcase. It is positively beautiful, and I could not have gotten a better bargain. Aside from some mild use and wear, and a name written in pencil on the first page, its in perfect condition. An excellent copy - I read it over and over.

Gone with the Wind is one of the rare stories that delivers exactly what you wouldn't expect. Nothing about it is predictable, nothing is cliche. The heroine is infintely less of a heroine than ever before - she's Scarlett, the spoiled, selfish Southern daughter of a plantation owner, used to having everything handed to her on a silver platter. During the period of the Civil War, she is forced to grow up and become a woman, but she never loses childish inclinations to selfishness and pettiness.
Enter Rhett Butler, the conceited, vulgar 'Yankee' whom Scarlett despises and yet, is fascinated by. Though he is not quite a hero as Scarlett is not a heroine, he has become one of America's most beloved leading men.
Gone with the Wind is startling in its storyline and realism, and does not gloss over the brutality and harsh outcomings of the Civil War - on both sides.

GWTW is simply the most beautifully tragic work of literary art of the 20th century. Margaret Mitchell not only recaptures a lost shadow world, but she also creates characters of enduring depth and passion. Upon analyzing the characters it is easy to see how Melanie and Scarlett represent the two natures of woman as Rhett and Ashley represent the two natures of man . This two fold nature of man and woman, depicts the spiritual, emotional, physical, and material struggle of each sex. This heart breaking tale is not so much reflective a lost romance, but reflective of the inner and environmental struggle and development of the self and all that it entails.

As for the "sequel"- yes on a surface level it satisfies those who are seeking closure. But that is the problem. There is no closure and that is what the rightful author intended. It is heart breaking yes, but that in and of itself offers a deep lesson to the reader. The heartbreak emcompasses not just the lost love between Rhett and Scarlett, Scarlett and Ashley, and Scarlett and Melanie- but the heartbreak of a time lost, pride forsaken, shame never to be laid to rest, and the stark reality of future yet known.

All in all this is a breathtaking tragic journey that will ravage your heart and soul. Any serious literary reader will find timeless strength in these 1000+ pages of glory had and glory lost.

Selfish, sought after, sixteen-year-old Katie "Scarlett" O'Hara has everything a Southern Belle could want as the story begins in April of 1861: a loving family; a plethora of attentive suitors, and a lovely home on a plantation situated 25 miles from Atlanta, Georgia, maintained by the family's (p 279) hundred slaves. She soon learns that the primary object of her affections, Ashley Wilkes, is to about to announce his engagement. And before you know it, she has professed her love to one man, encountered another (Rhett Butler) for the first time, become engaged, married, pregnant and widowed. Meanwhile, most of the local males have become Confederate soldiers, battling on the side of the South in the Civil War. As the locals mourn their dead and the battles rage on, Scarlett chooses to return to Tara. After surviving a harrowing journey, she learns the fate of her family and home, and takes on roles of caregiver, operations manager, and manual laborer for the plantation along with its remaining inhabitants. She marries, again with ulterior motives, and moves to Atlanta, where her behavior as sole businesswoman starts tongues wagging. One wonders, will she ever find love?

When the story ends, twelve years later, the war is over and many of her loved ones have passed. While she learns a few things about friendship, family, love, and loss, some things never change, like her feelings (contempt and disdain) about slaves and beliefs about slavery (better for them than their freedom). With its racist rhetoric, negative stereotypes, and inflammatory words for blacks (the "n" word alone appears ninety times), it is a lesson on the incomprehensible capacity of humans to justify their infliction of suffering on others and will likely cause many readers to squirm. But it is also a masterful epic on life and love in the South during the Civil War, with great character development and spectacular writing (including some neat old, odd words) which make it a worthy read from start to 700-plus page finish.

This is my favorite novel ever! Wonderful historical background and wonderful characters, especially Scarlett, Rhett, and Melanie. If you liked the movie, but have never read the book, you will love the book. There are so many more details and events that occur in Scarlett's life in the book that aren't included in the movie. Even though the book is long, I have read it many times and love it just as much each time.

I really can't describe how I feel about this book and about Scarlett. She is a character without parallel. You can't help admiring her even when you deplore her for her failings. Amazing.

Great book. A must read, though whether or not you like it is up to you. I've loved this book since I was fourteen, and I think it is one of the best novels to ever come out of America.

It drives me crazy when people say this book is racist. Really? A book written by a southerner, closely related to former slave owners? Racist? NO! The book is written about a south that the people of the south say and believed in, and the characters are all people who fit into this setting. This wasn't a story about enlightenment and aboltionism. It was a story about a woman in the south and the Civil War and reconstruction through her eyes. Not your eyes. Not the eyes of the northern aboltionists. Not the eyes of a slave. It was shown through the eyes of half the population of the US at the time, and that people try to nullify these views is wrong. This is the way people thought and felt, and villifying all slave owners (many of whom grew up in that society and didn't know much better) is no better than making all negroes stupid. In the end, it's a work of fiction. A book. Reading and enjoying it doesn't make someone a racist, and I would hope that people would please stop saying that. Don't like the book? Don't read it. I, for one, would say that books like "The Wind Done Gone" is no less racist, though there will be hell to pay if someone actually says it out loud.

This book is truly a part of my soul...it's my favorite & I absolutely love it! Five is not enough stars!

Some of the reviews are long but I will keep this short. Gone With the Wind is the only book I have read twice. I absolutely adored this book and all the characters in it. It is my favourite book of all time and I read all sorts. I bought my mother and sister-in-law a copy because I thought they should read it too (just once). Read it and see for yourself.

"Gone With the Wind," as a novel, has been mistakenly dismissed by literary critics as pulp fiction for the masses. This view is premature and biased, in my opinion. If one digs deeply into the fabric of this very complex novel, one is likely to find that this novel works on two very different levels: the external level, in which themes such as survival and romantic love figure prominently; and the internal level, in which themes such as division v. reunion and the child v. the adult figure prominently.

An external analysis of the novel yields much that has been obvious to the reading and movie-going public for years. "Gone With the Wind" is, most obviously, a very powerful novel about a young woman's survival of two unique crises: the American Civil War and Reconstruction of the South that followed. The personal qualities of those who survive and prosper in this novel -- characters such as Scarlett O'Hara, Rhett Butler, Mammy, Will Benteen, old Mrs. Fontaine, even Mrs. Merriwether -- are contrasted sharply with those who do not survive and prosper: Ashley Wilkes, Ellen O'Hara, Gerald O'Hara, and Scarlett's first two husbands, Charles Hamilton and Frank Kennedy.

Melanie Hamilton presents an interesting study in the story of survival. Margaret Mitchell uses her to represent the dignified stateliness of the Old South matron. Rather than becoming a victim of the Old South's disintegration, she survives in a way that equals or even surpasses Scarlett's survival. Melanie, whom Mitchell originally intended as the novel's heroine, is the woman who saves Tara from burning to the ground; the woman who drags her father's Mexican War sword to the landing at Tara, helping Scarlett defend it from the Yankee invader; and the woman who stands against polite society in order to defend Scarlett, her beloved sister-in-law, from the town's gossip. Yes, she dies at the end of the novel, and Mitchell uses this to represent the passing of the Old South. However, even here, Melanie dies in her own bed, in her own home, with her own family about her, and she dies on her own terms: after conceiving a child she knew placed her own life at risk.

It is also about three interconnected love stories: the traditional, dignified courtship and marriage of Melanie Hamilton and Ashley Wilkes; the thwarted, unconsummated relationship between Ashley Wilkes and Scarlett O'Hara; and the temptuous, passionate courtship and marriage of Scarlett O'Hara and Rhett Butler. The central theme of these love stories is summarized early in the novel by Scarlett's father, Gerald O'Hara: "Only when like marries like can there be any happiness."

These themes, while universal and very powerful, are only external to the novel, and I don't believe the novel's power or universality are derived from the themes of survival and love. I believe its power is much more subtle. Indeed, for years, it has been a mystery to literary critics why this novel was received equally well by 10-year olds as well as 95-year olds. Therein lies its secret: it is a novel with which both the 10-year old child and the 95-year old adult can identify strongly. It is a novel about children and it is a novel about adults.

Every one of the major characters has qualities of both children and adults in them. These are handled subtly, not obviously, and the language of the novel, which I believe Margaret Mitchell crafted deliberately along these lines, takes the reader in this direction. For example, listen to what Scarlett says about men: "All the men in Scarlett's life, the Tarleton twins, the Calvert boys, Charles, and Frank, she could dismiss with the phrase, 'What a child!' Not Rhett. He was an adult in everything he did. Only Rhett and Ashley ..."

Scarlett is portrayed as both child and adult. "I'm always your little girl," she says to her mother in the middle of the Civil War, when in fact she is a widow with a 2-year old son. The woman whose heroism saves Tara from oblivion is evaluated by Rhett at the end: "My pet, you're such a child." By the end of the novel, when Scarlett is only 28 years old, she has been married three times, widowed twice, given birth to three children, and buried one of them. Yet, in her dreams, she is still "a lost child." When asked if she thought Scarlett ever got Rhett back, Margaret Mitchell said: "I don't think so, but I do think she finally grew up."

Melanie is the adult who masquerades in child's clothing -- and has a child's figure. Mitchell takes pain to describe Melanie's physical appearance "as that of a 10-year old boy, with narrow hips and height barely coming up to Ashley's shoulders." Yet it is Melanie who has the wisdom to see Scarlett's finer qualities, her strength of character, her commitment to her promises, and her ability to survive -- wisdom that is ironically viewed by Scarlett (and others) as foolishness. She is portrayed as foolish to be so loyal and loving to Scarlett; yet it turns out, in the end, that Scarlett's attachment to Ashley was imaginary, and it turns out in the end that Scarlett loves Melanie deeply. She is portrayed as foolish for defending Rhett Butler so staunchly, yet her wisdom about his good qualities is thoroughly vindicated by the novel's end. Of all the principles, it is Melanie who is the most wise -- and the most adult. Yet her external appearance is very childlike.

Rhett is usually depicted as an adult, the black sheep of a prominent Charleston family who makes his own fortune as a blockade runner from just a $1,000 investment. He admits, at novel's end, that he wanted to care for Scarlett, as an adult would care for a child; yet he is relentlessly mothered by Melanie, especially toward the end: she straightens him up so that he can be presentable to Scarlett after her miscarriage; and only she can convince him to consent to Bonnie's funeral. Further, he enables Melanie's mothering throughout the novel. She is the only person that he truly respects because, I suspect, she is a reminder to him of his own mother, a character who is rather prominent in the novel, though largely absent. Interestingly, it is only Melanie who comes into contact with her, as she greets mourners for Bonnie in the parlor of Scarlett and Rhett's mansion.

Ashley Wilkes is the real child of the four principles, but it takes Scarlett the entire duration of the novel, more than 12 years, to realize this. Ashley is the weakest character, the one who has failed to give up the "life that [he] loved," the one who depicts the charm and grace of the Old South to Scarlett -- the only time that she succumbs to the mistake of looking back. Mitchell is very deft with this scene. It is portrayed as a scene that exposes Ashley and Scarlett's illicit love for each other. However, what's really being exposed here is their common dependence on the past, Ashley's being overt and Scarlett's much more deeply repressed. By implication, it's also exposing the true nature of their attraction for each other, because they shared a common upbringing, growing up on neighboring plantations.

This scene is expertly crafted. While Ashley and Scarlett are reminiscing about the charm and grace of their common past -- an event which culminates in their hugging in a truly platonic manner, one in which they begin to understand each other -- they are exposed to the gossip and criticism of Atlanta society. What's being exposed here is not their unconsummated romance; it's their common reliance on living in the past. It's fitting that they should be exposed when they're reminiscing about their common past, because that is the real force of their attraction, the real reason for their love (an ultimately childish love, by the way). Mitchell uses this scene to expose them not to Atlanta society, but to the reader. They're not in love with each other; they're in love with a life that is (forgive the cliche) gone with the wind. At the end of the novel, when Scarlett realizes she truly loves Rhett, she sums up her relationship with Ashley: "I've lost my lover and I've gained another child."

Virtually every relationship in this novel can be evaluated as child v. adult; think, for example, of Mammy, the real mother figure of the novel. Look at Ellen and Gerald O'Hara; he was 43 when they married and she was 15; yet she mothers him, right up until her death. Consider one of their final episodes, recounted to Scarlett in Atlanta by John Wilkes, in which Gerald wanted to fight in the war. Ellen puts him to the test insofar as riding his horse is concerned, a test that "little Gerald, who barely came up to her shoulders" failed miserably. After Ellen dies, Gerald's life collapses and he is a broken man, right until his death.

Finally, there is the theme of division and reunion that appears on numerous occasions throughout the novel. Consider how the novel starts: Scarlett is seated on the front steps of Tara between the Tarleton twins -- a divisive force for two brothers who are otherwise as "alike as two bolls of cotton." The novel begins with internal and external symbols of division. The Civil War starts. We are introduced to Scarlett and Melanie, the two heroines who are complete opposites and, at least for Scarlett, adamantly opposed to one another. We are introduced to Ashley and Rhett, the two heroes who are also complete opposites, at least externally, and rather opposed to one another; Ashley dislikes Rhett's blackguardism, and Rhett has contempt for Ashley's weaknesses.

Mitchell deliberately tries to convince the reader, by cleverly contrasting their external characteristics, that these characters are hopelessly divided. Scarlett "hates" Melanie because she is a foolish simpleton and Ashley's wife; Rhett is a symbol of the New South, and Ashley is a symbol of the Old South; Rhett is a survivor, Ashley is a victim. Scarlett is a divisive figure in Melanie and Ashley's marriage. Scarlett is a divisive figure in the Hamilton-Wilkes families: toward the end, she is the indirect cause of a family feud that splits the family into two separate camps. Scarlett, herself, is a divided character - the result of an alliance between an Irish immigrant and an established aristocrat from the Savannah coast. "In her face were too sharply blended the sharp features of her father, an Irish immigrant, and the more delicate features of her mother, a French aristocrat from Savannah." Mitchell has even put division on Scarlett's face -- one reason that Vivien Leigh, who as an actress utilized divided eyebrows (one up, one down) for Scarlett, was such a perfect choice for the part. "She is my Scarlett," admitted Margaret Mitchell.

Division is the premise of the novel. Reunion is its conclusion. Everything that was divided is ultimately united by novel's end. Melanie and Scarlett reach an understanding with each other; Scarlett comes to realize how much she loves and relies on Melanie, and comes to appreciate her strength, the "steel courage" that has sustained her through many crises. Indeed, the evolution of their relationship is one of the most touching and endearing aspects of the novel. Whereas we begin the novel with Ashley depicted as the war hero whose life is lived for "dignity and honor" and with Rhett depicted as the blackguard who is motivated only by crass selfishness, we end the novel with Ashley reduced to a helpless, purposeless victim and Rhett enhanced as a loving husband and father. Along the way, the stark contrasts that Mitchell draws early between Rhett and Ashley yield to sympathetic comparisons. "Did it ever occur to you, Scarlett, that Rhett and I are fundamentally alike?" Ashley inquires toward the end. Yet their similarities are evident -- though repressed -- from the beginning. In a surprising confrontation with Mrs. Merriwether, Melanie defends Rhett's criticisms of the war because they mirror things her husband has written to her. Ashley and Rhett begin the novel as divided and opposed to one another; they end united and unified as characters. Melanie and Scarlett, likewise, begin the novel as opposed opposites and end the novel united and unified. Division begets reunion.

This theme, division and reunion, is especially powerful when you consider the historical context of the novel. In my view, it is no accident, but rather a careful decision on Margaret Mitchell's part, to time the action of the novel from April 1861, the start of the Civil War, the ultimate symbol of division, to September 1873, the end of Reconstruction, the ultimate symbol of reunion. It is a breathtaking historical backdrop for a novel whose dramatic power is derived from characters experiencing division and reunion in their lives.

It is curious that Mitchell's novel has born the brunt of belittling and contemptuous literary criticism over the years. When it debuted, it sold millions and won the Pulitzer Prize; no film, before or since, has ever been so widely anticipated as the 1939 film was. Its massive popularity, I suspect, and Mitchell's melodramatic writing style have contributed to this contempt. However, when one considers the thematic breadth of the novel, its impeccable structure, and the awesome scope of its narrative force, "Gone With the Wind" is a singular and astonishing achievement. I believe its universality, its appeal from the 10-year old to the 95-year old, is best explained by the themes of child v. adult and division v. reunion. I also believe that it is these themes that explain why it captivates us after 71 years and will continue to captive generations to come.

This is the least romantic novel I have every read, and I mean that as a compliment. The heroine is a vain, selfish, unmaternal, incredibly strong but shallow woman. The hero is at first almost a cipher - tall, dark, handsome, mysterious, rich - regular romance fodder.

They both grow older and harder as the book moves on. The ending is a surprise, but only because Mitchell faced up to reality.

I first read this as a 12-year-old. I feigned a sore throat for three days so I could stay off school and continue. Back then, Scarlett was my hero, and I knew Rhett would take her back. Now, I'm older than Rhett was when the novel closed - and I know he didn't take her back.

It's one of the most compelling novels I have ever read. The period detail puts you right into an age/place I never knew existed, but it is so lifelike I suspend belief. Emma is boring by comparison; War & Peace, confusing - and those are two of my favorite books.

I just read on wiki that someone is writing a book based on Rhett's side of things. Tread carefully because you tread on my dreams.

Gone with the Wind is one of the best books ever written, maybe the best.
I can not even express how much I love this book.
Many people disregard Gone With the Wind as a just a lenthy romance, but this is NOT what it is. Gone with the wind is SO much more than a romance. It is, for one, a book about the Civil War from the Southern people's perspective. This book gives the reader a brand new perspective on the Civil War and it is refreshingly NOT like all the other mundane Civil War books. It is full of history, but there is never a boring moment: Margret Mitchell is a brilliant writer whose beautiful and exciting descriptions, livily dialoge and none-stop story keep the book engrossing and never boring. I couldn't put it down!
Again, Gone with the WInd is not just a romance, as I said, it is a refreshing Civil War book; but it is not only that. Gone with the wind has many suspensful, dangerous, and sometimes violent moments, such as The Burning of Atlanta or the event when Scarlett shoots a Yankee invader.
The characters of GWTW are immortal. Each character is so beloved to so many readers, and there is a good reason why. Every character has his own fascinating personality. Every type of person, from selfish to greedy to tragic to stupid to controlling to timid to utterly kind is expressed in the book's countless engrossing characters.
The story line is also wonderful. It is very complex but never confusing; it has such a good main plot and so many intriuging sub-plots.
For the reasons I have attempted to state above and for so many more, Gone with the Wind is a beloved American Classic that has endured and will endure for many years to come.
Whether are a man or woman, girl or boy, old or young, READ THIS BOOK!
You will not regret it.
And it just may be, that after you have entered the world of Gone with the Wind, you will find in it a new favorite that is worth reading over and over again.

Margaret Mitchell was a genius. This book is so detailed and interesting it is hard to describe. Do not judge it by the movie. It is a very accurate portrayal of life before, during and after the War Between the States, in the South. Scarlett was not always an admirable character, but she was not boring.

I've been pressured to read this book since about 5th grade. Everybody in my family has read it. I thought, "What's so great about this huge book about the war? Boring." I finally picked it up this year. Definitely not boring.

16 year old Scarlett O'Hara was not necessarily the most beautiful girl in Georgia, but her emerald eyes, 17 inch waist, and stubborn yet flirtatious attitude attracts all the men except Ashley Wilkes. The one man she thinks she truly wants. She has almost the perfect life; living on a huge plantation named Tara, and she's finally old enough to wear gorgeous dresses to various parties. She has the perfect slave, Mammy, keeping her in check throughout the story. Ashley has a party at his plantation, Twelve Oaks, to inform the town he is getting married to his cousin Melanie. Scarlett first puts on her flirt into overdrive to try to win him back, but when that doesn't work, she goes crazy breaking dishes and screaming while she should be upstairs napping with the other ladies. A mysterious man with a bad reputation just happened to be watching the whole thing. Rhett Butler. He was not intimidated by her like other men, he just laughed in amusement. But, the marriage does not stop Scarlett from getting what she wants. The Civil War doesn't either, it just greatly impairs it. Scarlett has to figure out how to live off of nothing and still keep her charm with the few men that are even around, not at war. She has to watch everything she loves break down to pieces before her own eyes; her family, Tara, and her wealth.

Scarlett is such a brave character. She is a stubborn and selfish American heroine. She always says, "I'll think about it later. After all, tomorrow is another day." This is an inspirational and true statement everybody should remember. People didn't know exactly how wonderful of life they had before the war, before they lost everything. I think all people experience this feeling. The knowledge that nothing will go back to the way it was. Miss Melly acts like nothing happened and hopes for the best. Scarlett on the other hand kept fighting herself and did things even a man wouldn't do to get her life back together again. She started her own business, married men for their money to help her family, and rode in carriages without an escort! That was scandalous and unheard of in the 1800s. It's the stubborn Irish coming out in her. She always wanted the best for herself. Not necessarily the people around her. But then there's Rhett who keeps popping up throughout the book giving Scarlett expensive gifts from Europe. Scarlett despises him for his smirks and smart attitude, but does she find she loves his sarcasm and money? Does she love him or hate him? You don't know until the last chapters.

America was not joking when they voted Gone with the Wind as it's favorite novel. A classic. It's definitely a page turner. (All 1030 pages) You get a feeling of the other side of the Civil War. In history books the North was always the good guys. The Confederates hated the Yankees and their ways. I mean, who would want to have to free such devoted and motherly slaves like Mammy?

This novel almost makes you mad because it doesn't go the way it's supposed to be. They should go back to being rich and happy! You want to pop into the book and get things all straightened out so it can be a happily ever after ending.

I loved Gone with the Wind for many reasons. First of all, it made me realize that people in the old days were just the same as they are now. The characters are so real and have real life thoughts. Scarlett thought, "If I have to steal or kill - as God is my witness, I'm never going to be hungry again." The people are not saying the perfect things at the perfect time like most books. Also, I loved the side stories with Scarlett's sisters, Ashley's relationship, the war, Rhett, the babies, and Scarlett's determination. It truly is one of the best books out there.

Being a guy this is kind of hard for me to admit, but this is the best book that I have ever read to date. I know that this is a "chick book" but I found it completely fascinating. I learned much more about the civil war from this book than I ever did from a history book or a classroom. I also learned about the origination of the KKK, all about slavery and all about real southern hospitality. There is so much more to this book than just a great story. You actually get to feel what it would have been like to grow up and live on a plantation before, during and after the civil war. I believe that this book should be read by everyone because of its historical value even though the story itself is fiction. I have read very few books where you really know and feel for the characters like you do in GONE WITH THE WIND.

GONE WITH THE WIND was a phenomenon when it first appeared as a novel during the 30's and its place in popular culture became even more entrenched when the wildly successful movie was released a few years later. The book is still worth reading today as Mitchell very skillfully brings to life the years just before during and after the Civil War from the viewpoint of white Georgians. When Mitchell started writing this book the Civil War had only been over less than seventy years (very comparable to a contemporary author writing about the events surrounding World War II) and the country was very deeply divided between North and South. Mitchell's Southern sympathies and prejudices are often very apparent and the modern reader needs to realize the author was a product of her time and not be so easily offended that they can not enjoy what the book has to offer. Mitchell created many memorable characters in her novel and though it has been called a "soap opera" the situations and characterizations are not unrealistic and the historical research is sound.

...what more could there be to say? As other reviewers have said, don't be mislead by the film or the appalling "sequel" to think this is all hooped skirts and porch swings... this is sweeping, grand, moving literature at its best. Many, many years after having read it, the story of love and war is still with me. A terrible tragedy that Margaret Mitchell died so young and in such tragic circumstances.

Why is this novel the second best selling book in the world? Because every character evokes deep emotion to the reader whether love or hate. The complexity of the personalities written by Mitchell is amazing in itself, but place on top of that a writing style that flows like poetry and you've got in your hands the most fun a person can have with paper. Vivid descriptions of the Southern landscape, the Old South traditions, the Southern gentility, and the graceful way of life pre-Civil War are second to none. I have lived in the South my whole life and much of the lifestyle Mitchell relates in GWTW are accurate and still exist in one form or fashion. The South is the only true culture left in America and this is a window into how it began and what it was like in its peak. Traditions die hard down here but they are dying fast, get romanced by life south of the Mason-Dixon before it gets washed away in a flood of "progress".

This is not a review or comment on Margaret Mitchell's work, but on the cheap, shoddy way that Scribner decided to package it. My daughter is in her third reading since we purchased this volume as a Christmas present in December, 06, and is the only one reading it in the house. Chunks of pages have begun falling out of the binding. The spine is paper, and not sturdy at that.

I'm no expert on bookbinding, but this casts an image (for me, at least) of cheapness over the publisher. I'd like to have thought that for the price, this could have been expected to last a bit longer than 4 months.

I guess this one's not going to be an heirloom. I've had many, many paperbacks that are in better condition after similar use.

Sad, really, for such a wonderful work, to have been packaged this way.

I first read this book when I was 15 years old and have now read it 6 times, and will read it again. It is that good!
There is so much more in this book that you will not find in the movie, you will be surprised by how much that has been left out.
The characters are fabulous, Scarlett and Rhett are more scandalous and assertive than ever suggested in the movie. Melly has a quiet strength that often outstripps Scarlett.
My favourite book of all time, absolutely

I loved the movie. It's actually one of my favorite movies but the book puts it to shame. The book is brilliant. It's masterfully detailed without belittling it's reader. Beautifully tragic.

If you only read one literary novel of the Old South read Gone With The Wind.

The love story is very well known and beautiful. If you want a great romance you won't be disappointed.
However, the story behind the romance is what really made this book wonderful for me. It questioned what happens to people when society changes. What's great is that it shows many people's responses to the change. It reminded me of Chinua Achebe's THINGS FALL APART.
The characterizations and descriptions are wonderful. I found this book to be very engaging and real. I would recommend it to anyone.

When I was in middle school I shared my locker with my best friend. Her favorite movie and book were Gone With the Wind, we had posters in the locker and she talked about it non-stop. I looked at it, saw how long it was and laughed at her for her obccession.
Now as a senior in college I decided to pick it up and see what all the fuss was about. I don't have a lot of time to read during the semester, but I had this book finished in less then 3 weeks. I didn't want to put it down, and it ate at me during classes to not know what was going on in Atlanta in my absence.
This is quite possibly the most amazing book I have ever read. Mitchell's writting style is amazingly easy to read dispite the era she was writing during, and her descriptions make the state of Georgia come alive for a girl who has never left New England.
The character of Scarlett both infuriated me and drew commanalities to myself. While sometimes you want to scream at the book and make her realize her love for Rhett hundreds of pages before she does, I think theres a little of every women in her. Her hopes and fears are still very real so many years later.
I am so happy to have read this book, and now its one I'll reread in a few years. I highly reccamend it and am completely in love with it.

I love this book, I've read about 6 or 7 times at least. It's fun reading about someone more: clueless, and selfish than me.

Originally, I fell in love with the movie. The book is the same characters but weaves a deeper story rich in language, history and description. Mitchell's love of Atlanta and knowledge of the South makes this novel so inviting. Don't let the length be offsetting this book reads itself it flows so smoothly.

Originally, I fell in love with the movie. The book is the same characters but weaves a deeper story rich in language, history and description. Mitchell's love of Atlanta and knowledge of the South makes this novel so inviting. Don't let the length be offsetting this book reads itself it flows so smoothly.

I saw the movie before I read the book, and I thought it would be too much to read a book that was so long. But I was enthralled by the 2nd page, by the descriptions and the dialogue. The rest of the novel kept me enthralled because of the unconventionality of Scarlett and Rhett, and the messages about war, the finished past and the unavoidable future of the South in the mid-1800's. I loved the richness of the descriptions of the Old South, which made me feel so nostalgic even though I'm not even from the South! Also, I found the many characters to be well-developed and each major character had a distinct and sympathizable personality.

My favorite parts are the ones with Scarlett and Rhett at each others' throats, before and during their "courtship" and even after they were married. Their dialogue is hilarious and clever, though admittedly the wit is all from Rhett and the amusement comes from seeing Scarlett brought down a few notches. Though it hurts to know that even though Scarlett FINALLY matures enough to dump Ashley and realize she needed to change, Rhett is no longer willing to give her another chance. It seems whenever Scarlett is actually sincere about something nobody believes her or is willing to give her the benefit of the doubt (except Melanie of course). What's great about the novel is that if one was one of the characters, he would just see Scarlett on the surface: selfish, conniving and coy, but with the narration, one can see where Scarlett is coming from, and actually sympathize with her actions. She was definitely a woman born in the wrong era. She would do just fine in the 21st Century.

Scarlett is very much my favorite character, because even with her insensitivity, selfishness, and materialism, she is oftentimes the strongest person in the passel of main characters. She worked to the bone when she returned to Tara, knowing that her hands would have to be ruined in order to eat and live and provide for the family that looked to her for leadership. Sometimes it seemed she was the only practical, level-headed person in the whole book (excepting Rhett), especially since people like Suellen were just refusing to work because it was "beneath" them, refusing to admit things have changed and work had to be done. Scarlett knows what she wants and has the sense to go ahead and try to get it.

Although, many times Scarlett's selfishness comes up so unexpectedly I burst out laughing at the outrageousness of her personality. For example there would be a long conversation or narrative about how the past was so beautiful and peaceful or about a nice thing a person has done, and the book has Scarlett completely overturn the comments with her contemptous thoughts on the contrary of what was just described. Her problem is that though she sees what's in front of her, she doesn't get the POINT of what she's seeing. Hence the character of Rhett. He is so much like her, but he is able to see what she misses. He points them out to her plainly, and in Rhett Scarlett meets her match. He has what she's missing. As a result, another piece of the novel comes together: through Rhett, Scarlett is able to mature and bridge, to an extent, the gap between the ideals of people living in the past and those living in the present. Unfortunately, this maturation is not without consequences.

Because of Scarlett's headstrong personality, I found GWTW endlessy amusing, and I think it was meant to be - in showing the huge gap between the over-the-top, in-the-moment practicality of Scarlett and the immaterial dreams of yesterday held so tightly by Old Southerners like Ashley, Melanie, and the rest, Mitchell tells us that both ways of thinking have their benefits and faults. It's not good to hold on to the past without moving forward, but only worrying about current physical security without holding tight to family and identity will cause pain and loneliness in the future. The messages are many in GWTW, and none of the 1000+ pages are superfluous. It was a pleasure to read, to laugh at the witty dialogue, sigh with sadness or nostalgia, scoff with annoyance at characters' actions, and feel the pain of the bitter ironies that define the lives of characters like Scarlett and Rhett.

GWTW is not just a love story to me; it's so much more than that. It makes you think about what's past, but warns you not to dwell on the memories. Also, issues about war, race, and gender are definitely touched upon, oftentimes subtly, and it makes for great analysis. I can see why this novel won the Pulitzer Prize. Many issues are laid out all at once in front of you, forcing you to acknowledge their presence, whether it's painful to do so or not. "Gone With the Wind" made it to my "favorite books" list by page 150. It's an amazing literary work; a real masterpiece.

It is a long book and oft discussed with over six hundred reviews, thus this is not an attempt to give a general, overall review. But there is a point I'd like to discuss:

I was amused at several of the comments written by other reviewers regarding the point of view in Gone With the Wind. It is easy to only watch the movie and quickly read the book and leave with the wrong impression of what Mitchell wanted to portray about Southern culture and Southern values.

But if the reader takes his or her time and carefully reads the passages, a very different picture of the antebellum south comes about. Pay particular attention to the dialogues between Scarlett and her mammy, and Scarlett and Rhett, and even Ashley. Scarlett routinely complains at having to act like a simpleton in order to win men's attention, and having to conceal her often much brighter "smartness" (I hesitate to use the word intelligence here, because, Scarlett, for all her skills and quick smartness, probably doesn't qualify as an intelligent person) in fear of scaring away potential suitors.

The antebellum upper class woman, as portrayed by Mitchell, was a dainty flower, but one whose life was heavily circumscribed by the social expectations of the men. Mitchell points out the juxtaposition between plantation mistresses being expected to appear to the public as dainty china objects, yet behind the scenes be expected to manage large plantations, oversee dozens or hundreds of slaves, and deal with the everyday facts of nature (such as childbirth and sickness). Ellen O'Hara is portrayed as the archetypical plantation mistress who successfully pulls off this image: while her husband spends his day hunting and riding horses and drinking whisky, Ellen had a dawn to midnight existence as a tireless manager of a plantation, and "her hands were never seen still."

To some people it seems that Mitchell idolized certain aspects of antebellum southern culture-the theatre of manners that the southern upper class created for themselves, but the author was well aware and effectively portrayed to the reader how limiting it was to women. In fact, it was only with the destruction of the plantation world and the class of chivalry that Scarlett, her main character, was effectively liberalized. It is very much a feminist novel in the sense that it is the woman who succeeds (at least materialistically) when most men around her failed.

The issue of slavery is a relatively minor one in the book, and not one that Mitchell discussed to great lengths. However, one must keep in mind that the book portrays the views of the upper class aristocracy class, and it is interesting to note that despite the supposed benevolence of the O'Haras and their neighbors, of the 100+ slaves at Tara before the war, only four remained to stay with their old masters. Mitchell did not get into great details on the brutality of slavery before the war or of white-black relationships, but she didn't completely ignore it either. During a scene when Scarlett visits several neighbors (all women) on a nearby plantation after Sherman and his army had passed through, one of the women mentioned how all the black women had gone off riding behind the Yankee soldiers, and that they'll get nothing but yellow babies out of it. The other ladies, shocked at the bringing up of a delicate topic, hushed her, but old Grandma Fontaine retorted back with, "We've all seen yellow babies before and we know what it means."

There is, of course, Rhett Butler's consistent disparaging of Southern culture and southern values.

Mitchell did not idealize the antebellum south, far from it.

Atlanta belle, Scarlett O'hara ,deals with the impacts of the Civil War and the reconstruction of the south. Scarlett is a feminist, driven to extremes to ensure her future well-being and wealth; she is selfish and egotistical, but admirable in her stubbornness. This book is an epic, starting at secession and ending during reconstruction with carpetbaggers and scalawags stripping the south of its feudal past. The book is to some extent racist and revisionist southern pride. Was this Margarett Mitchell's interpretation of how southern's themselves feel in the 20th century, or does she truly believe that slaves were relatively happy as prisoners on a plantation? This book is heavy on the romance and light on the history, making it an average book

I was reluctant to read Margaret Mitchell's Gone with the Wind because I thought it was basically a romance novel. It is not. It includes some very appealing characters and lots of action.

The focus of the novel is on Scarlett O'Hara. She is a magnificent creature, beautiful and strong, but she is completely defined by her selfishness. When she is a fresh young woman, her selfishness is actually appealing - at least to Rhett Butler, a rogue who appreciates anyone who flaunts conventional morality. As time passes, though, Rhett matures and Scarlett does not, and her selfishness has more serious consequences.

The plot moves quickly through a series of exciting episodes: battles are won or lost, men and women fall in love, babies are born and soldiers die. The author maintains suspense as we await the defeat of the Confederacy but of course the result is never in doubt. At the end of the war, genteel Southern society collapses and is replaced by coarse commercialism and opportunism. The aristocracy is ruined and its members are forced into trades. Against this backdrop, we watch the romance between Scarlett and Rhett Butler develop and then wane.

Mitchell depicts the antebellum South as a happy society with a place for everyone, from the planter aristocracy down to the slaves who thrive under their paternalistic care. This depiction is affecting but obviously idealized. Many subsequent passages of the book, dealing with racial relations during the reconstruction, are even more offensive to African-Americans. Mitchell wrote Gone with the Wind 70 years ago and her views on race are not modern ones. Still, there is no denying her ability as a writer, and there is no denying that Gone with the Wind is a great novel.

I was reluctant to read Margaret Mitchell's Gone with the Wind because it is so long and it seemed like a book that would mainly appeal to women. But when I finally began to read it, it pulled me in immediately with appealing characters, lots of action, and a sympathetic portrayal of the antebellum South.

The focus of the novel is on Scarlett O'Hara. She is a magnificent creature, beautiful and strong, but she is completely defined by her selfishness. When she is a fresh young woman, her selfishness is actually appealing - at least to Rhett Butler, a rogue who appreciates anyone who flaunts conventional morality. As time passes, though, Rhett matures and Scarlett does not, and her selfishness has more serious consequences.

The plot moves quickly through a series of exciting episodes: battles are won or lost, men and women fall in love, babies are born and soldiers die. The author maintains suspense as we await the defeat of the Confederacy but of course the result is never in doubt. At the end of the war, genteel Southern society collapses and is replaced by coarse commercialism and opportunism. The aristocracy is ruined and its members are forced into trades. Against this backdrop, we watch the romance between Scarlett and Rhett Butler develop and then wane.

One issue with this book is Mitchell's racism. She depicts African-Americans as simpletons who can only be happy under the paternalistic care of their masters. After the war, the "good" former slaves stay with their masters and continue to serve them while the "bad" former slaves become "uppity" with their superiors and have to be disciplined by the Ku Klux Klan, which is portrayed sypathetically. In spite of Mitchell's reactionary views on race, though, there is no denying her ability as a writer.