Books matching: plantation life
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- #1
Save:"Sold Down the River" in the Benjamin January series by Barbara Hambly follows the protagonist, Benjamin January, as he reluctantly returns to a sugar plantation where he had once been a slave. Asked by his former owner to investigate a possible slave revolt, January goes undercover as a slave to uncover the truth behind the mysterious happenings on the plantation. As he delves deeper into the investigation, January navigates the complexities of relationships between the master and slaves, while also facing danger and the possibility of being sold down the river. The vivid descriptions of the plantation life, historical accuracy, and intricate plot make this book a compelling read for those interested in American history pre-Civil War era.
Fourchet turned from the long French door that looked out onto Rue Burgundy, and January saw that he was, in fact, just slightly under six feet tall: more than three inches shorter than his own toweri...
(Also, see 100 recommendations for the series Benjamin January ) - #2
Save:'Deep Summer' by Gwen Bristow is a historical fiction novel set in the Deep South of America, showcasing plantation life during the 18th century. The book follows the life of Judith Sheramy, a young girl who elopes with Philip Larne, an aristocratic man, to the raw and rough Delta country. The storyline chronicles their journey through love, poverty, riches, betrayal, forgiveness, and old age, while also delving into historical events like the Louisiana Purchase. The author, Gwen Bristow, brings to life the early pioneers' struggles in Louisiana and provides a panoramic view of the French, Spanish, and American influences in the region.
The narrative of 'Deep Summer' is richly detailed, filled with historical facts about Louisiana, including aspects like slave ownership, cultural beliefs, and political climates of the United States. The book is praised for its engaging storytelling that captures the essence of the South across centuries, offering an illuminating and unsentimental portrayal of the era. Readers appreciate the well-rounded characters, intricate plot development, and the historical accuracy maintained throughout the novel.
While the men tied up the flatboat Judith leaned over the side washing some kerchiefs and a pair of her father’s nankeen breeches. It was hard to get clothes clean in the river. No matter how hard one... - #3
Save:In the book 'Midnight Waltz' by Jennifer Blake, readers are transported to antebellum Louisiana, where young wife Amalie finds herself in a marriage with Julien, a charming and passionate man with a mysterious side. The story unfolds with secrets, societal expectations, and forbidden desires as Amalie navigates her relationships with her husband and his cousin Robert. Set against the backdrop of a Louisiana plantation in the 1800s, the narrative explores themes of love, passion, societal norms, and the complexities of relationships in a historical context. The writing style, although reflective of its 1980s origins, offers vivid descriptions, lush storytelling, and a seamless portrayal of Creole society, drawing readers into the world of Amalie and the characters around her.
- #4
Save:In "The Indigo Girl" by Natasha Boyd, readers are taken back to South Carolina in 1736, where a 16-year-old girl, Eliza Lucas, defies societal norms to run her father's plantations and develop indigo as a crucial cash crop. The book intricately weaves historical facts with fiction, showcasing Eliza's determination, intelligence, and resilience in a male-dominated world while also delving into the complexities of plantation culture and relationships during that time period.
Eliza's story unfolds as she navigates challenges, betrayals, and societal expectations, all while striving to make a mark in the world of agriculture and trade. Through a blend of actual letters from Eliza and fictionalized elements, the narrative captures the essence of her groundbreaking achievements in indigo production and her enduring impact on US history, culminating in a tale of love, ambition, and sacrifice set against the backdrop of 18th-century South Carolina.
I picked out the distinctive low rumble of Togo’s voice in the melody, the breadth of his voice in correlation to his size. In our few months in South Carolina, I’d already become familiar with how hi... - #5
Save:The Kitchen House by Kathleen Grissom is a historical novel set in late 18th-century Virginia, exploring the intertwined lives of an Irish indentured servant, Lavinia, and Belle, the daughter of the plantation's master. The story delves into the harsh realities of slave life on a tobacco plantation, contrasting Lavinia's white skin and indentured status with Belle's white skin and slave status. The narrative unfolds through multiple perspectives, highlighting the complexities of relationships and secrets within the plantation community. The novel portrays the emotional journey of characters facing the evils of slavery and the impact it has on their lives.
The Kitchen House weaves a compelling tale of love, family, and resilience amidst the backdrop of plantation life in the Southern United States. Through vivid storytelling, the author captures the struggles and triumphs of characters like Lavinia and Belle, showcasing their growth and relationships in the face of oppression and tragedy. The novel addresses themes of identity, class distinctions, and the enduring bonds formed in challenging circumstances, offering a poignant exploration of the human experience during a tumultuous historical period.
IN THAT SPRING OF 1791, I did not understand that the trauma of loss had taken my memory. I knew only that after I woke, wedged between crates and bags, I was terror-stricken to discover that I did no... - #6
Save:The Book of Night Women by Marlon James is a gripping and heart-wrenching tale set in Jamaica in the early 1800s during the slave uprising. The story follows the life of Lilith, a green-eyed house slave, and later, her daughter Lovey, as they navigate the horrid existence under their white masters and mistresses. The narrative masterfully weaves together the perspectives of the female characters, exploring themes of identity, race, and interrelationships through two distinct dialects - that of the slaves and that of the white people.
The novel delves deep into the brutal realities of slavery on a Jamaican sugar plantation, portraying the intense power and resilience of the female characters amidst the atrocities of rape, violence, and oppression. Marlon James' writing style, though challenging with its use of dialect and graphic descriptions, immerses the readers into the harsh world of the characters, making it a compelling and unforgettable read that sheds light on the unimaginable perspectives of human beings towards each other during that era.
PEOPLE THINK BLOOD RED, BUT BLOOD Don’T GOT no colour. Not when blood wash the floor she lying on as she scream for that son of a bitch to come, the lone baby of 1785. Not when the baby wash in crimso... - #7
Save:The Known World by Edward P. Jones is a historical novel set in antebellum Virginia, focusing on the lives of black slave owners and their slaves. The narrative weaves together individual sagas of freed slaves living between worlds, exploring the complexities of relationships between free and enslaved people before the Civil War. The story delves into the life of Henry Townsend, a black farmer turned slave owner, and his interactions with white slave owners, shedding light on the brutal realities of slavery through vivid characterizations and detailed descriptions of plantation life.
The evening his master died he worked again well after he ended the day for the other adults, his own wife among them, and sent them back with hunger and tiredness to their cabins. The young ones, his... - #8
Save:The Water Dancer by Ta-Nehisi Coates is a historical fiction novel that follows the story of Hiram Walker, an enslaved man with a special ability who becomes an Underground Railroad conductor. The book explores themes of love, loss, family, and the liberating power of memory, all while delving into the horrors of slavery. Coates combines his knowledge of slavery with magical realism to create a lyrical and compelling narrative that follows Hiram's journey from the plantation to the Underground Railroad and back.
AND I COULD ONLY have seen her there on the stone bridge, a dancer wreathed in ghostly blue, because that was the way they would have taken her back when I was young, back when the Virginia earth was ... - #9
Save:At twelve, Emily Parmenter knows about loneliness only too well. Left mostly to herself after her beautiful young mother disappeared and her beloved older brother died, Emily is keenly aware of yearning and loss. Rather than let the sadness consume her, she has built a life around the faded plantation where her remote father and hunting obsessed brothers raise the legendary Lowcountry Boykin hunting spaniels. To some, it may seem that she lives within a meager, narrow, masculine world, but to Emily that life holds its own special magic the storied deep sea dolphins who regularly come to frolic and play in Sweetwater Creek her extraordinary bond with the beautiful dogs she trains her almost mystical communion with her own spaniel, Elvis the dreaming old Lowcountry itself. Emily hides from the dreaded world here. For her, it is enough. And then along comes Lulu Foxworth, troubled daughter of a truly grand plantation, who has run away from her hectic debutante season in Charleston to spend a healing summer with the quiet marshes and river, and the life giving dogs. Where Emily's father sees their guest as an entree into a society he thought forever out of reach, Emily is at once threatened and utterly mystified. Lulu has a powerful enchantment and a charm of her own, and this, along with the dark, crippling secret she brings with her, will inevitably blow Emily's magical water world apart and let the real one in but at a terrible price.
of mullet into a tight ball against the shore. In a thrashing rush that defies human ken, they create a great wave that washes the bait fish out of the water and up onto the mudflats. The dolphins, ri... - #10
Save:The Long Song by Andrea Levy is a gripping novel that delves into the harrowing realities of slavery in Jamaica, particularly focusing on the period around the Baptist War of Jamaica in 1831-1832. The narrative is centered around the life of July, a former slave who recounts her experiences from being born into servitude on a sugar cane plantation to witnessing the abolition of slavery and navigating life post-freedom. The book expertly weaves together themes of abuse, cruelty, hope, and resilience, offering a poignant and cinematic portrayal of the inhumanity and barbarism of the era.
Kitty, July’s mama, gave birth to her in her dwelling hut. For eight long hours Kitty did pace about that hut—first five steps in one direction, then a further five in the other. All the while with he...
