Mandingo

MANDINGO is the book that started the Falconhurst series, which I have been reading since 1973. This book introduces us to all the main characters who are featured in the following sequels: DRUM, MASTER of FALCONHURST, FALCONHURST FANCY, FLIGHT to FALCONHURST, THE MUSTEE, HEIR to FALCONHURST, MISTRESS of FALCONHURST, ROGUE of FALCONHURST, TAPROOTS of FALCONHURST, and SCANDAL of FALCONHURST. There may be others, but the books I've listed are the best known. Also, although much of what we know about the South, the slave trade, and the inherent sexuality can be provided through BLack History classes or by tracing our own lineages (most of us have both black and white blood regardless of what we may think), the books are eye-opening and enlightening. There are several stereotypes that abound throughout the series though: White man prefer sleeping with their black mistresses to sleeping with their white wives, white women prefer black men the same way; that most blacks are lazy and over-sexed, most blacks will pass for white if they can, and that white supremacy is a God-given right. Even so, the series, which features the slave-breeding plantation called Falconhurst run by an ailing Warren Maxwell and his hot-tempered son Hammond who won't admit that they need a black slave woman named Lucretia Borgia to help them run things, is very popular. Mem is the perfect slothful body servant to Warren, Ellen is the perfect bed wench to Hammond, and Mama Lucy, Big Pearl, and Mede are perfect Mandingos. Though the film strays from the book in some ways, it is worth seeing too. Falconhurst is an unbelievable place. The book MANDINGO will astound you, shock you, and delight you in many ways. But don't miss it. Grab a copy today and read the entire series!!!

There were 3 main books in this series, then quite a few side books. The side books were used to explain what went on during the time. I have read some of these reviews, and some of these people need to get a life. As a 52 year old Black Man, I read these books in 1969-1970 and found them facinating. Slavery was real. Sex during slavery was real. Just because you didn't like it didn't make it not happen. No, this is not a "historical" book, but fiction. Unless you have a time machine and are able to go back and record history, this is as close as you get. Read the WHOLE series and then make up your own mind. If I can Find the whole series, I would buy them.

Decades ago, "Drum" and "Mandingo" kicked off a potboiler series revolving around the plantation, slaves and owners at Falconhurst. As shocking today as it was the day it was published, "Mandingo" and the series of books face a new audience and a whole new world in the year 2001. They are full of sex and sin, horror, gruesome torture, injustice and human suffering. They may read like "Valley of the Dolls" and yet the reader has to take a breath and realize these fictionalized accounts of slave life cannot be far off from the truth. Don't allow yourself to fall into three of the usual traps, however. 1. These books were written and received as trashy novels of the higher variety, meaning amidst the sex and sin, there was a message to the story, one would have to be rather dim to miss it. Never are they presented as the complete historical works of the horrors of slavery. 2. These books may included the talk and theory of white supremacy, but neither is glorified nor are the books "tools" of the white man to keep the black man down. Written in the 70's, the books were penned to be exploitive, graphic/trashy bestellers and they were, Mandingo being one of the biggest sellers. They are exploitive, while interesting in many parts, sexually and violently graphic, and would never be published in this day and age. 3. They were written in a time prior to political correctness being attempted into every single piece of literature being written. Yes, Gentle Readers, there was such a time. More (or less) than a dissection of slavery and its origins, this book stands as a mirror into 1970's literature and what we read. No more, no less. For that reason alone, I give the book a 4.

I read this book along with 8 others over 20 years ago. I am looking for a copy of any book by this author. These books take the reader through a range of emotions/anger.sadness joy and pride.