On Leaving Charleston

I have read many books based on the south, including Gone with the Wind (3 times). On leaving Charleston (read twice) is one of the best books that I have read. Another is the prequel to this one called 'Charleson'; if you haven't read ON LEAVING CHARELSTON yet, you should definatey read the first one, well, first. The characters are so real that in some part I feel like they are real people. I would highly recommend this book to everyone.

Charleston, beginning of the 20th century. Garden Tradd, grand-niece of Elizabeth Tradd (heroine of Alexandra Ripley's previous book "Charleston") and daughter of an once rich family that had become poor after the Civil War, marries the rich Yankee Schuyler Harris. After the splendid wedding ceremony, they sail away to live happily ever after. But Garden's mother-in-law (I won't post a spoiler here, readers of "Charleston" will be surprised who she is) who hated Garden's family, is determined to ruin her, and almost succeeds in it. It seems Garden can save her marriage, but due to the mother-in-law's manipulations, she loses everything again and has to return to Charleston. People of Charleston turn away from her, she lives as an outcast with only her aunt Elizabeth and her little daughter. Garden has to build her life again. Just like Ms Ripley's other books "New Orleans Legacy" and "Scarlett", this is a story of a woman growing up and finding her own identity. With Garden, you will leave Charleston and see New York and Europe, can glimpse into the life of rich in the 20s and 30s, and meet the famous persons of that age. Also you will find the answer to the question in the end of "Charleston".

This book takes place a few years after Charleston, it concerns an "ugly", unwanted girl named Garden Tradd and her life and times. This book incoporates real life history into the novel, Garden watches Chalres Lindbergh's transatlantic flight, see Isadora Duncan die, and weeps over the death of the LIndbergh baby. My only complaint is that Elizabeth Cooper who was a strong voice in the novel charleston is reduced to doing nothing but holding Garden's hand evrytime she cries.