The Land
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- $8.99
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- $8.99
Publisher Description
The son of a prosperous landowner and a former slave, Paul-Edward Logan is unlike any other boy he knows. His white father has acknowledged him and raised him openly-something unusual in post-Civil War Georgia. But as he grows into a man he learns that life for someone like him is not easy. Black people distrust him because he looks white. White people discriminate against him when they learn of his black heritage. Even within his own family he faces betrayal and degradation. So at the age of fourteen, he sets out toward the only dream he has ever had: to find land every bit as good as his father's, and make it his own. Once again inspired by her own history, Ms. Taylor brings truth and power to the newest addition to the award-winning Logan family stories.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Taylor's gift for combining history and storytelling are as evident here as in her other stories about the Logan family. This prequel to Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry focuses on Cassie's grandfather, Paul-Edward Logan, and explains how the seeds were planted for feuds between the Logans and other families, as well as certain loyalties. Here, the author deftly explores double standards in the South during the years following the Civil War. She lays the groundwork for these issues to be examined through two key relationships in the childhood of Paul-Edward, a boy of mixed race: the strong bond he shares with Robert, his white half-brother, and a tenuous friendship with Mitchell, whose parents were born into slavery and whose father works for Paul-Edward's father. Through them, the hero becomes painfully aware of the indelible line dividing black and white society. Though it is acceptable that his father, plantation-owner Edward, keeps an African-American mistress and helps rear her children, Paul-Edward and his sister, Cassie, are not allowed the same privileges as their half-brothers. An incident of family betrayal and a broken promise prompts Paul-Edward to run away from home and pursue his dream to farm his own piece of land. After arriving in Mississippi and setting his sights on the acreage he wants to buy, he soon discovers that becoming a landowner of color is more complicated and dangerous than he expected. Like any good historian, Taylor extracts truth from past events without sugarcoating issues. Although her depiction of the 19th-century South is anything but pretty, her tone is more uplifting than bitter. Rather than dismissing hypocrisies, she digs beneath the surface of Paul-Edward's friends and foes, showing how their values have been shaped by social norms. Here, villains are as much victims as heroes, but only those as courageous as the protagonist challenge the traditions that promote inequality. Even during the book's most wrenching scenes, the determination, wisdom and resiliency which become the legacy of the Logan family will be strongly felt. Taylor fans should hasten to read this latest contribution to the Logan family history, and newcomers will eagerly lap this up and plunge into the author's other titles. Ages 12-up.
Customer Reviews
Love this
I've always loved the series of "Roll Of Thunder, Hear My Cry" and I've read every one of them. But I could never find "The Land" and so I finally found it here! I recommend this to everyone! It is fiction, but it is very realistic and historical.
Captivating!!!
I have read all of Ms. Taylor’s books in this series but “The Land” has been my favourite. Never has a book captivated me as this one did and stayed in my mind years after first reading it. Paul-Edward is an unforgettable character and I easily grew attached to him and his sister. Although the post slavery era is generally depressing, the author depicted it with a human touch which made me care deeply for these characters. It is very very well written and I could easily picture the beautiful landscapes of the American South. I also felt the pain and joys experienced by the main character Paul. His story/ character arc is an amazing example of resilience in the face of extreme adversity. If you love historical fiction like I do, this is a must read!
What a Wonderful Book
I have always been a fan of Mildred Taylor's books and have read several of them, both independently and with my 5th grade students. I find her work to be remarkably well written and founded in a truth and history that some people would shy away from. The Land is no exception. This is not my first time reading this particular book, and each time I read it, I gain a new perspective. This is one of my personal favorites, and I wish that Miss Taylor would write a new novel as I have ran out of books to read by her.