Gone with the Wind

I shouldn't find it surprising that Mom was a devoted fan of this great American classic. Many women from her generation were infatuated with Mitchell's tragic characters. It all seemed a little to dramatic for my mother, the even-keeled, Midwestern Future Homemaker of America. Whatever it was that endeared her to Tara must have been the same agent which attracted her to my rebel-blooded father. Our Old-South lineage is studded with prominent historical figures. As a "Davis," my paternal grandmother is a descendant of both Robert E. Lee and the Davis -- Jefferson. I just learned from Dad that one of our great uncles makes a cameo appearance in the book as the doctor forced by Union soldiers to treat the wounded in Atlanta.

I still have not read the book, though Mom introduced me to the movie at 8 or 9 years old... I've been smitten with Clark Gable ever since. However, I have it on good authority that the book is a much greater epic than the movie. I picked up this copy nearly 2 years ago at a quaint thrift store in Siloam Springs, AR. This summer I plan to spend quality time with Ms. Mitchell and her legendary commentary on the Old South.