Gone With the Wind

Gone With The Wind, published in 1936 and the only published novel by Margaret Mitchell, won the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction in 1937.  I was intimidated by the size of the book and I'll admit it took me two months to read, which is surprising given that it is quite a page turner.  Set in Georgia during the American Civil War and Reconstruction, it is the story of a spoiled plantation owner's daughter, the Southern belle Scarlett O'Hara, and her romance with the brooding Rhett Butler.  It is epic, sweeping, and peopled with many characters.  It is a book that many people have strong associations with, and is widely criticized for its portrayal of African American people in the South during the 19th century.  It is a problematic book which perpetuates many stereotypes.  It is also one of the best-selling, most widely read books of all time.  Very dichotomous, and that alone makes it an interesting book to read and discuss.