How do I explain why Margaret Mitchell is my favorite author? She was such a good
writer that I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve read “Gone With the Wind.” Her novel draws
you into the culture of the antebellum South before leading you through the horrors of the Civil War and Reconstruction through the eyes of Scarlett O’Hara, who vies with Melanie for Ashley’s affections, only to learn too late that she really loves Rhett.
Margaret Mitchell has perfect pacing of narrative, dialogue, and description. The reader
gets so lost in the story, you don’t see the technical aspects of writing. You don’t stumble over badly written sentences, inconsistent characters, or data dumps. The book runs smoothly with each well-rounded character easily identifiable from the other. Couple that with the accurate historical aspect of a country at war with itself, and you are not only entertained, but you’re also educated.
I think Margaret Mitchell was the best writer of fiction in modern memory, and she
deserved all the accolades she got for writing THE great American novel. I admire her ability
and imagination that gave us such a compelling read about strong characters surviving the rigors of war and their own ambitions. They are so real you would expect to find their graves in a Confederate cemetery near Atlanta. I’ve never read any other book that could draw me so fully into the story that I feel I’m there. How do you top that?
Lilac City Rochester Writers 