The Grandissimes: A Story of Creole Life

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The Grandissimes: A Story of Creole Life

by George Washington Cable

3.53 · rating details · 64 ratings · 5 reviews

When The Grandissimes was first published in 1880, the book was criticized for its portrayal of forbidden love and the clash of cultures following the Louisiana Purchase through Reconstruction. Since then, the novel has been considered a masterful critique of racial and social inequality that resonates with readers even today, and Cable's work has been compared to that of ...more

Paperback, 368 pages

Published December 1st 1988 by Penguin Books (first published October 1967)

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Sep 03, 2007

Kenneth rated it

Recommends it for: Southerners of a historic bend

Shelves: outstanding, southern

We'll begin with the junior. I like Cable. I really like the way he writes and what he's writing about. I must, of course, tender this statement with a caveat lector, as a man from New Orleans hearing of my home in the old days is something that will always give me particular pleasure. While my enthusiasm for Cable may in part be tied to this, I think he does go a measure beyond.

Cable was about ten years younger than Mark Twain. His innovation in dealing with black characters, (...moreWe'll begin with the junior. I like Cable. I really like the way he writes and what he's writing about. I must, of course, tender this statement with a caveat lector, as a man from New Orleans hearing of my home in the old days is something that will always give me particular pleasure. While my enthusiasm for Cable may in part be tied to this, I think he does go a measure beyond.

Cable was about ten years younger than Mark Twain. His innovation in dealing with black characters, (id est, getting past the myth of the happy go lucky slave), was not nearly so inventive as Nigger Jim. On the other hand he was also working in the last generation or two before William Faulkner, and so his use of realism would be overshadowed by that later genius. But, within the spectrum of late 19th century literature, Cable did some fantastic work. Really it's the first time I've found an American writer of that period to produce a page turner. I read The Grandissimes in half a week and that's with my habitual procrastination.

I would almost say Cable was intending a collection of stories here that have been tied together into a single narration. Each chapter could function as a separate unit without only marginal reference to the rest of the novel. While I don't know the man's history I know newspaper serializations were a lot more popular in the 19th century so there's a good chance the medium affected his writing. There is a definite beginning and something resembling an end with the space between serving as a middle, but it's not really a solid ending, lot of the climatic resolutions occur off stage. Honore f. m. c. does taking revenge for Palmyre on stage, but his death, Joseph's proposal, and so on all take place off. Narratively there are some 19th century quirks going on with the voice, but it's not nearly so bad as might be found in Jane Austen and a very far cry from the nonsense of Walter Scott.

This has been a rather uneven review and I expect all the first runs are going to look something like this, just me talking about the book and things that occurred to me. Later on I may do a more detailed review. For now let this suffice. The book is good. I would recommend it to anyone interested in Southern literature, especially if they're curious about the lit before Faulkner. As Cable was one of the few of the era who manages to divorce himself from Scott the resulting work becomes a real pleasure. Beyond that limited scope my recommendation becomes far less frequent. Much as I enjoyed it, it is very much a work of the 19th century and for that reason the pleasure I find is dependent upon my peculiar interests, against the modern scope I really don't see Cable earning that great an audience and if rather than in the 1880s this book were released today it would very likely ensure that his other works would not have made it to the press.(less)

· see review

Aug 17, 2010

Tocotin rated it

Shelves: forgotten-books, will-read-again, to-buy-when-i-m-rich, ebooks, 19th-century

One of Cable's best. Loved the atmosphere, the food and the graceful poverty of the Nancanou family. And of course Palmyre was my favorite and I'm happy she lived. Would like to see most of the white males in the dust though.

· see review

Dec 21, 2009

Eric rated it

I really enjoyed this novel. I'm especially interested in its narration. Cable's obviously making some political points along the way, but I'm anti-slavery so I think it's ok... The plot isn't super-tight--in fact the novel ends quite suddenly--but the novel as a whole is an interesting ride. I think I like it because it's different, and therefore refreshing.

· see review

Mar 03, 2008

Katie rated it

An intriguing, gothic story of New Orleans. Set at the time of the Louisiana Purchase.

· see review

Aug 30, 2010

Kathy Davie rated it

· review of another edition

Recommends it for: history, Louisiana during Spanish-French-American land swap, fiction

Louisiana during the Spanish-French-American swap

· see review

Feb 10, 2012

Barryhudek rated it

Jan 24, 2012

Hend marked it as to-read

Shelves: slavery

Jan 31, 2012

Emily rated it

Shelves: 2012-challenge

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Shelves: kindle, own

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Nov 12, 2011

Susanna marked it as to-read · review of another edition

Shelves: classic

Oct 30, 2011

Katherine rated it

Shelves: own, history-ba, 2002

Oct 30, 2011

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