What do you think?
Rate this book
The Golden Isles of Georgia
Recounts the settlement of coastal Georgia, the development of the plantation aristocracy and the dreary days of War and Reconstruction. Chapter treatment given Guale, New Inverness, Frederica, The Revolution, Saint Simons Island, Sapelo, The Eden of Georgia, Wreck of the "Pulaski," The Rice Island, Fanny Kemble, Hopeton, and Halcyon Days.
332 pages, Paperback
First published June 1, 1981
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
December 18, 2024
An absolutely fascinating history of coastal Georgia. Some takeaways:
1) Based on Mrs. Lovell's account, it seems that only by the barest chance are we Georgians not all speaking Spanish right now. I did not realize how far north the Spanish colonists (for a time) occupied, with the English settlements not starting until South Carolina.
2) Lovell gives an interesting explanation of the sort of folks who came across the Atlantic to settle Georgia, once the English gained firmer footing. The Scottish from the Highlands; the debtors in general; the rough-and-tumble clansmen, with wilderness independence. I'll say this: there are parts of East Georgia--little off-the-grid communities that I've come across on my river and dirt road wanderings--that make a bit more sense to me now that I've read Lovell's history of the migration.
3) This book is a double history. On one level, it's a historical account, according to Mrs. Lovell. On another level, Lovell herself is a historical figure, a voice from the past. This book was written about 100 years ago, and written by a woman born fifty years before that. Her ways of seeing things--particularly in the latter part of the book when the issues of slavery and race, and the horrors of the War--are not the standard vantage point of modern readers. Reading her writing is, in that way, a sort of time travel. And if we modern eavesdroppers find her take on things unpalatable (which we undoubtedly will), don't be discourage: in 150 years, some (much?) of what we think today will seem bizarre to those then. Perhaps it's best to read this book, and all old books, with a sober eye against our own "chronological snobbery." Or here's a better thought: Such encounters should raise the most interesting of questions, What truths transcend time?
4) The Georgia coast, with all its history, is a treasure--at times a paradise, at times a nightmare. It--like the South, like, I suppose, all places--has been settled and resettled, homesteaded and evicted, loved and looted. Even so, it is where our waters flow, and this book is just another tour worth taking through the Golden Isles.
1) Based on Mrs. Lovell's account, it seems that only by the barest chance are we Georgians not all speaking Spanish right now. I did not realize how far north the Spanish colonists (for a time) occupied, with the English settlements not starting until South Carolina.
2) Lovell gives an interesting explanation of the sort of folks who came across the Atlantic to settle Georgia, once the English gained firmer footing. The Scottish from the Highlands; the debtors in general; the rough-and-tumble clansmen, with wilderness independence. I'll say this: there are parts of East Georgia--little off-the-grid communities that I've come across on my river and dirt road wanderings--that make a bit more sense to me now that I've read Lovell's history of the migration.
3) This book is a double history. On one level, it's a historical account, according to Mrs. Lovell. On another level, Lovell herself is a historical figure, a voice from the past. This book was written about 100 years ago, and written by a woman born fifty years before that. Her ways of seeing things--particularly in the latter part of the book when the issues of slavery and race, and the horrors of the War--are not the standard vantage point of modern readers. Reading her writing is, in that way, a sort of time travel. And if we modern eavesdroppers find her take on things unpalatable (which we undoubtedly will), don't be discourage: in 150 years, some (much?) of what we think today will seem bizarre to those then. Perhaps it's best to read this book, and all old books, with a sober eye against our own "chronological snobbery." Or here's a better thought: Such encounters should raise the most interesting of questions, What truths transcend time?
4) The Georgia coast, with all its history, is a treasure--at times a paradise, at times a nightmare. It--like the South, like, I suppose, all places--has been settled and resettled, homesteaded and evicted, loved and looted. Even so, it is where our waters flow, and this book is just another tour worth taking through the Golden Isles.
July 22, 2022
While on vacation in Savannah, Georgia, I stopped by a great bookshop ("Books on Bay") located on the riverwalk and ended up finding this great book. The book was originally printed in 1932 and, before that, was a collection of memoirs from the families who originally first settled in the Golden Isles. With the author being directly related to two of the most well-known families in the history of the Golden Isles, she was able to collect and edit all of these stories to create "The Golden Isles of Georgia". With that said, reading this book felt like I was joining these prominent families every night for dinner as they were recollecting on the many ups and downs of life on the Golden Isles. While Lovell reminds us that not everything was perfect in the beginning of the Golden Isles (shipwrecks, war, etc.), the families on the isles almost lived in this sort of innocence and blissfulness from what was going on in Georgia and the rest of the country. It was almost like they lived in a real-life Great Gatsby atmosphere for large periods of time. All of the extravagant dinners, famous visitors, and wealthy family life made for a fascinating history of such a unique part of Georgia. All that being said, this was a truly enjoyable read and something I highly recommend for those who appreciate Georgia history.
Read
January 12, 2011Heirloom, printed in 1932
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews