Over Paradise Ridge

by Maria Thompson Daviess, 1stworld Library (Editor)

No indeed, my dear Louis, I am neither dead nor ruined, nor have I turned pirate, trappist, or rural guard, as you might imagine in order to explain my silence these four months since I last appeared at your illustrious studio. No, you witty giber, my fabulous heritage has not taken wings! I am dwelling neither in China on the Blue River, nor in Red Oceania, nor in White Lapland. My yacht, built of teak, still lies in harbour, and is not swaying me over the vasty deep. It is no good your spinning out laborious and far-fetched hyperboles on the subject of my uncle's will: your ironical shafts all miss the mark. My uncle's will surpasses the most astonishing feat of its kind ever accomplished by notary's pen; and your poor imagination could not invent, or come anywhere near inventing, such remarkable adventures as those into which this registered document has led me. First of all, in order that your feeble intellect may be enabled to rise to the level of the subject, I must give you some description of "the Corsair," as you called him after you met him in Paris last winter; for it is only by comprehending the peculiarities of his life and character that you can ever hope to understand my adventures.

148 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2006

About the author

Daviess was born in Harrodsburg, Kentucky in 1872. After her father died when she was eight, her family relocated to Nashville, Tennessee. She studied one year at Wellesley College, and then went to Paris to study art. Returning to Nashville, she continued to paint and also took up writing. Her first novel, Miss Selina Lue and the Soap-box Babies was published in 1909. The Melting of Molly, published in 1912, was one of the top best-selling books for the year. She published sixteen novels between 1909 and 1920.

In 1921, she moved to New York City, where she died in September 1924. She did not marry and had no children.

~ Wikipedia

Reviews

[Hannah · Rating 4 out of 5]

A darling, sweet story of a young couple of the Harpeth Valley in 1915. Of course it is plain to the reader that Betty, the narrator, is quite in love with manly young Sam—but each of the characters take a while to recognize that. It's written with some gentle witticisms which help move the story along.

[Lanelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had to read the opening lines of this book several times. It just didn't make sense.

"Nobody knows what starts the sap along the twigs of a very young, tender, and green woman's nature. In my case it was Samuel Foster Crittenden..."

I'm extremely grateful I persevered. It's a wonderful book, written in an unusual style. Somehow poetic, with plenty of wisdom.

Young Betty Hayes has two very good friends who desperately need her help - Sam and Peter. Betty has known Sam her whole life and now he is trying to start a farm from scratch with hardly any money. Betty has known Peter for three years now and he is trying to write the next great American play. She is constantly being torn between the two young men.

There are some fascinating supporting characters: Sam's younger brother referred to as the Byrd, Peter's anxious father, Betty's crocheting mother just to name a few.

One of my favorite lines in the book is the description of New York City. "New York in the daytime is like a huge football game in which a million or two players all fall on the ball of life at the same time and kick and squirm and fight over it; but a night it is a dragon with billions of flaming eyes that only blink out when it is time to crawl away from the rising sun and get in a hole until the dark comes again."

I will certainly look for other works by this author.

[Mitzi · Rating 3 out of 5]

An OK read... The plot is as little bit, well, non existent really, and while the characters are OK, none of them really hooked me in completely. Still, I enjoy MTD's writing style and I will most likely read more from her. I might have to give up on any of her books being as good as The Melting Of Molly though...

[Conrad Altan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book can be listened to on Youtube at https://youtu.be/2vCjc6bnU1Y

[Perry Whitford · Rating 3 out of 5]

Betty Hayes returns to Tennessee after a year in Europe to find that her childhood neighbor and sweetheart Sam Crittenden has discarded his ambition to be a top lawyer and turned farmer to two hundred unpromising looking acres below Paradise Ridge.

She resolves to help him. She also gives a different kind of help to a shared friend, the poet Peter Vandyne, giving him some earthy advice for the lofty play he is writing. More importantly, Peter has asked Betty to marry him.

Over Paradise Ridge is subtitled 'a Romance' and it certainly is, but who with, the farmer or the poet?

All are friends, so rarely did a rival romance contain less tension than this one. They boast of their friendliness down there in the American South, proving it here.

It's wet in places, but it's hard not to respond to Betty's enthusiasm and wholesomeness.

Rest assured, whomever she choses a happy ending is guaranteed.