Reviews for The Garies and their Friends

The average rating for The Garies and their Friends based on 2 reviews is 4.5 stars.

Review # 1 was written on 2011-01-12 00:00:00 Robert Parks The second book published by an African American, as well as being overall a very well-written, poignant and entertaining 19th century novel. The writing style reminds me of Charles W. Chesnutt's The House Behind the Cedars except written nearly 50 years earlier. It is somewhat lacking Chesnutt's poetry, but not the gift of a good story, which are present in both. Webb's implied viewpoints on abolitionists, passing, and racism in the North versus racism in the South are very interesting (and differ from Chesnutt's, thus making a good companion read). I couldn't get a hold of this edition but I've been told the Toby Press edition of this novel (paired with some of other Webb's writings), Fiction, Essays & Poetry, is the one to get if this book is of historical, literary, or of general scholarly interest to you. With my version, I skipped the introduction (strongly advised as I saw later it contained spoilers) and jumped right in, which was fine since it is plainly (and skillfully) written.

Review # 2 was written on 2019-06-21 00:00:00 Michael Entler 2019-05 - The Garies and Their Friends. Frank J. Webb (Author) 1857. 320 Pages. Another book in the Rosenbach's Philadelphia Gothic series … this book is a stunner. As relevant in many respects today as it was in its own time. In a country that prefers Black and White this book is all shades of gray. This book was not as popular as "Uncle Tom's Cabin" … this book was a contemporary of that book but it is not simplistic and it does not demonize the other. At the time for a white reader outside of the south this would have been a very uncomfortable book. In 2019 for many people this will still be an uncomfortable book. The themes this book explores through fiction are Blacks passing as whites, white privilege, white racism in the north, being a free black in the north in the 1850's. Intermingled stories of light skinned, dark skinned in the same family, whites who talk one way and act another. This book is fabulous … The writing is first rate. Just … read the book … you can get it free in the public domain.