It tells the story of a smalltown midwestern teacher and poet named john shawnessy, who, in his younger days before his service as a union soldier in the civil war, met and married a beautiful southern belle. When this book was in production, lockridge, married with young children, committed suicide. Revisiting lockridges raintree county baltimore sun. He is most noted for raintree county, often considered one of the great american novels. Raintree county rediscovered classics lockridge jr. At 20 pounds and 2,000 pages, ross lockridges raintree county was perhaps the heaviest unsolicited manuscript ever lugged into a.
A celebration of the life and work of ross lockridge, jr, containing about 300 items from the ross lockridge, jr. Apr 17, 2014 raintree county, the first novel by ross lockridge, jr. Project muse shade of the raintree, centennial edition. Raintree county was written by ross lockridge jr, and published by houghton mifflin company.
I am quoting from the kindle e book, also dated 2011. Then the bookofthemonth club made raintree county a main. Seller james cummins bookseller published 1948 condition green cloth, pictorial endsheets. No myth is more imposing than the great american novel.
Published april 1st 1994 by penguin books first published january 1st 1948. Apr, 1994 at 20 pounds and 2,000 pages, ross lockridge s raintree county was perhaps the heaviest unsolicited manuscript ever lugged into a publishers office, his son says, but it was considerably. No other book has ever impacted me in such sweeping, allencompassing fashion. Suffering from profound, and largely unrecognized, depression, he committed suicide two months after the novels publication. Excerpted in life magazine, it was a book ofthemonth club main selection, won mgms novel award and a movie deal, and stood at the top of the nations bestseller lists. In 1937 he married his high school sweetheart and they had four children. He is noted for raintree county 1948, a widely praised novel which many readers and critics considered a contender for the great american novel, and for his death by suicide just as it was reaching the top of the bestseller lists. This is a vintage hardcover book with its dust jacket. The powerful currents and depth of this great swollen river of a book remain irresistible.
Raise your hand if you have heard of raintree county by ross lockridge, jr i hadnt until jared carter. Raintree county doesnt have to be the great american novel to be an american. Books go search best sellers gift ideas new releases deals. I realize there are only a handful of you out there who know, or at least have heard of this book. Its hard for me to imagine how he could have topped this book with any subsequent effort. At its time, it was regarded as the great american novel second only to margaret mitchells gone with the wind and in some ways, both raintree county and gone with the wind are a bit alike, although everyone generally considers gone with the wind to be the. Boards, spine, pages and hinges are secure and in good condition. Told in a series of flashbacks, this is the story of. Suffering from profound, and largely unrecognized, depression, he committed suicide. Ross franklin lockridge, jr 19141948 find a grave memorial. Raintree county, a first novel published in 1948 by houghton mifflin, was a sensation. This book contains a collection of stories, remembrances, and photos connected with the book, film, and county. Book is in great condition considering the age and paperback. Find raintree county by lockridge, ross, jr at biblio.
The paperback of the raintree county by ross lockridge jr. Raintree county rediscovered classics paperback september 1, 2007. Herman wouk is the bestselling author of the caine mutiny, dont stop the carnival, war and rememberance, and the winds of war. A copy that has been read, but remains in clean condition. At its time, it was regarded as the great american novel second only to margaret mitchells gone with the wind and in some ways, both raintree county and gone with the wind are a bit alike, although everyone generally considers gone with the wind to be the superior work of historic. Lockridge 2007, paperback at the best online prices at ebay. Fort worth startelegram my favorite novel of all time is raintree county. Lockridge committed suicide at the age of 33 in his hometown, two months after his only novel was published to great critical and popular acclaim. Raintree county by ross lockridge, first edition abebooks.
Raintree county is an encyclopedic, mythological, ecological, mother earth goddess, civil war based novel by ross lockridge, jr. This novel is in wonderful condition the spine is tight and the pages are crisp and clean. The biography by larry lockridge, is a powerful scholars look at the life and suicide of his father. The trajectory of his labor, success, and devastating ending is remarkably short by. Raintree county audiobook, written by ross lockridge. Shade of the raintree, life and death of ross lockridge jr. A web site dedicated to raintree county, the novel.
Perhaps, i would give four or five book titles that i really loved. This project began when i tried to revise an awful wikipedia article about ross lockridge jr. Cited herein as rl ernest lockridge, skeleton key to the suicide of my father, ross lockridge, jr. It tells the story of a smalltown midwestern teacher and poet named john shawnessy, who. Three months after its publication, its 33yearold author ross lockridge jr. The eagle and the raven rediscovered classics pauline gedge. Shade of the raintree, centennial edition redshelf. Raintree county by ross lockridge jr, best seller 1948. A great american novel about love, tragedy, and the american dream by lockridge, ross, jr penguin publishing group, 1994. Buy a cheap copy of raintree county book by ross lockridge jr for the first time in paperback the epic, great american novel about love, tragedy, and the american dream.
It was matched by wikis equally dismal discussion of raintree county itself. Since raintree county appeared in 1948, no one has known what to make of ross lockridge jr. Ross lockridge, 9781556527104, available at book depository with free delivery worldwide. The dust cover has a worn spot on the bottom of the spine and. Collection, occupied the main gallery of the lilly library, january 21 through may 19, 2014, marking the centennial of the authors birth. Excerpted in life magazine, it was a book ofthemonth club main selection, won mgms novel award and a movie deal, and stood at the top of. The book is fascinating but should be treated with skepticism. Its about american journalism, patriotism, and a starcrossed love affair a. Raintree county doesnt have to be the great american novel to be an american classic and a classic expression. In the 1950s raintree county was made into a lavish cinematic reply to gwtw. Raintree county hardcover book by ross lockridge jr. Raintree county was a thousand plus novel written by ross lockbridge jr. Like it, raintree county unfolds before, during, and after the civil war, but unlike gwtw, raintree county is an allegory of the state of the union as it undergoes. Pages can include limited notes and highlighting, and the copy.
Raintree county rediscovered classics paperback bookpeople. Shade of the raintree, centennial edition book depository. Lockridges masterpiece novel is epic in scope and feeling, utterly magnificent. Sep 01, 2007 raintree county by ross lockridge, jr. Raintree county hardcover book by ross lockridge jr houghton. Raintree county is the great american novel this project began when i tried to revise an awful wikipedia article about ross lockridge jr. Looking for books by ross lockridge jr see all books authored by ross lockridge jr. A numberone bestseller when it was first published in 1948, this powerful novel is a compelling vision of nineteenthcentury america with timeless resonance. Uncommonly good collectible and rare books from uncommonly good booksellers. Raintree county, the first novel by ross lockridge, jr.
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