Showboat Review

by Edna Ferber

Overall 5.00 of 5 (by 1 user)

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Valley Village, CA

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Life on the Mississippi through the eyes of performers in the la

avid reader, non-fiction reader, read for fun, fiction reader, chronic book buyer

Pros

glorious writing

Cons

HTF Hardback

DEC

2007

I started collecting Edna Ferber when I realized how many of her books had been made into films that I really liked.

I had seen the two musical versions of "Showboat" numberous times and examined the difference between them based on the difference in times. I just read the book and saw total differences between both musical versions and the actual text.

this book is not Politically Correct in our present day. However, it is a depiction of the way things were and I think that is important for people to know. Too many young people have no clue what America was like 100-150 years ago (much less 400) and why freedoms were fought for by the black race. Though this is not a Race book, the negros are an essential part of the book.

It is mostly the writing, it stirs and moves you and creates memorable characters. With the background of showboat players and life on the Mississippi, we have the story of Magnolia Ravenal, raised on the river. Her mother, the dark depressing and prim, and father, the colorful and adventure loving Cap'n Andy. Magnolia's gambler husband who brings light and dark to her life and her daughter Kim born on the river. It takes you through 60 years of american life that doesn't exist anymore.

I highly recommend this book for anyone except children.