Born On The Island

Rating:
Summary: A SALIENT SAGA
Review: Born on the Island is a historical fiction based on the great Galveston hurricane of 1900. After the Great Storm, the survivors were bound together by the mere fact that they lived when more than 6000 died. Being "BOI" became heroic, a symbol to wear and share with their kind. Besides the body count, the destruction of property and the town itself with its hopes and dreams--there lies a love story. Actually, there are several love stories woven into the main vein of BOI. The gifted author creates compelling, believeable, yet flagrantly flawed characters. Linda Bingham possesses the talent to draw the reader in giving you insight into three generations of individuals as they learn or fail to cope with the results of their tragedy. Once you've read "BOI" you will discover the meaning of before or after the Great Storm.

Rating:
Summary: Linda S. Bingham is the Female Larry McMurtry
Review: Born on the Island is the story of how one family copes with the worst natural disaster in American history--the great Galveston hurricane of 1900. This catastrophe killed more than 6000 people on the Island of Galveston, and many more on the mainland. Entire families were wiped out, necessitating the mass burning of bodies in the streets. The property damage was unprecedented, virtually destroying the town, as well as, obviously, the hopes and dreams of everybody in it. But this book is not just about a hurricane, although Bingham's descriptions of the storm itself are chillingly on target. It is about the human dynamic of coping with a cataclysmic event that affects in one way or another everyone whom you have ever known. The people of Galveston circa the turn of the century lived two lives: Before the Great Storm, and After. Before, the Coolidge family prospered. After, they represented just a few more casualties. But we get to watch as they try and arise from the ashes of that one horrible day--the unforgiving, haunting experience that all on the island have in common. This knowledge somehow binds the citizenry together for all time. Being "BOI," or Born on the Island, becomes a symbol of survival, an indigenous Texas Red Badge of Courage. How do the Coolidges react to this huge, shared event? As with all living beings, each according to his or her own degree of inner strength and essential humanity. Some rise to the occasion, confronting the horror head-on, rebuilding the town and otherwise being causal to the direct, tangible benefit of all. Some simply co-exist with it, and nothing more. Still others capitulate to it, emotionally, spiritually, and developmentally. Bingham's characters are complex and not the least bit sterotyped. Some of the twists will leave you fascinated, or at least sporting a wry smile of appreciation. The author has the gift of being able to draw you into their lives immediately, making you care deeply about them, whether you particularly like or admire them at all. For there is so much bad in the best of them, and so much good in the worst of them. The dialogue has an historical ring of truth that is compelling. The reader believes that this is exactly what these people would have been talking about, and this is exactly how they would have expressed themselves. Yet the author never gets bogged down in historical parlance that is tiresome or difficult to read. The book is also about love, which is an excellent literary subject, after all, assuming the story is well done. Love makes its appearance how and where it pleases. It does not always fit neatly into the expectations and norms of society or the people whose approval we seek. Not today, and not in Galveston in the first part of the 20th Century. This book captures perfectly the spirit of Galveston, and to a large extent, Texas. Bingham is the female Larry McMurtry. But you will enjoy BOI's unique viewpoint regardless of where you live. I highly recommend it.

Rating:
Summary: Linda S. Bingham is the Female Larry McMurtry
Review: Born on the Island is the story of how one family copes with the worst natural disaster in American history--the great Galveston hurricane of 1900. This catastrophe killed more than 6000 people on the Island of Galveston, and many more on the mainland. Entire families were wiped out, necessitating the mass burning of bodies in the streets. The property damage was unprecedented, virtually destroying the town, as well as, obviously, the hopes and dreams of everybody in it. But this book is not just about a hurricane, although Bingham's descriptions of the storm itself are chillingly on target. It is about the human dynamic of coping with a cataclysmic event that affects in one way or another everyone whom you have ever known. The people of Galveston circa the turn of the century lived two lives: Before the Great Storm, and After. Before, the Coolidge family prospered. After, they represented just a few more casualties. But we get to watch as they try and arise from the ashes of that one horrible day--the unforgiving, haunting experience that all on the island have in common. This knowledge somehow binds the citizenry together for all time. Being "BOI," or Born on the Island, becomes a symbol of survival, an indigenous Texas Red Badge of Courage. How do the Coolidges react to this huge, shared event? As with all living beings, each according to his or her own degree of inner strength and essential humanity. Some rise to the occasion, confronting the horror head-on, rebuilding the town and otherwise being causal to the direct, tangible benefit of all. Some simply co-exist with it, and nothing more. Still others capitulate to it, emotionally, spiritually, and developmentally. Bingham's characters are complex and not the least bit sterotyped. Some of the twists will leave you fascinated, or at least sporting a wry smile of appreciation. The author has the gift of being able to draw you into their lives immediately, making you care deeply about them, whether you particularly like or admire them at all. For there is so much bad in the best of them, and so much good in the worst of them. The dialogue has an historical ring of truth that is compelling. The reader believes that this is exactly what these people would have been talking about, and this is exactly how they would have expressed themselves. Yet the author never gets bogged down in historical parlance that is tiresome or difficult to read. The book is also about love, which is an excellent literary subject, after all, assuming the story is well done. Love makes its appearance how and where it pleases. It does not always fit neatly into the expectations and norms of society or the people whose approval we seek. Not today, and not in Galveston in the first part of the 20th Century. This book captures perfectly the spirit of Galveston, and to a large extent, Texas. Bingham is the female Larry McMurtry. But you will enjoy BOI's unique viewpoint regardless of where you live. I highly recommend it.

Rating:
Summary: Born On The Island
Review: This book is a fantastic way to learn more of what life was like in Galveston during the 20th century. Anyone interested in how people coped with storms and personal tragedy would enjoy this interesting read. I really liked the format. Half the book is written using a journaling format and the other half is written using a more typical style of writing. This allowed me to learn about each character very thorougly. The real surprise for me was learning that some of the problems that plague society today existed way back then!

Rating:
Summary: Born On The Island
Review: This book is a fantastic way to learn more of what life was like in Galveston during the 20th century. Anyone interested in how people coped with storms and personal tragedy would enjoy this interesting read. I really liked the format. Half the book is written using a journaling format and the other half is written using a more typical style of writing. This allowed me to learn about each character very thorougly. The real surprise for me was learning that some of the problems that plague society today existed way back then!