Rating: 
Summary: A fantastic novel
Review: Masterful. Three scenes stand out. In the first the eighteen black men discuss how their lives had been affected by "progress" or the exploitation of their land. They had lost touch with their roots and essentially become shells of their former selves. In the second scene the father of the murdered man consults his two living sons on how best to proceed. The father feels that to sit back and let the law take its course would be to allow for the destruction of his family. In the third and most powerful scene a city man tries to explain to several Klansmen how the South has changed.There's no hiding the fact that Gaines thinks he's Faulkner. There's the same complicated voice, the same introduction of too many characters, the same obsession with the South, and the same jumping from scene to scene. Although Gaines isn't Faulkner and shouldn't pretend to be, the book is nevertheless stunning and (unlike Faulkner) readable.
Rating: 
Summary: A book to remember
Review: This book given to me as an assignment will stay with me forever. This book displays what true friends and loved ones are all about. It also shows change is an important role in life and change can keep you safe from people who are blinded by prejudice.
Rating:
Summary: Great audiobook
Review: This is a good read, but I was particularly impressed with how it came across as an audiobook. I do lots of these, and this was most impressive. The entire book is in the first person, but with many different perspectives. A different narator was used for each person, and they had very different voices and styles. Each narrator really brought something to the role, and the voices had a way of focusing on their perspective in a way that I don't think would be capture by simply the written word. It also contained the most intense scene in any audiobook I have listened to as one protagonist struggles with a critical decision that pits family against morality against personal benefits, and as a listener we get to hear various views on the situation by different participants. Enjoy.
Rating: 
Summary: Good book for beginning lit classes
Review: Gaines certainly understands narrative tension--at the outset of the book, all the reader knows is that a white man has been shot on a Lousiana plantation. While on one hand this is a traditional "whodunnit," Gaines also mixes in a great deal of racial tension and local color to elevate this book to literature status. Many readers might find the frequent shifts in point of view disconcerting, but Gaines' approach is ideal for discussion in a beginning literature class. In addition, there is plenty to discuss as far as symbol and setting is concerned, as well. I also use this novel in my developmental reading class, because there are about 20 main characters to keep track of, which forces active reading. Advanced readers will find the novel to be melodramatic and preachy, with characters frequently standing up to give long, unrealistic soliloques. Overall, Gaines relies too heavily on dialogue, making this book feel like a combursome stage production. In addition, just as the book appears to be establishing a consistent mood, Gaines heaps on even more conflict. The humorous final chapter completely undermines what might have been an inspirational novel, in my opinion, providing a punchline to a joke that never existed. Perhaps that is Gaines' point after all--the idea that a solution to the racial conflict in Louisiana is a joke. No wonder the book was made into a TV movie.
Rating:
Summary: Fantastic book for discussion!
Review: ...My entire discussion group enjoyed this book, and that rarely happens. True, you must be patient and let the story play out, but you won't be sorry. If you are looking for a novel for a book group, this is a great pick.
Rating: 
Summary: boring
Review: This has got to be the boringest book i've ever read. The author milks and milks the already dried and much-explored area of racial tension and minority rights and black rights, etc; it's basically the same formula as every other black rights book. I do like the different points of view technique, but each characters failed to deliever a fresh sense to a tired issue. There cannot be a more typical book than this. Read one and you've read 'em all.
Rating:
Summary: A Gathering Of Old Men
Review: I would highly recommend this book for anyone. A Gathering of Old Men is full of surprises. It keeps you turnig pages to find out what will happen next. It describes some of the things that use to happen in the south. It also talks about issues that were important like racism. It talks about real life. The novel also involes problems that we are facing today.
Rating: 
Summary: In the end-
Review: While I have little backround in the works of Ernest J. Gaines, I would hope this book is not one of his best works. The only moderately good part was toward the end of the book when the killer presents him (or her) self. The large amount of charachters makes it easy to get lost, and hard to identify with each individual person. Also, the first few chapters take such a long time to develop the final scene that it makes the final chapters seem better. I say this because you are no longer forcing yourself to read through trash in hope of some spectacular ending to a mystery. The theme of racism has been done and done again in modern society leaving you wanting something more. However, another issue which presents itself, coming of age, has been written well and almost makes me think of myself and how I can become a better person. Overall I would say, if you like to read-then read it, if you don't-don't waste your time.
Rating:
Summary: Characters, Characters, Characters
Review: "A GATHERING OF OLD MEN," a book written by Ernest J. Gaines is an inspiring story about race problems in 1960 Luisiana. The book about the unatural death of a white overseer. By the hands of an unknown black citizen of the parish owned by a young white woman, Candy. Candy, being raised by the people in the parish, rounded up as many of the old black men who all where glad to take the credit. But as our story unfolded a long list of characters with numerous backgrounds came into play. I particularly liked that the whole story was narrated by a different person each chapter, thus giving you many points of view. Well, for the record I am a Sophmore student at JCHS and was required by my 10th grade Lit teacher to read the book. Zack Buda
Rating:
Summary: A Changing
Review: A Gathering of Old Men was assigned to me by my 10th grade literature teacher. I did not think it was going to be that good but it turned out to be a good book. I thought it was good of the author not to take a side. I would have never have thought it would have been Charlie since he did let everybody hit on him. But one day he changed, he became a man and Beau happened to be there. So Charlie took it out on him. Gil, Beau's brother, Fix's son also come a man,by standing up to his father. I think the author should have told more about the whites. The end ended good with one of the whites and one of the blacks dead. Many people thought it was about racism but once I thought about it I don't think it was. It showed favor to both the whites and the blacks. They were just standing up for what they believe.
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