The Land (Coretta Scott King Author Award Winner)

Rating:
Summary: BEST BOOK EVER
Review: ... The Land By Mildred D. Taylor

For the past month or so, my class has been reading The Land, by Mildred D. Taylor. I am not exaggerating when I say this is one of the greatest books ever! The Land is about an African American boy named Paul Edward Logan, who lives on his white father's plantation. Paul lives in the time of racism, slaves, and disrespect of black men and women. Even his very own father treats him differently than Paul's white brothers ' he cannot eat at the table when there are guests. Nor can he talk to white men the way they treat him. Paul begins to realize the truth of it all. However, he does not give up his dream ' to own his own land. He does not lose faith, even when his father denies him an opportunity to race a horse for cash. Denial only pushes him to accept the offer, but the owner of the horse refuses to pay him his winnings. Mitchell, his personal bodyguard, decides to take matters into his own hands and makes them running for their lives. The Land takes the readers on a journey of Paul's determination, hard work, and his daring and desperate decisions.
One reason I absolutely love this book is because of the plot! The way Paul and African Americans are treated helps me understand what it was like for people, like Paul during the 1800s. This book helps me realize how hard it was back then ' to treat others respectfully while they mistreat you, to try to be quiet when a white man was speaking! For example, in the book, Paul is not allowed to hit his brother when he has done something wrong because he is white. It makes me think about how unfair it was a century ago. People were treated unjust because of the color of their skin! I now appreciate my life much, much more, knowing how many lifestyles used to be.
In addition to this, I love the suspense! There is always something exciting happening ' from the horse race to the fights where Mitchell, Paul's bodyguard protects him. What makes this book so fascinating is the fact that there is always something incredible, simply amazing happening. This makes me want to read more! Not only is it entertaining, but also this book raises many intriguing questions. For example, what is going to happen to Paul, what dramatic decision will he make now, and how is Paul's father going to react to this chaos? As you can tell, many questions arise. This is one great aspect of The Land.
I recommend this book to readers who enjoy books based on history ' something that actually happened. The Land is based on true facts ' how people were considered, how lifestyles were for African Americans, and how there were many unjust, unfair laws. This book has a wonderful plot, which is not only entertaining, but also educational. You would have to read it yourself!
I can understand why this book won the Coretta Scott King Award!

Rating:
Summary: Mildred Taylor Does It Again
Review: A compelling prequel to Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry, Mildred Taylor' The Land brings us into the history of Cassie Logan's family as we follow the life and her grandfather, Paul-Edward Logan. The story opens with Paul-Edward as a boy on his father's land. As the son of a white landowner and a former slave in the southern state of Georgia, his biracial background complicates his life and emotions. His father had three sons with his wife, as well as Paul-Edward and his sister Cassie with his slave woman.

During the first 12 years of his life, he was treated roughly as an equal in his father's house'as much as possible for someone black in the 1880's. Relationships with his half-brothers grew strong, especially with Robert who was the same age. They did everything together and were the best of friends. On the other side of his life, Paul-Edward had a clashing relationship with a black boy on father's land named Mitchell. In exchange for teaching Mitchell how to read, Paul-Edward finds an ending to his daily fights and a personal bodyguard. After his brother Robert chooses his white friends over his own brother, Paul-Edward finally realizes the complexity of growing up black in a segregated society.

The final straw, however, comes when his father denies him an opportunity to race a horse for cash. As a fourteen-year-old, denial only pushes him to accept the offer, but the man refuses to pay him. Mitchell, his personal bodyguard, decides to take matters into his own hands and sets them running for their lives. In the remainder of the tale, their dependence on one another through lumber camps and land deals seals the friendship. Paul-Edward follows his dream to own land, with Mitchell helping him clear the way. They work together, eventually realizing the dream.

With a strong historical setting and captivating turns of events, Taylor does it again. Instead of telling her readers about the struggles of a black individual following the Civil War, she shows us. Through the personable character of Paul-Edward, we feel his pain, struggles, and hopes. The hard truths of segregated society ring clear as he is cheated again and again. Life in the lumber camps helps us see the scarce employment opportunities for freed slaves, and the denial of a bank loan shows the dreadful cycle of poverty.

Written in the common black dialect of that time in the South, the book brings another culture alive and respects the roots of Black English. Paul-Edward and Mitchell remain true to their roots and do their families proud in the end. They persevere and support each other through every hardship. Their friendship is a testimony to the strength and commitment of true friends.

This book weaves a tale of a man's self-discovery, the prize from perseverance, a lesson in friendship, a positive romance, and the credibility of hope. Those things make it strong enough for use in a classroom. In addition, however, I recommend this book because of its historical value. Although fiction, Taylor brings key characteristics of the post-Civil War South to life. By showing us a full-color picture of the culture, we come away from the lesson filled in a way that would scarcely happen from a history textbook. She fills in the gaps, completing the picture.

Rating:
Summary: Another Wonderful Book by Mildred D. Taylor
Review: After reading "Roll of Thunder, Hear my Cry" and the two following books of the trilogy, I fell in love with Mildred D. Taylor's writing. I searched the library for more books by her, and when I was successful, sat down and read the books immediately, becoming more enchanted with each one. When I heard that there was a prequel to the books, I couldn't wait to get a hold of it. On the way home from the library, I started reading and didn't stop until the last page.
Paul-Edward Logan has a white father and a half black, half indian mother. Growing up on his father's plantation, he never quite knows his place. Although his mother is always warning him against it, Paul-Edward's best friend is his father's other son, born from a white mother. As Paul-Edward grows he learns of betrayal and watches his best friend abandon him for a group of rough white boys. When Paul-Edward is fourteen, he runs away with his new best friend, Mitchell. A book about racism, friendship and family, Mildred D. Taylor has created another masterpiece to be enjoyed for many years.

Rating:
Summary: One of the best books ever!
Review: i cannot believe i attempted to read this horrible book. mildred, i mean seriously, who are you writing to? this book was a waste of a week. i had to force myself to read half the time! i got it as a present. i sure hope that someone nice gave me it because otherwise id have to...just no.

Rating:
Summary: The Land
Review: I loved this book. I could hardly put it down. Paul-Edward is a half black, half white slave whose owner is his father. He gets tired of his homelife and runs away. He meets Mitchell, a childhood friend, and they travel together. They work at a logging house and then find land that they would love to live on. I won't tell you the rest, because it would RUIN it!! This book has a whole lot of flashback and foreshadowing. I loved this book and encourage you all to read it!!

Rating:
Summary: The Land
Review: Mildred Taylor has written an outstanding novel. The Land is a prequal to Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry. It traces the life of Paul-Edward Logan. Paul-Edward is the son of prominent Edward Logan and his former slave, Deborah. This mix leaves Paul mostly unaccepted by the white community and the black community. Where does Paul fit in? The book recounts Paul's inner and outer struggles of growing up. It tells of his conflicts with family, friends and strangers. The novel is very well written and includes emotions by using the appropriate dialect that it allows the reader to become part of the story. I felt that I was there in the scenes as a bystander.
I think the novel is appropriate for a high school audience. The novel covers some very sensitive issues. Their maturity is needed to accept the struggles and prejuidices without becoming so angry and upset.

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Summary: Taylor Never Fails
Review: Paul-Edward Logan has a unique life situation in the late 1800s. Born on a southern plantation following the Civil War, his mother is black and Native American, yet his father is a white man. As a child, he is treated with almost the same care given to his white half-brothers, yet as he grows up he begins to learn the harshness and injustice of his world. But Paul is determined to make something of himself. He wants his own land, he wants his own destiny, and he wants things that many others of his race wouldn't even dream of.

I was shocked with just how much I was impressed with this book! Throughout my life I have loved the powerful stories told in Taylor's "Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry" trilogy, yet often authors kind of fizzle after a couple of amazing books. But not here!

I think one of the best things about Paul-Edward's story is how once again Taylor draws on family stories. Anyone who has read "Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry" will recall that Paul-Edward is the grandfather of the Logan children, and will find it even more fascinating to read his own story. Which brings me to another point-the fact that Taylor not only draws on family stories, but brings them so vividly and credibly to life makes her writing all the better.

And the writing was indeed good. Paul's first-person narrative sounds intelligent and interesting, while still managing to sound realistic and fresh. He is a character full of pride and determination that makes him truly admirable. But the book never feels preachy, and the pride and strength that Taylor fashions into her stories never feels fake.

"The Land" is a book that is at once a story of hope and a realistic portrait of the ugly racism that plagued our society at the time. Just as in her other books, the author deals with racism in a balanced, up front, and intelligent manner.

I was so impressed with this latest from Mildred Taylor! The character-driven story is the perfect balance of timeless values and a compelling historical backdrop.

Rating:
Summary: a good book
Review: The book The Land was a great book a bout a boy named Paul Logan who was just trying to get by. he was th son of a white man and a black women. Paul was born with lighter skin so sometimes he could get away with things, but at other times they just treated him as if he were another one of the black people. Paul gets into a little bit of trouble along with his friend Mitchell. The boys end up becoming very close and helping each other out of achieving the goal of getting "the land." if you want to find out what happens, i recommend you read the book.

Rating:
Summary: READ THIS BOOK
Review: When I discovered, through the note provided by Mildred Taylor, that The Land was more than five years in the making, I literally swooned in admiration of the freshness of the story. Any book which takes half a decade to research and write evolves with a certain degree of vulnerability. How can any author sustain such an endeavor, especially in the face of her readership, so familiar with her own impossibly hard acts to follow, and emerge holding such a live treasure as The Land, in the end?
The Land is a prequel, in that it tells the stories of the Logan family that chronologically came before those of her beloved, already known, characters. What sets this novel apart from typical prequel status, in my mind, is the electricity between its pages. The Land is filled with its own magical energy. Paul-Edward's many adventures, his beliefs in himself and his family (as well as his view of all the other people living on his father, Edward's, land) his complex relationships with his white father, his African-Indian mother, his white brother (Robert), and his African-American friend (Mitchell) are exclusively important. They are exclusive in that they are whole, in and of themselves, and a reader can appreciate their strengths without prior knowledge of Taylor's previous work. They are important in that they can and should be told, breathe, and stand on their own. I feel that comparing them might fail them, to a certain degree. That said, the stories of the life of Paul-Edward are certainly crucial... beyond their status as prequel. The private pain and pride of Paul-Edward that we come to know, as we follow his evolution into the young landowner we reluctantly must depart at book's end, all the great sorrows and victories that spill before him in his quest to, in his mother's apt words, have "something for himself"-his own land-while caring for Caroline, her brother, and Mitchell are wondrous, well told, at times lyrically rich.
There is nothing, in The Land, of the staleness that can threaten to tinge any writer's work when she is forced to write a prequel, by her readership, critics, or heart. Perhaps the staleness comes when a writer is not certain of the very something she must be precise about, as she attempts to trace steps prior to the heart of her matter (previous, related book(s)). I have come to believe that a great many prequels and sequels are created not in order to answer an author's own calling, but to answer the call of the readership. This isn't necessarily a bad thing. Still, in Taylor's writing of The Land as a whole thing, contained in one book, which tells a before so well, as well, is wholly felt, the mold of the prequel is broken. The Land is exceptionally revealing for those who have known and loved the Logans. The Land is also its own, gorgeous, story.
I believe the heart of Mildred Taylor's matter is, actually, those family stories she finally tells, through fiction twinned with the breath of heritage, in The Land. The novel has clarity and life and a protagonist we love, and a singular life-almost as if The Land contained the most essential things the writer (the niece, the daughter, the landowner) needed to write; almost as if all those stories she'd already made were leading us to this great center.