The Golden Christmas: A Tale of Lowcountry Life

As a Author, I love to read as well. This is a timeless treasure to enjoy over and over again.

The beginning of the acclaimed series: Inspector Morse, Inspector Lewis, and Endeavor. It was created in the 1980s making it interesting to see the experimental camera shots of the period. Still the pace and characterization hold up under the scrutiny of time. If you love Inspector Lewis, you won't want to miss Inspector Morse.

Charleston, South Carolina is my 'Soul City'. I have loved this place since I was stationed there in the Navy 40 years ago. 'The Golden Christmas' brings to life the culture and people who lived lived in Charleston and its environs prior to the War Between The States. I enjoyed the humor, wonderful descriptions, and sense of southern gentility that the author shares in this book. For anyone who loves history and especially southern history, this book will be a joy to read!

Gives one a real feel for "plantation life" of 150 to 200 years ago as written in authentic diaries. I am speaking of large plantations.

If you are familiar with Charleston South Carolina you will love this book. It is accurate in historical significance concerning Christmas in the Old South. Learned Alot.

Great book. Highly recommend it.

"The Golden Christmas" is an historical plantation romance by William Gilmore Simms, who is hailed in literary circles as the "father of Southern literature." Serialized in 1852 and then released as one volume, this short novel includes elements of both "Romeo and Juliet" and "A Christmas Carol" and also displays the wide knowledge of the author by its multitude of literary references. For instance, chapter two provides a discourse in answer to Austen's "It is a truth universally acknowledged that a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife."A fair amount of religious references may also be found, but the story is secular for the most part and refrains from preaching. Simms employs the regional Gullah and Creole dialects, which enhances the authenticity of the narrative, and his verbosity of description is well peppered with humor and cunning puns. The only caveat to readers is the abundant utilization of both French and archaic phrases which, though familiar to a nineteenth-century audience, will likely require today's partakers to have a dictionary on hand for a better understanding of the text. This time lapse is aided, however, by David Aiken's 2005 introduction, which presents pertinent background information.Set in the city of Charleston in Berkeley County, South Carolina, in 1851, "The Golden Christmas" tells the age-old story of star-crossed lovers, which is balanced by an account of both daily customs and Christmastime in the antebellum South. Dick Cooper, a young lawyer, provides first-person narration, relating the ongoing feud between the English Bulmers of the Bulmer Barony and the French Huguenot Bonneaus. His close friend, Ned Bulmer, designs to marry Paula Bonneau, while Dick fancies Beatrice Mazyck. Although the storyline lacks a strong plot and is devoid of any mystery or adventuresome excitement, Simms does spice up the narrative with a few humorous and unexpected occurrences before providing the expected ending. "The Golden Christmas" is a pleasant and short read for anyone interested in learning about pre-Civil War Charleston and the Christmas traditions of the American South, and it will also satisfy those who enjoy amorous stories.

William Gilmore Simms published The Golden Christmas, A Chronicle of St. John's Berkley in 1852. It is a treasure for anyone interested in antebellum Southern history and mid-nineteenth century mores and manners among the genteel class of planters who resided in Mr. Simms' native Berkley County in South Carolina. It vividly details Charleston and the Carolina Low Country plantation life of that period set against the backdrop of the Christmas season.This tale of romance and family intrigue is narrated by one of the principal characters in a gentle humorous style. The story flows easily and the plot twists and scenes move like a Shakespearean light comedy set within Jane Austen style vignettes. There are some wonderful portrayals of holiday pursuits and pastimes: a boar hunt in which the hunters take on the personae of Sir Walter Scott-like romanticized knights is rendered in graphic and chilling detail. The arrival of Father Chrystmas and Yuletide customs unique to Southern society - inclusive of the unveiling of the decorated tree in the parlor, a custom newly introduced from Europe at the time of the book's publication- is a magical moment for characters and readers alike. We are treated to feasts and dances, fashion and courting customs rendered in delightful colloquial language and descriptions of the place and period. There are also some fascinating glimpses into Christmas celebrations among the servants and slaves of the plantation.Mr. David Aiken provides a marvelous introduction with much historical detail and background in the book's preface whetting the reader's appetite for the tale that follows. One of my favorite books is Swallow Barn or a Sojourn in the Old Dominion about life in antebellum Virginia by John Pendleton Kennedy who was a contemporary of Mr. Simms. I found The Golden Christmas comparable in many respects to Swallow Barn and quite fell in love with Mr. Simms' charming story.