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By the time I read this book I had been working for the National Park Service in Canaveral Seashore for a year. What I felt lacking in my knowledge about central Florida of the mid 1800's to the present was answered in the sweep of the story of the McIvey's and their fictional footprint on the savannahs and hammocks of Florida. The book used the templete of known happenings, areas, weather, flora and fauna to give a three dimensionality to this pivotal era and helped me bring alive Florida to the visitors to our lovely park. The book is a JEWEL and should be a MUST READ for anyone who loves history.
It was my friends book, and she told me how much she had enjoyed it. Of course I wanted to read where the book for myself, so I read on my own when I could. They sat and listened also. I told several friends about it. She was doing a jigsaw puzzel, and asked me to keep reading. The men had been working on a major project,so when they came in for a break, they heard me reading. I first read this book at a friends house while on vacation. I came home and read his other books, but "A Land Remembered" was my favorite.
It is so full and power packed, you can't put it down. In all I read the book 2 1/2 times in a week. I have already loaned it to two friends.I HIGHLY RECOMMEND IT. So I started reading from the beginning to all three of them. As I was reading, I laughed, and she asked what was happening, so I read that portion. As you can see I ordered the book for myself.
They asked questions about the beginning. When the men went back out to work, my friend wanted me to read to her where we had left off. In reading it again, I realized that It was almost like reading it for the first time. I WILL READ IT AGAIN AFTER IT MAKES THE ROUNDS THRU MY FRIENDS.
This is an enjoyable three generational saga of a pioneer family who comes from Georgia to settle in Florida during the Civil War. The McIvey family, Tobias and Emma McIvey and their young son Zech leave war torn Georgia for the Kissimme plains and start out as squatters on a small tract of land which their son and grandson later turn into an empire.This a story of survival and then later a story of the land being overrun by real estate developers, the railroad and "progress".Some readers have stated that they found the characters to be stereotypical but I enjoyed all the characters and mourned their passings.If you like to read about the settling of the United States and particurlarly that of Florida, then this is an exceptionally good historical story about the early days of Florida.
"A Land Remembered" is a truly excellent book. Smith paints a picture of Florida that makes you feel like you are right there working the land with the whole MacIvey crew. Character development in the story is also great. A must read for anyone who is interested in Florida or historical fiction as a whole.
While this is not a "literary" novel, it is excellent in its story telling of how Florida was "settled," the rise of the cattle and agricultural economy of Florida, and the hardships of the early American settlers of Florida. An excellent book of ficton to gain an historical view of Florida-just don't expect Steinbeck.
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