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Cane River (Abridged) Audiobook
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(3.00) - 20,599 listener ratings
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Publisher Description
A New York Times bestseller and Oprah's Book Club Pick-the unique and deeply moving saga of four generations of African-American women whose journey from slavery to freedom begins on a Creole plantation in Louisiana.
Beginning with her great-great-great-great grandmother, a slave owned by a Creole family, Lalita Tademy chronicles four generations of strong, determined black women as they battle injustice to unite their family and forge success on their own terms. They are women whose lives begin in slavery, who weather the Civil War, and who grapple with contradictions of emancipation, Jim Crow, and the pre-Civil Rights South. As she peels back layers of racial and cultural attitudes, Tademy paints a remarkable picture of rural Louisiana and the resilient spirit of one unforgettable family.
There is Elisabeth, who bears both a proud legacy and the yoke of bondage... her youngest daughter, Suzette, who is the first to discover the promise-and heartbreak-of freedom... Suzette's strong-willed daughter Philomene, who uses a determination born of tragedy to reunite her family and gain unheard-of economic independence... and Emily, Philomene's spirited daughter, who fights to secure her children's just due and preserve their dignity and future.
Meticulously researched and beautifully written, Cane River presents a slice of American history never before seen in such piercing and personal detail.
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"This is a fascinating book. IT is actually based on the surviving history of the author's ancestors. That makes it interesting, but the most interesting thing about this book to me, was the interweaving of the races. There was just as much white blood as African American in this family and yet these people had no rights as citizens. They could not own land. The frenchman Joseph Biulles, who was completely devoted to Emily and their children, in the end had to give up the fight and send them away and marry a white woman to keep himself safe. The fact that the women of this family were the strength of the family and they were the ones who pulled the family upwards and they were the ones who raised the youngsters, many of whos father's didn't or couldn't raise them explains much to me about the way things are today. A very thought provoking book and a mesmerizing story."
— Pam (4 out of 5 stars)
Quotes
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“A compelling story! A powerful book!”
— Billie Letts, American novelist and educator -
“A long-overdue response to Alex Haley’s Roots…It is about…the quiet unmapped stories that make up history.”
— San Francisco Chronicle -
“Rich with fascinating detail…powerful in its story-telling…a journey well worth taking.”
— San Jose Mercury News -
“While she fully imagines their lives, she doesn’t pander to the reader by introducing melodrama or sex. Her frank observations about black racism add depth to the tale.”
— Publishers Weekly -
Extraordinary... illuminates the soul of heritage... historical fiction of the highest order.
— Philadelphia Enquirer -
Evocative and convincing.
— The Washington Post Book World -
Astonishing... bold, breathtaking, and unforgettable.
— Essence -
A long-overdue response to Alex Haley's Roots.
— San Francisco Chronicle
Awards
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An Oprah’s Book Club Selection in 2001
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A New York Times bestseller
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A USA Today bestseller
Cane River Listener Reviews
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" I really enjoyed most of this book. Honestly though, it started dragging for me and I started feeling like "C'mon already, move it along." I found the characters rich and full of life, but after a while it was hard to keep up with all of them. Maybe if I had one of the genealogy charts laid out in front of me each time I read it would have helped. I'm sure this book is very meaningful to many people. I also realized that maybe I should just fictionalize my family story and write that. "
— Joanna, 2/17/2014 -
" This was a well written historical fiction that shows about 4 generations of slaves growing up in LA. I found it extremely interesting and Im impressed at the time and effort she put in to make this book to come to life. I can relate to the characters; be warned, this is an oprah's book club. "
— Marlaina, 2/7/2014 -
" Liked the story, but faded out in the end. "
— Stacy, 2/7/2014 -
" Actually better than I expected. It got off to a slow start, but I very much enjoyed reading her take on her family's history. She actually did make them "come alive" for me. "
— Beth, 2/6/2014 -
" Though I might not go to the Hayward library, I still want to participate in reading the selection for Sally's group. I am reading the book for the second time (though I'd forgotten most of it) and all comes back. I am still in the first part, "Suzette," and am amazed at the skill of the writer who obviously did a lot of research about her family and makes an interesting story of it. The pressure that the poor girl had to endure to choose a man with lighter color as herself, is pityful. I can hardly wait to see how the marriage to the Frenchman turns out. Mathilde. "
— Mathilde, 2/2/2014 -
" One of only a few books that I could not finish reading. "
— Julie, 1/31/2014 -
" An intricate and unique history of three generations of women struggling against slavery and prejudice in 1800s Louisiana. "
— Charlie, 1/25/2014 -
" I was expecting more from this book in detail. The author seemed to really focus on that detail in the beginning, but then lost that when she rushed through the story of Emily and her family. "
— Joanie, 1/23/2014 -
" Oh what a treasure. To have written evidence of your ancestry. "
— Dee, 1/16/2014 -
" I enjoyed that the author took her family history and photographs and wove a fictional story together. It was well written and followed a family line that led to her. Enjoyed "
— Heather, 12/9/2013 -
" One of my favorite books. "
— Christine, 11/30/2013 -
" Great book. I think I liked it because Cane River is the River that travels through my hometown (the town in LA where I grew up). The author (african american) traces her ancestry through the plantations of Louisiana. "
— Monique, 9/21/2013 -
" A very powerful and emotionally draining book. Very well written. "
— Sandy, 8/29/2013 -
" Amazing look at the South, slavery, question of race and ties that bind "
— Hope4flowers, 7/7/2013 -
" An incredible book, another one that I couldn't put down! Don't start it till you have a lot of time to devote to reading, or you'll be depriving yourself of sleep! "
— Kristy, 4/28/2013 -
" Nice story about an African American family with strong maternal characters. "
— Meg, 3/27/2013 -
" It is a good read. "
— Laurie, 3/12/2013 -
" Very interesting book--I couldn't put it down and when I did I couldn't wait to get back to it. Lalita Tademy is justified in the pride she has in her family, especially the line of strong women. "
— Chris, 2/12/2013 -
" LOVE a book with photographs! "
— Caroline, 1/19/2013 -
" One of my favorite books ever! Love the genre (historical fiction), love the author's story, and love the characters. "
— Tiffany, 12/30/2012 -
" I loved this book. It is true, educational, and very well written. "
— Debbie, 11/7/2012 -
" loved this book. definate page turner "
— Kimberly, 7/5/2012 -
" Author gives valuable insight into skin color and privilege as experienced/perpetuated in four generations of black women. "
— Diane, 3/19/2012 -
" Loved this book. Many interesting lessons about slavery. "
— Debbie, 11/2/2011 -
" One of the best books I have ever read! (probably about 8 years ago) "
— Jen, 7/22/2011 -
" I've just re-read this novel, based on the author's own family history. She does an amazing job of bringing the people, place and social history of a family of slaves and slave owners to life. Highly recommended. "
— Kathy, 7/19/2011 -
" loved reading her family history. Thought she told the story wonderfully and although it is considered fiction, was based on the lives of slaves through several generations. "
— Sharon, 5/23/2011 -
" A top ten from the past decade. "
— Lynn, 5/15/2011 -
" loved this book. the help reminded of this book. "
— Sheri, 5/1/2011 -
" This book inspired me to research my own family tree. "
— Ekuwa, 4/26/2011 -
" So far I'm really enjoying this am reading it based on Ricky's recommendation. Story of the author's family going back several generations to the days of slavery. Gives you a real feel for what life was like, and although it's non fiction, it reads like a well told story. "
— Ruth, 4/25/2011 -
" Liked the story, but faded out in the end. "
— Stacy, 4/14/2011 -
" Not a great book, lots of flaws, but I enjoyed reading it. "
— Lily, 4/11/2011 -
" Wow. This book starts off a little slow, but then really gets going. Amazing. "
— Alison, 4/7/2011 -
" I liked this story...maybe because I am interested in genealogy. Lalita Tademy did a wonderful job tracing her own family. "
— Margaret, 4/5/2011 -
" Amazing journey through multiple generations that endure and endure with family at the heart of everything. So much important history is covered but only as a background to these women who survive the unsurvivable with dignity and grace. "
— Kendra, 4/3/2011 -
" Another book that I recommended after I read it. So good. Been years since I've read it, I may have to read again. "
— Amy, 4/3/2011
About Lalita Tademy
Lalita Tademy was born in Berkeley, California, far from her parents’ Southern roots. A former vice president of Sun Microsystems, she left the corporate world to immerse herself in tracing her family’s history and writing her first book, Cane River, based on the lives of four generations of colored Creole slave women in Louisiana, women Tademy descended from. She is also the author of Red River, a historical novel based on real events during Reconstruction after the Civil War.