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Audiobooks > Romance >  Historical > Rhett Butler's People: The Authorized Novel based on Margaret Mitchell's Gone with the Wind
Rhett Butlers People: The Authorized Novel based on Margaret Mitchells Gone with the Wind Audiobook, by Donald McCaig Play Audiobook Sample

Rhett Butler's People: The Authorized Novel based on Margaret Mitchell's Gone with the Wind Audiobook

By: Donald McCaig
Rhett Butlers People: The Authorized Novel based on Margaret Mitchells Gone with the Wind Audiobook, by Donald McCaig Play Audiobook Sample
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Read By: Henry Leyva, John Bedford Lloyd Publisher: Macmillan Audio Listen Time: at 1.0x Speed 12.00 hours at 1.5x Speed 9.00 hours at 2.0x Speed Release Date: November 2007 Format: Unabridged Audiobook ISBN: 9781427203281
3.00466132906325 out of 53.00466132906325 out of 53.00466132906325 out of 53.00466132906325 out of 53.00466132906325 out of 5 (3.00) - 6,245 listener ratings
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Quick Stats About this Audiobook

Total Audiobook Chapters:

197

Longest Chapter Length:

07:23 minutes

Shortest Chapter Length:

43 seconds

Average Chapter Length:

05:30 minutes

Audiobooks by this Author:

3

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Ruth's Journey: The Authorized Novel of Mammy from Margaret Mitchell's Gone with the Wind Audiobook, by Donald McCaig

Publisher Description

Fully authorized by the Margaret Mitchell estate, Rhett Butler's People is the astonishing and long-awaited novel that parallels the Great American Novel, Gone With The Wind. Twelve years in the making, the publication of Rhett Butler's People marks a major and historic cultural event.

Through the storytelling mastery of award-winning writer Donald McCaig, the life and times of the dashing Rhett Butler unfolds. Through Rhett's eyes we meet the people who shaped his larger than life personality as it sprang from Margaret Mitchell's unforgettable pages: Langston Butler, Rhett's unyielding father; Rosemary his steadfast sister; Tunis Bonneau, Rhett's best friend and a onetime slave; Belle Watling, the woman for whom Rhett cared long before he met Scarlett O'Hara at Twelve Oaks Plantation, on the fateful eve of the Civil War.

Of course there is Scarlett. Katie Scarlett O'Hara, the headstrong, passionate woman whose life is inextricably entwined with Rhett's: more like him than she cares to admit; more in love with him than she'll ever know…

Brought to vivid and authentic life by the hand of a master, Rhett Butler's People fulfills the dreams of those whose imaginations have been indelibly marked by Gone With The Wind.

Download and start listening now!

"Loved this! Andrea, this is that author Dan knew from Virginia. Margaret Mitchell's estate commissioned two companion books for "Gone With the Wind", one about Scarlett and one about Rhett Butler. The one about Scarlett got such terrible reviews I never bothered to read it, but I saw this at a thrift store and bought it. It was really more of a prequel. It tells about Rhett Butler's life growing up and fills in some background about his life as a blockade runner and his relationship with Belle Watling. Really loved this book."

— Coralie (4 out of 5 stars)

Quotes

  • Rhett Butler's People broadens the canvas, giving Rhett new dueling and blockade-running adventures, and adding intriguing characters like Confederate cavalier-turned-Klansman Andrew Ravanel, a rancid version of Ashley Wilkes who romances Rhett's sister, Rosemary. McCaig paints a richer, darker panorama of a Civil War-era South, where poor whites seethe with resentment, and slavery and racism are brutal facts of life that an instinctive gentleman like Rhett can work around but not openly challenge. McCaig thus imparts a Faulknerian tone to the saga that sharpens Mitchell's critique of Southern nostalgia without losing the epic sweep and romantic pathos. The result is an engrossing update of Gone With the Wind that fans of the original will definitely give a damn about.

    — Publishers Weekly

  • In McCaig's capable hands, Margaret Mitchell's mystery man is still handsome and daring but fitted with a plausible backstory and human frailties…

    — Roanoke Times

  • Read with eloquence, charisma and a bit of spontaneity tossed by John Bedford Lloyd...With a profusion of drama, action, romance and tragedy, Lloyd gets it right every time and never fails to convey the underlying tension throughout.

    — PW, Starred Review

  • McCaig is a bred-in-the bones storyteller.

    — Pulitzer Prize-winning author Geraldine Brooks

  • Different points of view…illuminate familiar scenes…Lloyd excels at accents and emotions.

    — AudioFile

  • McCaig has taken on a monumental task in attempting to augment the mythology of such a well-loved story…While remaining largely faithful to Mitchell's framework, he has made the story of Butler his own.

    — The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)

  • In Gone With the Wind, Butler was mysterious, and that added to his allure. Here, we learn more about his background: about his harsh, unforgiving father; his long-suffering mother; his own wild ways. In some ways, this Rhett is a kinder, gentler sort than the one readers loved…

    — Tampa Tribune

  • This astonishing novel parallels Gone with the Wind, adding new dimensions to the timeless love story.

    — Woodstock Sentinel-Review

  • A must-read for Gone with the Wind fans.

    — People

  • McCaig creates a convincing back story and has a real feel for men and the tensions between fathers, sons, friends and soldiers, as well as the nuances of Southern honor…The novel focuses on Rhett's point of view and explains exactly where he got his dash.

    — USA Today

  • “Rhett Butler's People covers the period from 1843 to 1874, nearly two decades more than are chronicled in Gone With the Wind. Readers will...get inside Rhett's head as he meets and courts Scarlett O'Hara in one of the most famous love affairs of all time.

    — The New York Times

Awards

  • Winner of Publishers Weekly Listen Up Awards: Best Audios of the Year, 2007

Rhett Butler's People Listener Reviews

Overall Performance: 3.7 out of 53.7 out of 53.7 out of 53.7 out of 53.7 out of 5 (3.70)
5 Stars: 11
4 Stars: 10
3 Stars: 15
2 Stars: 4
1 Stars: 0
Narration: 0 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 5 (0.00)
5 Stars: 0
4 Stars: 0
3 Stars: 0
2 Stars: 0
1 Stars: 0
Story: 0 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 5 (0.00)
5 Stars: 0
4 Stars: 0
3 Stars: 0
2 Stars: 0
1 Stars: 0
Write a Review
  • Overall Performance: 4 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 5

    " doe read - kinda confusing -lotsa of different characters - difficult to keep track of - but overall, enjoyable "

    — Cool, 2/10/2014
  • Overall Performance: 4 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 5

    " I actually enjoyed this book much better than Scarlet. "

    — Amy, 1/30/2014
  • Overall Performance: 3 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 5

    " interesting take on rhett's side of the story, but the editing was not consistent and it seemed to jump around a lot "

    — Marsha, 1/27/2014
  • Overall Performance: 3 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 5

    " I really enjoyed this book! I gave it 3 stars for swearing and it talked about brothels more than I would have liked. :( It was so interesting to see Rhett's side of the story. "

    — Marcie, 1/22/2014
  • Overall Performance: 4 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 5

    " No surprise...I cried my eyes out. I just love to read more about Margaret Mitchell's characters and this one actually felt like a true extension to her original story. "

    — Shanna, 1/21/2014
  • Overall Performance: 4 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 5

    " I totally enjoyed most of this book; "learning" about the characters in "Gone with the Wind" from the other side, from Rhett's side rather than Scarlett's. The ending was disappointing as it seemed contrived and hurried, as if McCaig's publisher called and said "NOW or never!" Still rating it5 as 4 stars, since most any sequel is usually a disappointment and this was pretty darned good, IMHO. "

    — Scottie, 1/5/2014
  • Overall Performance: 5 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 5

    " Being a Gone with the Wind mega-fan, I loved Rhett Butler's People. It gave you Rhett's point of view and how he became who he was. It was an excellent, quick read. If you haven't read it, you should. "

    — Sue, 1/5/2014
  • Overall Performance: 3 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 5

    " Was okay. Got better as it went on. "

    — Terry, 1/3/2014
  • Overall Performance: 4 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 5

    " A few variations from GWTW's story, but nothing major. A beautiful and engaging dimension of the story we know so well. "

    — Eloise, 1/2/2014
  • Overall Performance: 3 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 5

    " I liked the idea of reading about Rhett's background, childhood, and his own thoughts and reactions to Scarlett. The writing was similar enough to GWTW that it really seemed to work well. My least favorite scenes were with Scarlett. I just didn't get the same feel for her as in GWTW. "

    — Terra, 12/29/2013
  • Overall Performance: 3 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 5

    " This book was advertised as a sequel to Gone with the Wind. It was no sequel. It was the same story. It was also no Gone With the Wind. But good. I am glad I read it. "

    — Vikki, 12/21/2013
  • Overall Performance: 5 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 5

    " What happened after Rhett left Scarlett? Who was he before Scarlett? All these questions and more are answered in this exciting novel that merges scenes from "Gone with the Wind" with Rhett's story. An excellent addition to one of the best novels written. Margaret Mitchell would've been pleased. "

    — Alma, 12/16/2013
  • Overall Performance: 2 out of 52 out of 52 out of 52 out of 52 out of 5

    " There were some things I liked about the book, but I felt the characters were one-dimensional. "

    — Suzanne, 12/4/2013
  • Overall Performance: 5 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 5

    " One of my all time favorite books! I recommend it often at work. If you love the movie " Gone with the Wind" then you'll love this book too. It reads like the movie and you learn oh so many Rhett Butler secrets. "

    — Cami, 10/12/2013
  • Overall Performance: 3 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 5

    " I have never read Gone With the Wind. only watched the movie. It was an easy read and an interesting character development of what the early life of the Rhett Butler might have been like. I am going to read Gone With the Wind now and see if I still feel the same about this author's view on Butler. "

    — Wonderweir, 10/9/2013
  • Overall Performance: 5 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 5

    " I really enjoyed this book. It's a follow up to Gone With the WInd. It fills out GWTW and gives more background to Rhett and all the other familiar characters in the book. I listened to it and enjoyed the Southern voices and the new stories and the old stories mingled together. "

    — Suzycren, 9/16/2013
  • Overall Performance: 2 out of 52 out of 52 out of 52 out of 52 out of 5

    " better than Scarlett but....woefully lacking "

    — Char, 7/26/2013
  • Overall Performance: 4 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 5

    " Loved Gone with the Wind, fun to read about Rhett when he was young! "

    — Cecelia, 7/6/2013
  • Overall Performance: 5 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 5

    " such a different view of Gone With the Wind. "

    — Dena, 7/1/2013
  • Overall Performance: 3 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 5

    " Interesting story if you like Gone with the Wind. "

    — Heidi, 6/12/2013
  • Overall Performance: 3 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 5

    " Interesting saga. Loved knowing Rhett and his family but there were many occurrances in here that did not move the story forward or give insight into the background. I could have been just a little shorter. "

    — Rose, 3/25/2013
  • Overall Performance: 2 out of 52 out of 52 out of 52 out of 52 out of 5

    " Bland. Quite good as a pot boiler swashbuckling novel in the Jack London school, but as a prequel to a beloved classic? Tries gallantly, but fails dismally. "

    — Mark, 3/16/2013
  • Overall Performance: 5 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 5

    " I am a big Gone With The Wind fan. I love, love, love this book!!! I have read it 3 times! "

    — Angie, 1/9/2013
  • Overall Performance: 3 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 5

    " I must say I enjoyed this book more than I thought I would - It's no "Gone With The Wind" but I wasn't expecting it to be. It actually turned out to be a good story, very enjoyable. "

    — Wilmina, 11/11/2012
  • Overall Performance: 4 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 5

    " Since my favorite book is Gone With the Wind of course I enjoyed this one. "

    — Marli, 8/3/2012
  • Overall Performance: 5 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 5

    " One of the best books i have ever read!!!!!! "

    — Krista, 12/28/2011
  • Overall Performance: 5 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 5

    " I loved this point of view. Excellent Read. "

    — Jane, 12/16/2011
  • Overall Performance: 5 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 5

    " Gone with the Wind will always be one of my most favorite books. I did not like the sequel "Scarlett" that came out first. But this one? I loved it. It made the characters even more intruiging because of the details of their earlier lives. Highly recommend it. "

    — Julie, 8/18/2011
  • Overall Performance: 4 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 5

    " It's always fun to imagine a story from different perspectives...Rhett Butler's people does just that, and very well, I might add. A fun story to get lost in! "

    — Melissa, 6/27/2011
  • Overall Performance: 2 out of 52 out of 52 out of 52 out of 52 out of 5

    " I don't know why I chose to read this book. I guess, like others, I'm still chasing after the HEA. "

    — Marilyn, 6/26/2011
  • Overall Performance: 5 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 5

    " I thought this was a great read. Was interesting to read the other side of the story. "

    — Shannon, 6/19/2011
  • Overall Performance: 5 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 5

    " If you think was too much in the book, well heres the reason why. A must read for anyone who just loves Gone with the Wind. Written by the guy who wrote Jacobs Latter. A must READ! "

    — J., 6/16/2011
  • Overall Performance: 3 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 5

    " I must say I enjoyed this book more than I thought I would - It's no "Gone With The Wind" but I wasn't expecting it to be. It actually turned out to be a good story, very enjoyable. "

    — Wilmina, 5/25/2011
  • Overall Performance: 3 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 5

    " It was interesting and gave more background information on who Rhett Butler was than we got in "Gone With the Wind". A fun read. "

    — Barbara, 5/21/2011
  • Overall Performance: 3 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 5

    " Interesting take on "the other side of the story" of Gone With the Wind. Definitely need to read GWTW first and if you like that, read this in your free time. "

    — Carrie, 5/16/2011
  • Overall Performance: 4 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 5

    " I now want to re read GWTW and Scarlett to see how well this book fits in with their stories. I did really enjoy hearing the story again from Rhett's side. "

    — Heather, 5/13/2011
  • Overall Performance: 3 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 5

    " This was an okay book. I'm glad I read it. But I really don't think I will read it again. "

    — Rachel, 5/13/2011
  • Overall Performance: 3 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 5

    " Enjoyable - I learned a lot about the civil war from the south's perspective that I never realized. I enjoy the read. "

    — Karol, 5/11/2011
  • Overall Performance: 3 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 5

    " I liked it. Its not GWTW but its a good read. "

    — Nancy, 5/9/2011
  • Overall Performance: 4 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 5

    " I loved Gone With The Wind. I also loved this book. It gave a little more history about Rhett and his family. It's a good read. "

    — Nora, 5/5/2011

About Donald McCaig

Donald McCaig has written several acclaimed novels about the Civil War, including Jacob’s Ladder, which has been called “the best civil war novel ever written” by the Virginia Quarterly.

About the Narrators

Henry Leyva, an Earphones Award-winning narrator, is a classically trained actor with extensive work in theater, television, film, and radio. He has appeared off Broadway and in regional theaters across the country in many plays, including Romeo and Juliet, Taming of the Shrew, and Street Car Named Desire. He has also performed in audio dramas for the Syfy Channel and National Public Radio

John Bedford Lloyd, Earphones Award–winning narrator, is a graduate of the Yale School of Drama, has appeared in many major motion pictures, including The Bourne Supremacy, Crossing Delancey, The Abyss, The Manchurian Candidate, and Philadelphia. His television credits include Suits, Pan Am, Law & Order, Spin City, and The West Wing.