Gwen Bristow Knihy

Žhavý Jih je oslavou plantážní práce nikoliv z pohledu Severu, ale z pohledu Jihu a s ostrým uvědoměním rasovým. Je to dílo čistě vyprávěčské naplněné potěšením z činorodého a silně prožitého života, krásného přes všechny tragické zvraty.

Autorka v románě s obdivuhodnou znalostí nabízí obraz americké krajiny, plantáží i měst, ještě v době před vypuknutím války Severu proti Jihu. V popředí děje jsou dvě ženské postavy - chudá a energická Corrie May, ktorá bystým a kritickým zrakem pozoruje své okolí a přímočaře se bouří proti všem křivdám; druhou je Ann Sheramyová, vychována v prostředí zámožných statkářů. Válka přinese nejen veliký sociální a dějinný přelom, ale autorka ličí, jak změní osudy obou ženských hrdinek.

The history of California in the mid-19th century comes alive in this captivating historical novel. Garnet Cameron, a fashionable young lady of New York, is leading a neat, proper life, full of elegant parties and polite young men, yet the prospect of actually marrying any of them appalls her. Yearning for adventure, she instead marries Oliver Hale, a wild trader who is about to cross the mountains and deserts to an unheard-of land called California. During Garnet and Oliver's honeymoon in New Orleans, she meets a dance-hall performer on the lam who calls herself Florinda Grove and is also traveling to California. Along the Jubilee Trail, Garnet and Florinda meet kinds of men never known to them before, and together they make their painstaking way over the harsh trail to Los Angeles, learning how to live without compromise and discover both true friendship and true love.

HISTORICAL FICTION. "New York Times"--Bestselling author Gwen Bristow brings to life Civil War-era Louisiana in the impassioned, poignant story of a plantation mistress and a poor seamstress--and the men they love--whose lives are irrevocably changed as the Old South fallsCorrie May Upjohn stands on the levee, watching men unload the riverboats and wishing she could travel far away. A poor preacher's daughter, she is only fourteen, and her life is already laid out for her: marriage in a year or two, and then decades of drudgery. At nearby Ardeith Plantation, Ann Sheramy Larne lives in luxury, but feels just as imprisoned as Corrie May. Their lives could not be more different, but when the horrors of war and Reconstruction come to Louisiana, these two women will band together to survive. This is the second novel in Gwen Bristow's Plantation Trilogy, which also includes "Deep Summer" and "This Side of Glory."

In New Orleans, 1930, eight guests arrive at a luxurious penthouse for a party hosted by a mysterious figure who communicates via radio. The chilling announcement reveals that one guest will die every hour. As the night progresses, the host's grim prophecy begins to unfold in bizarre ways, heightening the tension among the guests. Confessions reveal dark secrets, leading them to suspect that the host may be among them. The atmosphere thickens with paranoia as they grapple with the question of survival. This narrative established a classic format in mystery fiction, influencing later works, including Agatha Christie's renowned novel. The innovative storytelling and suspenseful elements make it a standout from the golden age of crime fiction, and it has been adapted into both a play and a Hollywood film. Readers will find themselves captivated by the unfolding drama and the intricate web of intrigue that defines this unique mystery.

The great California gold rush of 1849 is recreated by focusing on the experiences of individual Americans who headed westward, filled with dreams of overnight wealth in the form of gold.

1847 wurde Kalifornien über Nacht ein Mekka für Glücksuchende, Abenteurer und Tunichtgute. Als die junge Kendra Logan in San Francisco eintrifft wird auch sie von der Stimmung angesteckt. Auf der Suche nach ihrem persönlichen Glück lernt Sie Liebe, Hass und Leidenschaft kennen. Wird sie es schaffen, sich trotz aller Verlockungen selbst treu zu bleiben?