Publication
Collection
Call number
Physical description
Status
Call number
Description
"From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Before We Were Yours comes a new novel inspired by little-known historical events: a dramatic story of three young women on a journey in search of family amidst the destruction of the post-Civil War South, and of a modern-day teacher who rediscovers their story and its vital connection to her own students' lives. In her distinctive voice, Lisa Wingate brings to life startling stories from actual "Lost Friends" advertisements that appeared in Southern newspapers after the Civil War, as freed slaves desperately searched for loved ones who had been sold off. Louisiana, 1875: In the tumultuous aftermath of Reconstruction, three young women set off as unwilling companions on a perilous quest: Lavinia, the pampered heir to a now-destitute plantation; Juneau Jane, her illegitimate free-born Creole half-sister; and Hannie, Lavinia's former slave. Each carries private wounds and powerful secrets as they head for Texas, following dangerous roads rife with ruthless vigilantes and soldiers still fighting a war lost a decade before. For Lavinia and Juneau Jane, the journey is one of inheritance and financial desperation, but for Hannie, torn from her mother and eight siblings before slavery's end, the pilgrimage westward reignites an agonizing question: Could her long-lost family still be out there? Beyond the swamps lie the seemingly limitless frontiers of Texas and, improbably, hope. Louisiana, 1987: For first-year teacher Benedetta Silva, a subsidized job at a poor rural school seems like the ticket to canceling her hefty student debt--until she lands in a tiny, out-of-step Mississippi River town. Augustine, Louisiana, seems suspicious of new ideas and new people, and Benny can scarcely comprehend the lives of her poverty-stricken students. But amid the gnarled live oaks and run-down plantation homes lies the century-old history of three young women, a long-ago journey, and a hidden book that could change everything"--… (more)
User reviews
After reading Before We Were Yours in 2017, I wondered if it would be possible for Ms. Wingate to
The Book of Lost Friends is inspired by true stories of the past making the characters that much more memorable and their stories that much more touching. As with this author’s previous books, the dual time periods are intertwined flawlessly, melting my heart and forever changing me. The inclusion of actual newspaper advertisements of the Lost Friends is exceptional and gives the stories an additional layer of spirit.
The book opens from Hannie’s view of life, and I am quickly drawn to her. Her narration is unique and engaging, and I see and feel her emotions and desperation. Benedetta’s story is much different than I expected, yet equally as moving. These are fascinating key characters, as is the supporting cast. Everyone has a story to tell that touches and routes someone else’s life.
Dual time periods are some of my favorite types of stories, primarily due to Ms. Wingate’s brilliant storytelling. I’ve learned so much of the human experiences of the 1800s, the underprivileged, oppression, and more from this book. I connected with so many characters on many levels.
With remarkable scenes, soulful characters, and Ms. Wingate’s standard themes of faith, family, friendship, and freedom, this is another life-changing five-star read.
#LisaWingate #DualTimePeriod
I received a complimentary copy of this book.
The blurbs often say her books are "heart-warming ", and much as I dislike that descriptor, it's not inaccurate. They are also often described as "Christian fiction, but they are definitely not the "hit you over the head with religion" kind. I once said of them, "they're a bit sugary, but, unlike saccharine, there's no chemical aftertaste."
This one's quite different, and, I think, much better. Lately, it seems she's taken to writing books based on true histories, and this is one. After the Civil War, the Southwestern Christian Advocate published "Lost Friend" ads, for preachers to read from the pulpit. These were letters written by ex-slaves, seeking the whereabouts of family members from whom they had been divided. "The Book of Lost Friends" follows three young women from Augustine, Louisiana - Hannie, an ex-slave; Lavinia, the young daughter of her former owners; and Juneau Jane, her former master's illegitimate daughter from a plaçage arrangement. Their story alternates with the present-day story of a young teacher in a poor school in the same town who is trying to teach her students the history of the place.
It's really very good, and delves into a part of our history of which too many people are unaware. Wingate intersperses her narrative with copies of actual advertisements from the Southwestern Christian Advocate, and if they don't break your heart, you don't have one
Of course, they never meet, but
The story has a great amount of history, showing a great deal of injustice, and if you try and put yourself in Hannie's shoes, I couldn't. There are tears and smiles, and be sure to read the notes at the end, full of information, and completion!
I received this book through Net Galley and the Publisher Ballantine Books, and was not required to give a positive review.
Lisa Wingate has created another story that is likely destined to top bestseller lists. I could not recommend it more highly. I am very grateful to have received a copy from Ballantine, an imprint of Random House Publishing Group via NetGalley in exchange for my honest opinion. I was under no obligation to provide a positive review, and received no monetary compensation.
How is it possible that without any personal reference point a book can absolutely rock your world? Hannie’s story was a gut-punch. She is not articulate; she cannot read nor write but the dialect is easily
1987 – Trying to repay student loans a young woman takes a teaching job in an impoverished Mississippi town. This part of the story tries to connect with the history of Gossett Hall, the plantation where Hannie’s story first unfolds. In this portion there are some interesting characters; they are colorful, troubled, reticent, some are very unlikable, all very real. A few twists and turns to bring the timelines together and make the story whole.
A very hard tale very well told. Thank you NetGalley and Random House / Ballantine Books
The Gossetts, Louisiana slave owners and their descendants are the thread that connects the stories of Hannie and Benny. Hannie's story took a little longer for me to appreciate.
The novel is based on actual letters freed slaves sent to churches in an attempt to find their family members who had been separated from them during the era of slavery. Copies of the letters are included in the book but I was unable to read them on my kindle.
I continue to be impressed with Lisa Wingate's ability to uncover our lost history and bring it to life. This was a great follow up to Before We Were Yours.
It took me two tries to get through the book. The first time I picked it up, I put it aside after two chapters because it just didn’t speak to me at all. A few days later, I tried the novel again and, although I did finish it, I found myself dreading the alternating chapters that were set in the nineteenth century. The characters from those chapters are largely stereotypical cardboard cutouts needed to write the mini-thriller that allows three very different women to make their way from Louisiana to Texas in search of the plantation owner who fathered two of them (one by his wife, the other by his mulatto New Orleans mistress) and once owned the other.
That’s bad enough, but even worse is that readers unable to suspend completely their sense of disbelief are going to struggle mightily to take this story seriously despite its worthy overall message. The Book of Lost Friends is based on an actual historical event involving the tools used by ex-slaves for several decades after the Civil War ended to search for scattered family members. That is a story that is as inspirational as it is sad, and it is a story that would have been better told as a serious piece of historical fiction than as a combination of nineteenth century thriller and twentieth century romance novel, a combination that I found to be especially jarring.
Bottom Line: The Book of Lost Friends deserves a look if for no other reason than that it tells a part of the slavery story that few readers will have heard before now, and perhaps it is only because of the political and racial turmoil that the world finds itself in today that I wish Wingate had taken a more serious approach to it. Maybe it was simply written just a few months too soon for that to have happened.
Louisiana, 1975 is told by Hannie. She was a former slave who was taken away from her mother and siblings before the Civil War. She is now a sharecropper on the plantation where she was a slave and working with her remaining relatives to farm the land for 7 years before they own it. She travels to Texas on a difficult and perilous quest with two unwilling women - Lavinia, the pampered heir to the now-destitute plantation; Juneau Jane, her illegitimate free-born Creole half-sister; and Hannie, Lavinia's former slave. But it was worth all of the danger to Hannie if she could even find one member of her family. Along the way, they ran into many former slaves who were looking for loved ones so Hannie and Juneau Jane, helped them out by writing letters to the 'missing friends' column in the Southewestern Christian Advocate newspaper.
Louisiana, 1987 is told by Benedetta Silva known as Benny. She is a first year teacher with a huge student loan debt. To cancel her debt, she takes a job in a tiny, out-of-step Mississippi River town. The town seems suspicious of new ideas and new people, and Benny can scarcely comprehend the lives of her poverty-stricken students. The majority of the town send their children to a nice new school while looking down at the school that Benny is teaching at. As she learns more about the town and a dilapidated plantation house, she finally finds a way to connect with her students, but will the town accept her ideas?
I love historical fiction that I learn from and I learned a lot in this book. I never knew about the ads that the former slaves placed to try to find their families who were sold away from them. I wonder how many of them were able to find loved ones and how many searched their whole lives and never found the people they were looking for. This was a tragic time in America's history and this book gives a clear picture of what it was like.
This was a fantastic book and my new favorite by Lisa Wingate. It beautifully written and emotional novel that I won't soon forget.
Thanks to the author for a copy of this book to read and review. All opinions are my own.
The novel is told in alternating chapters between Hannibal Gossett and Benedetta Silva. Hannie is a freed slave who was owned by the Gossett
Hannie’s story is about her life as a slave, her loss of family and her search for those missing family members. She is strong, and loyal. Although not learned, she is very wise beyond her years. Hannie misses the family from which she was torn. She would love to reunite with them.
Benny’s story is about her lack of family and her reckless youth. She, too, has her strengths, but she needs to come to terms with her own losses. Although educated, she seems naïve. Unlike Hannie, she does not wish to reunite with her mother from whom she is estranged. Separated by a century, defined by a different race, level of maturity and background, both women inspire others to rise above their expectations.
The story includes letters written to a newspaper by freed slaves searching for the families from which they were forcibly separated. The letters were costly, about a day’s wages, but the desire to find their loved ones outweighed the cost. The letters were distributed to churches, post offices and subscribers. That part of the novel is very moving and heart rending as the newspaper was responsible for helping to unite many families. I had never heard of this effort, and it was enlightening to learn about the campaign to help these letter writers reunite with their loved ones. The letters to lost friends did exist and appeared in the Southwestern Christian Advocate for several decades, beginning in 1877 and continuing until early into the twentieth century.
I also learned about an organization I had not heard of before, the Knights of the White Camelias. They wore no disguises, but they terrorized their victims as much as the KKK. They rose out of the Reconstruction of the South in order to fight back against the radical changes in race relations. Their short lived existence created fear in the hearts of those they hated.
It is through the experiences and efforts of both women that the history is revealed, with all the trauma and fear it instilled in its victims. I appreciated learning about a historic time I had not been fully aware of, but I found the romantic part of the story to be a bit contrived. Hannie’s life felt more authentic in its tone and in its description. Benny’s life seemed a bit trite, as she made foolish decisions that seemed not to be the result of trauma or coercion, but of poor judgment. However her effort to inspire young people to appreciate their history and themselves was laudable.
The book broadly exposed the abuses of slavery, the tragic effect it had not only on the slave but on their families, into future generations, since they were sold without regard to family structure or ancestry.
The two points of view felt like two very different stories. Although they came together in the end, they did not fit together well. The author tried to leave each chapter with a cliff hanger before switching points of view. Then, when she returned to that point of view, she jumped ahead and then told what happened. It felt like this was used over and over. Despite these criticisms, I did enjoy the stories. Overall, 4 out of 5 stars.
Favored lines:
"You know, there is an old proverb that says, 'We die once when the last breath leaves our bodies. We die a second time when the last person speaks our name.' The first death is beyond our control, but the second one we can strive to prevent."
"Only place this roof needs to go's right over there." She nods toward the cemetery. "Thing's a better fit for a funeral than a prayer."
"Sad thing when stories die for the lack of listenin' ears."
"Lonely perches like a buzzard on my head. It pecks at my eyes so all I can see is a blur outside the window as the half moon blows its breath over the stars, dimming them down."
"Crystalline frosts would sugar the mornings, and the first snows might tease the tips of dying grass."
"Thunder troubles the horses and lightning cuts the sky like a hawk's gold claws ready to scoop up the world and fly off with it."
"This town is an old dog with a bad temper. We have rubbed its hair the wrong way and stirred up fleas. If allowed to return to its slumber it might let me stay, but it's made sure I know that if not, it's ready to bite."
"Sleep finally comes like a summer dry river, a trickle that's shallow and splits around rocks and downed branches and tree roots, dividing and dividing, till by morning it's the thin bead of gathered morning dew, dripping lazy off the army tent overhead."
"He's a strong man, but death has opened the door. It's for him to decide if he'll step through it soon, or at another time long in the future."
Synopsis (from author's website):
From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Before We Were Yours comes a new historical novel: the dramatic story of three young women searching for family amid the destruction of the post–Civil War South, and of a modern-day teacher who learns of their story and its vital connection to her students’ lives.
Bestselling author Lisa Wingate brings to life startling stories from actual “Lost Friends” advertisements that appeared in Southern newspapers after the Civil War, as newly freed slaves desperately searched for loved ones who had been sold away.
Louisiana, 1875: In the tumultuous era of Reconstruction, three young women set off as unwilling companions on a perilous quest: Hannie, a freed slave; Lavinia, the pampered heir to a now destitute plantation; and Juneau Jane, Lavinia’s Creole half sister. Each carries private wounds and powerful secrets as they head for Texas, following roads rife with vigilantes and soldiers still fighting a war lost a decade before. For Lavinia and Juneau Jane, the journey is one of stolen inheritance and financial desperation, but for Hannie, torn from her mother and siblings before slavery’s end, the pilgrimage west reignites an agonizing question: Could her long-lost family still be out there? Beyond the swamps lie the limitless frontiers of Texas and, improbably, hope.
Louisiana, 1987: For first-year teacher Benedetta Silva, a subsidized job at a poor rural school seems like the ticket to canceling her hefty student debt—until she lands in a tiny, out-of-step Mississippi River town. Augustine, Louisiana, is suspicious of new ideas and new people, and Benny can scarcely comprehend the lives of her poverty-stricken students. But amid the gnarled live oaks and run-down plantation homes lie the century-old history of three young women, a long-ago journey, and a hidden book that could change everything.
It is 1987 and Benedetta Silva, a thirty-something woman reeling from a failed relationship and other secrets she is afraid to confront, has just begun a job teaching English at an underserved high school in rural Louisiana. The only place she can find to rent is a dilapidated outbuilding of a once grand plantation estate that is on the edge of the town’s cemetery. In an effort to reach her disinterested, underachieving students, Benny launches a project that will force them research their own personal histories and, in the process, force an unwilling community to confront the horrible legacy of their shared past. With the aid of Nathan Gossett, heir to the plantation properties, the two unlock century-old mysteries that connect the two timelines.
In The Book of Lost Friends, Lisa Wingate does a wonderful job of weaving together the stories of these two women, who end up having a lot more in common than anyone might suspect. Told from both Hannie’s and Benny’s perspectives in alternating chapters, the novel bounces between the two stories fairly smoothly, building the suspense in each quite nicely. The only real problem I had with this literary device is that Hannie’s story was substantially more interesting and engaging than was Benny’s; in fact, the angst level in the latter went a little too far so that, by the conclusion, that whole plotline bordered on being melodramatic. Still, the author did an impressive amount of research to produce this work of historical fiction and I found it to be a pleasurable reading experience from beginning to end.
Popsugar 2020 -
Popsugar 2020 -
For the first time ever reading a book, I felt like I was in the story watching it all unfold in
The second plot of the book involves Benny Silva, who is a young first year teacher in an impoverished school. She gets her students involved in finding their ancestors - some that are in the other plot.
I must admit, I was more interested in the timeline
The present day timeline focused on a young teacher in a struggling school district in Louisiana. She is trying to find ways to interest her students in learning. When she hits upon an idea that will teach them their local and family history, the students become engaged and help come up with a way to present their stories that strikes a raw nerve with some of the people in the community.
What links the two timelines together is the Lost Friends ads that were published in the Southwestern Christian Advocate. Printed in Louisiana, from 1877-1929, the focus of the ads was to help people search for their loved ones that they became separated from during the years of slavery.
Because of these ads, people were able to preserve their family genealogy. Of course, the family secrets of many slave owners were outed through this process, which is what some folks in the community were not happy about.
I loved finding out about the Southwestern Christian Advocate because I had always wondered about those slaves that had their families torn apart. I know that not everyone was reunited, but at least some families had the opportunity to find one another. This is a very engaging story and I highly recommend it to readers who love history and historical fiction.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Ballantine Books for allowing me to read an advance copy and give my honest review.