| Synopsis: |
When The Grandissimes was first published in 1880, the book was criticised for its portrayal of forbidden love and the clash of cultures during the Reconstruction. Since then, the novel has been considered a masterful critique of racial and social inequality that resonates with readers even today. Cable's work has been compared to that of writers as varied as Balzac, John Kennedy Toole, and Henry James. One of the greatest and most celebrated southern writers of his day, George Washington Cable (1844-1925) helped to lead the local colourist movement of the late 1800s with his pioneering use of dialect and his skill with the short story form. A southern reformist, Cable wrote faithful portrayals of Creoles and their culture that depict the Creole way of life during the transitory post-Civil War period. This novel is the first realistic portrayal of the clash of Creole culture with the new Americans. It is perhaps his greatest work. |