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The Land (2003)

The Land (2003)

Book Info

Genre
Series
Rating
4.1 of 5 Votes: 5
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ISBN
0142501468 (ISBN13: 9780142501467)
Language
English
Publisher
speak

About book The Land (2003)

This is a Coretta Scott Kind award winning book, (and in my opinion deserved it!) Please note like in the beginning of this book Ms Taylor writes: "...Although there are those who wish to ban my books because I have used language that is painful, I have chosen to use the language that was spoken during the period, for I refuse to whitewash history. The language was painful and life was painful for many Africian Americans, including my family." So if your teenage child is reading this it may allow you to open up discussion to things (s)he may never have had to encounter in our society today (as far as the language). But she writes true to her words, if she had changed the language then the book wouldn't have been as Historically OR family accurate to be as good as it was!This is such a wonderful true story. Ms Taylor takes the stories she has grown up listening to from her grandparents and uncles-aunts and takes the story of her great grandpa AND her great grandma and combine them for this story! Knowing that made it even more wonderful. This is book 1 of this series of books. There are 8 books in this 'Logan' series which many people don't realize since book #4 apparently was Ms Taylor's first book she wrote for this series. Since it won awards and she had so much more history to write she took off with it and make it into a series. Some of the books are 'novels' (like this one) and others are smaller 50 page 'children's' books (looks like labeled for ages 7-11 according to Amazon) but as an adult I loved this book and am looking forward to continuing reading this series. Now with that being said... I am white and I nor any of my family have ever had to deal with what 'freed' slaves or a child from a mixed family has had to deal with. In reading this within the first few chapters my heart went out because the same emotions that was written within this book the first few years after the Civil War is the same emotions that one of my friends is dealing with with her mixed race granddaughter in today's society. I couldn't believe that these emotions are still the same today! WOW! Also just like today a child grown into an adult wants something for themselves...to make a life for themselves. The main character in this book does everything and anything to save himself (often times his life at stake) and later a 'friend' that as a child they fought but only to have their friendship grow into 'brothers' they survive together and make a life for one another. Being there for one another when they needed each other adding in 'friends' along the way during a time when you never knew who you could trust or not. Being men they went through a lot and had to fight their emotions when they were treated as 'boys' from white men being called names and being in situations that they didn't like but couldn't do anything about it because their lives were at risk. Working so very hard to get land they wanted, through weather and illness only to not see their dreams come true...or do they? And along the way they meet a woman that has the same determination as the men. WONDERFUL story!

The Land is not merely entertainment, but enlightenment. I can’t believe I’ve never read it, but I’m glad I did. Out of the dozens upon dozens of fiction books I’ve read, this one has impacted me the most. Perhaps I am just employing hyperbole, but hear me out:In a quest to buy his own land, the main character, Paul Logan, experiences incredible pain and miracles. He was born in the Deep South immediately after the Civil War, and his greatest struggle arises from his colored skin. Even though his father is white, his mother is colored and he’s treated as such.First of all, the book’s themes of hard work and discipline put me to shame; I consider myself diligent, but I can’t hold a candle to Paul and his best friend Mitchell—at one point, they work 14-hour days, seven days a week, to accomplish their goal.And just as profound, we see the extent of racial discrimination and injustice as all this hard work goes to waste because of a white man’s shameless breach of contract. I have grown up in an age where the color of one’s skin truly matters naught to me (beyond hinting at heritage) so it’s shocking to see that just over a hundred years ago there was such a disparity between white and black human beings.This book illustrated to me the need for a Civil Rights Movement—the need to reform the way we think about people; I’m glad because, for all it’s defects, today our society embraces and respects diversity.There is much to respect in the way Paul conducts matters of business and keeps himself from being indebted to anyone, even his own father. It could come off as arrogant or too independent, and often does in his dealings with white men or "betters," but, again, I respect that.Furthermore, the author describes her struggles in trying to own land, and most of the plot is based on the real-life history of her great-grandfather. I guess you just can’t make this stuff up.I highly recommend this book to everyone of my generation and generations to come.

Do You like book The Land (2003)?

I think prequels are a little harder to get into than sequels b/c you don't know the characters as well but it was nice to get a picture of the obsession for land that Cassie's parents are always talking about in Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry. They always talk about how important it is to them and it is in this book that you can really see why because of how hard Paul, Mitchell, and Caroline work for it. Not to mention the fact that it was unheard of for coloreds to own land at that point. It was interesting b/c I felt like I really understood Paul's need for land and a place of his own as we just got our own place. I am still amazed by how inhumane our society was with slavery and the inequality following. It is crazy how long it took to remove that. I mean there are still people today who are racist and I know my dad grew up with segregation so it is still not gone from our society. It is probably something we will always deal with because it existed in the first place. The only thing about this book I didn't like and why I only gave it 4 stars instead of 5 was that some of the characters and parts of it seemed forced like when his sister sent the money so he could get the land. I mean I was happy for him to get what he so yearned for but just certain parts of the book seemed a little cliche maybe. I knew something was going to happen to Mitchell because it was part of his character but I thought the killing of the horse was a low blow. I was really sad at that part. Overall it was a pretty good read. I love historical fiction and want to finish the rest of this series.
—Lindsay

I am not exaggerating when I say this is one of the greatest books ever! The Land is about an African American boy named Paul Edward Logan, who lives on his white fathers plantation. Paul lives in the time of racism, slaves, and disrespect of black men and women. Even his very own father treats him differently than Pauls white brothers he cannot eat at the table when there are guests. Nor can he talk to white men the way they treat him. Paul begins to realize the truth of it all. However, he does not give up his dream to own his own land. He does not lose faith, even when his father denies him an opportunity to race a horse for cash. Denial only pushes him to accept the offer, but the owner of the horse refuses to pay him his winnings. Mitchell, his personal bodyguard, decides to take matters into his own hands and makes them running for their lives. The Land takes the readers on a journey of Pauls determination, hard work, and his daring and desperate decisions.One reason I absolutely love this book is because of the plot! The way Paul and African Americans are treated helps me understand what it was like for people, like Paul during the 1800s. This book helps me realize how hard it was back then to treat others respectfully while they mistreat you, to try to be quiet when a white man was speaking! For example, in the book, Paul is not allowed to hit his brother when he has done something wrong because he is white. It makes me think about how unfair it was a century ago. People were treated unjust because of the color of their skin! I now appreciate my life much, much more, knowing how many lifestyles used to be.In addition to this, I love the suspense! There is always something exciting happening from the horse race to the fights where Mitchell, Pauls bodyguard protects him. What makes this book so fascinating is the fact that there is always something incredible, simply amazing happening. This makes me want to read more! Not only is it entertaining, but also this book raises many intriguing questions. For example, what is going to happen to Paul, what dramatic decision will he make now, and how is Pauls father going to react to this chaos? As you can tell, many questions arise. This is one great aspect of The Land.I recommend this book to readers who enjoy books based on history something that actually happened. The Land is based on true facts how people were considered, how lifestyles were for African Americans, and how there were many unjust, unfair laws. This book has a wonderful plot, which is not only entertaining, but also educational. You would have to read it yourself!I can understand why this book won the Coretta Scott King Award!
—Saba

The LandMidred D. Taylor375 pgs.Have you ever suffered from identity crisis? Have you ever thought am I to call myself black or am I to call myself white? Have you ever let society choose your ethnicity for you? In the land Paul-Edward Logan faced all of these questions. Paul suffered from identity crisis all throughout his childhood. His mother was a former slave and black and his father was the owner of the planation, the master to the slaves and white. Paul himself was born into slavery and he was a slave until after the American Civil war. Paul childhood was a very big question that he could never answer; am I black or am I white? Society choose him as black. But he didn't want to believe that because he lived a white life that his three white brothers lived. He was taught how to read, wirte and figure by his father and his brothers. He was well clothed. He knew how to ride horses really well and tame them too. Paul was very gifted.. But it wasn;t until three occassions in his life that paul realized that he was black and no matter how white he looked, society and even his family is going to look at him as a black person. He realized that he wasn't going to get the same priviledged as white people got.It wasn't until the last occassion in Paul's life, that paul thought to himself its time to change my life, and live it as a black man. Paul put all of his childhood memories behind him except for those that taught his him life long lessons. And he went on to survive with only his skills with and his friend Mitchell.I could go in more detail but I don't want to give away details. This book is very detailed and well written and the detail allowed me to put myself in Paul's shoes and experience all that he did. At times I got mad with Paul, I got sad with Paul, I even got happy with Paul. And being allowed to do that just made this book even better. I recommend this book to those who needs a good read that doesn't only entertain you but teaches you lessons as you read.
—Destiny

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