Fastened to the Marsh: A Savannah Saga

By Jan Durham and Jan Durham

The story traces a family s legacy from arrival of an 18th century indentured servant to the begrudging return of her last legitimate descendant in the 21st century. Through flashbacks the reader is... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0972422471
• ISBN13: 9780972422475
• Release Date: May 2008
• Publisher: Bonaventture Books
• Length: 245 Pages
• Weight: 0.80 lbs.

Customer Reviews

Thoroughly Enjoyable Historical Fiction Saga

I have recently become interested in historical fiction again, after quite a dry spell, and Jan Durham's book is a historical fiction lover's delight. Fastened to the Marsh reminds me of John Jakes' works, with its richly woven tapestry of southern history (especially that of Georgia, my home state) but less voluminous and with more emphasis on interfamilial relationships and spiritual matters. Marsh does not offer up as many characters as a typical Jakes tome, but the characters Ms. Durham does create come vividly to life and draw the reader instantly into the story. Ms. Durham starts her book in the present day and treats the reader to flashbacks throughout that not only explain Savannah history but help to move the present day story along. No parts of the story are cliche or even predictable. Ms. Durham avoids causing Marsh to sound like cut and dried history which can cause me to close the book. Instead, she creates a story that played like a vivid film in my mind. Fastened to the Marsh also has the distinct honor of highlighting the women through the generations. If you've read about history or taken history classes, you know about the men that fought in the wars, that built the plantation houses, that farmed the lands and oversaw the families. Ms. Durham, while including the men in the story, makes her tale center around the importance of the women, showcasing their strength and tenacity as well as their caregiving and homemaking and thus, gives them a proper place in history. My mother suggested I read this book and I'm glad she did. Fastened to the Marsh drew me in quickly and didn't let go until I had read the entire history of the original Elizabeth and her descendants. Fastened to the Marsh isn't a huge production of a sweeping saga but rather a more intimate portrait of a family through the ages. Here is hoping that Ms. Durham gifts us with a sequel to this lovely story. If you enjoy historical fiction, particularly early American history, with a dash of romance and adventure, and with living, breathing characters, Fastened to the Marsh is for you. For the discerning reader, there is no objectionable language, no descriptive sex or violence. I highly recommend it. Fastened to the Marsh would also be a wonderful choice for a book club.

Historical Fiction

This book takes the reader on a fascinating journey through the history of one family. Historical figures make an interesting appearance as characters in this book also. Readers familiar with Georgia will appreciate this book especially. The book has deep and harsh moments bracketed by tender periods.