The Golden Christmas

by William Gilmore Simms

Book Overview

A holiday romance, rich in historical particulars, from South Carolina's foremost writer

Rife with historical details and peppered with comic characters, The Golden Christmas remains a timeless tale of South Carolina's rich holiday heritage. Originally published in 1852, William Gilmore Simms's classic lowcountry romance chronicles the social customs and Christmas traditions of an antebellum plantation near Charleston.

Drawing...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1570036128
• ISBN13: 9781570036125
• Release Date: August 2005
• Publisher: University of South Carolina Press
• Length: 192 Pages
• Weight: 0.70 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.5" x 6.0" x 9.0"

Customer Reviews

A Delightful Golden Christmas

William Gilmore Simms published The Golden Christmas, A Chronicle of St. John's Berkley in 1852. It is a treasure for anyone interested in antebellum Southern history and mid-nineteenth century mores and manners among the genteel class of planters who resided in Mr. Simms' native Berkley County in South Carolina. It vividly details Charleston and the Carolina Low Country plantation life of that period set against the backdrop of the Christmas season. This tale of romance and family intrigue is narrated by one of the principal characters in a gentle humorous style. The story flows easily and the plot twists and scenes move like a Shakespearean light comedy set within Jane Austen style vignettes. There are some wonderful portrayals of holiday pursuits and pastimes: a boar hunt in which the hunters take on the personae of Sir Walter Scott-like romanticized knights is rendered in graphic and chilling detail. The arrival of Father Chrystmas and Yuletide customs unique to Southern society - inclusive of the unveiling of the decorated tree in the parlor, a custom newly introduced from Europe at the time of the book's publication- is a magical moment for characters and readers alike. We are treated to feasts and dances, fashion and courting customs rendered in delightful colloquial language and descriptions of the place and period. There are also some fascinating glimpses into Christmas celebrations among the servants and slaves of the plantation. Mr. David Aiken provides a marvelous introduction with much historical detail and background in the book's preface whetting the reader's appetite for the tale that follows. One of my favorite books is Swallow Barn or a Sojourn in the Old Dominion about life in antebellum Virginia by John Pendleton Kennedy who was a contemporary of Mr. Simms. I found The Golden Christmas comparable in many respects to Swallow Barn and quite fell in love with Mr. Simms' charming story.

Golden Christmas is a Delight!

Charleston, South Carolina is my 'Soul City'. I have loved this place since I was stationed there in the Navy 40 years ago. 'The Golden Christmas' brings to life the culture and people who lived lived in Charleston and its environs prior to the War Between The States. I enjoyed the humor, wonderful descriptions, and sense of southern gentility that the author shares in this book. For anyone who loves history and especially southern history, this book will be a joy to read!

A Golden Time

Lou Towles's THE PALMERS OF SANTEE publishes a collection of letters that originate in the time and place of Simms's novel of manners. They prove with priimary sources the accuracy of Simms's portrayal here. That this civilised world was invaded and destroyed with malice a decade later makes the loss a tragedy indeed. No longer will the historian be able to see these folks as "monsters" deserving of invasion and the terrorism that accompanied it. For that, see Aiken's other newly published edition A CITY LAID WASTE.