The Scarlett Letters

September 15, 2014

Seventy-eight years after the book was written and 75 years after the film premiered, Gone with the Wind retains its prominence in American popular culture. First-time novelist Margaret Mitchell was surprised by her incredible success and yet determined not to be involved with the production of the film adaptation of her book. Drawn into the web almost against her will, Mitchell soon learned more than she wanted to about the filmmaking process and the loss of privacy that comes with such a landmark success. Wiley (Margaret Mitchell's Gone with the Wind) offers a behind-the-scenes look at the makings of a Hollywood legend from its inception in this title that takes the reader on the journey with Mitchell via the letters she wrote during the years 1936-49 and includes correspondence with both those who were famous and those who are unknown. VERDICT While narrow in its focus, this book will appeal to both film historians and scholars of Southern literature, readers who adore Mitchell's novel and David O. Selznick's film, and anyone looking for a peek inside the mind of a creative, private, and charming writer.--Teri Shiel, Univ. of Connecticut Health Ctr. Lib., Farmington

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