The Garies and Their Friends - Paperback
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The Garies and Their Friends (1857) is a novel by Frank J. Webb. Published at the height of the abolitionist movement, Webb's novel was only the second in history by an African American writer. Although it is his only novel, The Garies and Their Friends is a testament to Webb's skills as a writer and political thinker, a man who explored themes of racial passing and Northern racism decades before such topics were common in African American literature. Although his novel was relatively unpopular-perhaps due to his refusal to sentimentalize both Northern white and free Black communities-it gained scholarly attention and critical acclaim in the latter half of the twentieth century, and has since been recognized as a significant work of African American fiction. Clarence Garie, a white planter from Georgia, and his common-law wife Emily, raise their two children together with the acceptance of a Southern community accustomed to such relationships between masters and slaves. Fearing what should happen to her and her children if Clarence were to die, Emily persuades her husband to move their family to Philadelphia, where they hope to be accepted by the city's well-established community of free African Americans. When they get there, however, they encounter prejudice from their neighbors as well as the growing Irish immigrant population. Together with their friends the Ellises, the Garie family becomes the target of vicious attacks by George Stevens, a bigoted attorney looking to incite a race riot in the city. Soon, tragedy strikes, exposing the deep-rooted divides of a nation only a few years away from civil war. With a beautifully designed cover and professionally typeset manuscript, this edition of Frank J. Webb's The Garies and Their Friends is a classic work of African American literature reimagined for modern readers.
Jack London (1876-1916) was an American novelist and journalist. Born in San Francisco to Florence Wellman, a spiritualist, and William Chaney, an astrologer, London was raised by his mother and her husband, John London, in Oakland. An intelligent boy, Jack went on to study at the University of California, Berkeley before leaving school to join the Klondike Gold Rush. His experiences in the Klondike--hard labor, life in a hostile environment, and bouts of scurvy--both shaped his sociopolitical outlook and served as powerful material for such works as "To Build a Fire" (1902), The Call of the Wild (1903), and White Fang (1906). When he returned to Oakland, London embarked on a career as a professional writer, finding success with novels and short fiction. In 1904, London worked as a war correspondent covering the Russo-Japanese War and was arrested several times by Japanese authorities. Upon returning to California, he joined the famous Bohemian Club, befriending such members as Ambrose Bierce and John Muir. London married Charmian Kittredge in 1905, the same year he purchased the thousand-acre Beauty Ranch in Sonoma County, California. London, who suffered from numerous illnesses throughout his life, died on his ranch at the age of 40. A lifelong advocate for socialism and animal rights, London is recognized as a pioneer of science fiction and an important figure in twentieth century American literature.
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The Garies and Their Friends (1857) is a novel by Frank J. Webb. Published at the height of the abolitionist movement, Webb's novel was only the second in history by an African American writer. Although it is his only novel, The Garies and Their Friends is a testament to Webb's skills as a writer and political thinker, a man who explored themes of racial passing and Northern racism decades before such topics were common in African American literature. Although his novel was relatively unpopular-perhaps due to his refusal to sentimentalize both Northern white and free Black communities-it gained scholarly attention and critical acclaim in the latter half of the twentieth century, and has since been recognized as a significant work of African American fiction. Clarence Garie, a white planter from Georgia, and his common-law wife Emily, raise their two children together with the acceptance of a Southern community accustomed to such relationships between masters and slaves. Fearing what should happen to her and her children if Clarence were to die, Emily persuades her husband to move their family to Philadelphia, where they hope to be accepted by the city's well-established community of free African Americans. When they get there, however, they encounter prejudice from their neighbors as well as the growing Irish immigrant population. Together with their friends the Ellises, the Garie family becomes the target of vicious attacks by George Stevens, a bigoted attorney looking to incite a race riot in the city. Soon, tragedy strikes, exposing the deep-rooted divides of a nation only a few years away from civil war. With a beautifully designed cover and professionally typeset manuscript, this edition of Frank J. Webb's The Garies and Their Friends is a classic work of African American literature reimagined for modern readers.
Jack London (1876-1916) was an American novelist and journalist. Born in San Francisco to Florence Wellman, a spiritualist, and William Chaney, an astrologer, London was raised by his mother and her husband, John London, in Oakland. An intelligent boy, Jack went on to study at the University of California, Berkeley before leaving school to join the Klondike Gold Rush. His experiences in the Klondike--hard labor, life in a hostile environment, and bouts of scurvy--both shaped his sociopolitical outlook and served as powerful material for such works as "To Build a Fire" (1902), The Call of the Wild (1903), and White Fang (1906). When he returned to Oakland, London embarked on a career as a professional writer, finding success with novels and short fiction. In 1904, London worked as a war correspondent covering the Russo-Japanese War and was arrested several times by Japanese authorities. Upon returning to California, he joined the famous Bohemian Club, befriending such members as Ambrose Bierce and John Muir. London married Charmian Kittredge in 1905, the same year he purchased the thousand-acre Beauty Ranch in Sonoma County, California. London, who suffered from numerous illnesses throughout his life, died on his ranch at the age of 40. A lifelong advocate for socialism and animal rights, London is recognized as a pioneer of science fiction and an important figure in twentieth century American literature.
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