Product Description

A heartbreaking and compelling story of a family's experiences of slavery and the American Civil War. 

From Sam Tademy, the son of a runaway slave, and his fiercely strong wife Polly, to the father and son who witness unspeakable crimes, this is a story in which courage and hope do battle with almost unendurable suffering; where real lives collide with history.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #84885 in Books
• Published on: 2007-07-12
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 448 pages

About the Author

Lalita Tademy's first novel, CANE RIVER, was chosen by Oprah Winfrey for her summer book pick, and became a New York Times bestseller for seventeen weeks. She lives and writes in Menlo Park, California.

Customer Reviews

Captivating
After reading Cane River some years ago, I have frequently looked out for more novels by Lalita Tademy... and although years have passed, it's been well worth the wait.
Whereas Cane River was based upon Tademy's maternal family history, Red River is based upon her father's family history.
Once more the author manages to bring her own ancestry to life in this haunting and capitaving tale.
The scene is set in a post-civil war USA where slavery had ended, but the promises of a land, freedom, and the right to vote have not been met.
The blacks residents of Colfax, Louisiana, decide to take matters into their own hands and attempt to regain control of their town from the former confederacy. However, this soon becomes one of the most pivotal, violent episodes in the racial history of America, as a day-long bloody battle ensues.
The Tademy family must learn to live with the repercussions of that one deadly day, and must rebuild life.

This is a real page-turner.