The Children of Pride

The Children of Pride is a collection of letters from a wealthy Georgia plantation family spanning the years 1854-1868. The correspondence centers on the Jones family of Liberty County, particularly Reverend Charles Colcock Jones, his wife Mary, and their children. The letters document daily life, social customs, religious practices, and the management of rice plantations in antebellum Georgia. As the Civil War begins and progresses, the family's communications reveal their experiences, beliefs, and struggles during this pivotal period of American history. The epistolary format presents multiple perspectives on relationships between masters and enslaved people, the Confederate cause, and the transformations wrought by war. The complete collection contains over 6,000 letters, with Myers selecting and arranging the most significant pieces to create a cohesive narrative. Through these personal writings, broader themes emerge about Southern identity, religious faith, class structure, and the complex moral questions surrounding slavery and war. The collected letters serve as both historical record and intimate family portrait of the American South during its most turbulent era.

Readers consistently note the book provides intimate insight into an elite Southern family through their letters during the Civil War period. The collection lets readers experience events through firsthand accounts rather than historical analysis. Likes: - Detailed documentation of daily plantation life - Raw, unfiltered perspectives on slavery and the war - Multiple viewpoints from different family members - Quality of the letter writing and personal expression Dislikes: - Length (1,800 pages) can be overwhelming - Price of the complete edition ($125+) - Some readers found the content repetitive - Limited perspective from only wealthy white plantation owners Ratings: Goodreads: 4.0/5 (21 ratings) Amazon: 4.5/5 (8 reviews) Reader Quote: "These letters transport you into the mind of the antebellum South - both fascinating and disturbing to experience their worldview firsthand." - Goodreads reviewer Many readers recommend the abridged version for casual readers while praising the complete edition for serious researchers.

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🔹 The book consists of letters from a wealthy Georgia plantation family spanning 1854-1868, providing a rare first-hand account of the Civil War era from the Confederate perspective. 🔹 Robert Manson Myers spent 15 years collecting and editing over 1,200 letters for this work, creating what became the largest published collection of family letters from the Civil War period. 🔹 The Liberty County, Georgia family featured in the letters, the Reverend Charles Colcock Jones and his children, owned several plantations and approximately 100 enslaved people. 🔹 Despite being a slave owner, Rev. Jones was known as the "Apostle to the Negro Slaves" for his missionary work among enslaved people, teaching them Christianity while simultaneously supporting the institution of slavery. 🔹 The book won the 1973 National Book Award for History and received widespread acclaim for its intimate portrayal of Southern plantation life and its complex social dynamics.