Rate this book

Tom Dooley (2011)

by Sharyn McCrumb(Favorite Author)

3.55 of 5 Votes: 1

ISBN

1441867767 (ISBN13: 9781441867766)

languge

English

genre

Romance

publisher

Brilliance Audio

series

Ballad

review 1: THE BALLAD OF TOM DOOLEY BY Sharyn McCrumb is the story behind the story of legend Tom Dula (locals pronounce Dooley, like opera in Grand Old Opry). Dula was convicted of the murder of local girl, Laura Foster, his supposed sweetheart, and hanged. The story takes place in the Appalachian mountains of North Carolina in 1866. The story is told from two points of view, that of Pauline Foster and Zebulon Vance. Young, plain faced, Pauline Foster finds herself a victim of the war. She has no prospects for marriage since most eligible men have gone to war and not returned. To survive, she sold her "favors" for scraps of food or for a piece of cloth. As a result of her "dalliances", Pauline has contracted "the pox". She is angry and sees herself as an undeserving victim. Unable t... moreo find suitable medical care in the mountain town where she lives, she travels on foot some 40 miles to the town of a good doctor. It also happens to be the town where some of her kin reside and where she will be able to stay while she receives care. Enter, Ann Melton, Pauline's cousin, and her husband James. They agree to hire Ann as a servant for 11 cents a day. She will have a place to stay and be able to pay for medical treatment of her disease. Living quarters are small, impoverished, and the work is hard. Emotionally disturbed Pauline comes to resent Ann's beauty and lazy ways and eventually finds a way to get even. A year after the Civil War ends, 1866, Confederate soldier Tom Dula returns to his childhood home and resumes his romantic affair with the beautiful, but married, Ann Foster. Tom is perceived as a womanizer, lazy, and not much of a prospect. Young and reckless, his attentions are not limited to just Ann. He has been seen in the company of another cousin, Laura Foster. Pauline takes this opportunity to spur on the jealousy of Ann and orchestrates the downfall of Laura, Ann and Tom. As events unfold, Laura is murdered. Public pressure for justice is high. Tom is suspect, arrested, tried and hanged. The story actually begins with the narration of Zebulon Vance, Tom's defense attorney, 20 years after the event. Talking retrospectively, he sets the scene, provides insight, tries to make sense of it all. I loved this book which was even more enjoyable on audiobook with the benefit of the slow, southern drawl, and local vernacular of the time. I have read some reviews which criticize the author for redundancy, especially where Ann's beauty is concerned. Let's not forget one of the points of view is the antagonist, Pauline, who is most definitely sociopathic, if not psychopathic. Perseveration of thought is one hallmark of mental disorder and it is this repetition that fuels Pauline's misplaced retribution. I find it hard to believe that this was not the intention of seasoned author Sharyn McCrumb. Some reviewer's feel that the interjection of Zebulon Vance's point of view was unnecessary-that he was not integral to the telling of the story. I disagree. Through his story, we learn about some details of the war, class difference, and judicial system of the time. It is easy to draw conclusions as to Tom Dula's innocence or guilt through Pauline's story. The conclusion, that he was most likely innocent of this murder, is somewhat validated by the rendition and conclusions of gentleman, lawyer and ex-Govenor Vance-the other class. A few reviewers found fault with the novel because characters were not likeable. I feel the reader was not meant to like them. After all, this is an unsolved murder mystery with much speculation as to the guilty party. There were enough who had motive. Liking one character over the other would have resulted in elimination of someone as a suspect. All in all, I loved every minute. I thought the book was well written. There aren't long winded descriptions. McCrumb's word choice and turn of phase are succinct and deliver. I loved to hate Pauline and Ann. I felt sympathy for Tom. Shiftless and reckless as he was, he was honest, a victim of the times, and proved, in the end, to be self-sacrificing. I felt gratification that there was reason to believe Pauline and Ann got what was coming to them in the end. I highly recommend and will read more of Sharyn McCrumb.
review 2: In May 1866, a young girl disappeared from her community in Wilkes County, North Carolina. Laura Foster was on her way to meet someone so they could run away together. Was that someone Tom Dooley, the subject of the song “Hang Down Your Head, Tom Dooley” or was it someone else? Author Sharyn McCrumb visited the actual sites and read the ensuing trial transcripts and historical records of the case and came up with a twist on the original story. See if you can put this one down!Recommended by Dianna, Four Fathers Memorial Library, Amherst less

Download links for: Tom Dooley

Advertising