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Gloryland: A Novel (2009)

by Shelton Johnson(Favorite Author)

3.99 of 5 Votes: 4

ISBN

1578051444 (ISBN13: 9781578051441)

languge

English

genre

Historical Fiction

publisher

Counterpoint

review 1: A good read for an author's first novel. I enjoyed how Johnson weaved history into his story, so well that the main character could well have been a real person. The story covers a lot of ground from Emancipation Day to the founding of Yosemite National Park in California. Although the story dragged on in a few spots, I found the book to be a pleasurable read. As a history fan and a National Park fan, I was very excited by the storyline. I look forward to reading more by this author in the future.SIDE-NOTES: #1. I was quite impressed with the author, who appeared in the Ken Burns' documentary 'The National Parks: America's Best Idea' (a great film if you haven't seen it). #2. Cassie and I were fortunate enough to actually meet Mr. Johnson last summer (2011) in Yosemite Nat... moreional Park, where he is currently a park ranger. #3. When I purchased his novel in the NP gift shop, it turned out to be an autographed copy! #4. Don't ask my wife about the meeting with him because she will tell you I was stupidly giddy like a little school girl. True story.
review 2: I knew Shelton Johnson as one of the memorable National Park Rangers in Ken Burns' most recent documentary series. This books is roughly based on the life of his great-grandfather who was a buffalo soldier and one of those who patrolled Yosemite NP around the turn of the century to protect it from poachers, loggers, miners, etc.A young black man struggling with his sense of identity in Reconstruction Era South Carolina, leaves on foot and eventually joins the US Cavalry in Nebraska. Continued struggles with identity as he is sent first to pacify the Indians and then the Filipinos; eventually finds himself in the wonders of Yosemite.I wanted to enjoy this book more, but it felt just too self-consciously literate. A mix of some of my least favorite narrative devices, including numerous uses of dreams as a tool for describing the protagonist's subconscious motivations (HATE that).The Yosemite portion was of course my favorite part, but that was little more than 1/4 of the book. less

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