Pride's castle

by Frank Yerby

Handsome, fiercely ambitious Pride Dawson came to New York in 1870 to battle his way up in the savage world of high finance. He thirsted for money, power, and all the elegant and willing, hot-blooded women they could buy. He hadn't reckoned on Sharon and Esther. Sharon was shy but sensual, everything Pride had ever desired in a woman, and he knew he'd never stop loving her - not even when Esther came along. Esther was a passionate heiress with a body to match her fabulous fortune, an attractive stepping-stone to success whom he married for more than money and less than love, a sensuous predator who gave him everything he wanted - and made his life a living hell.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Fiction

657 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1949

About the author

Born in Augusta, Georgia to Rufus Garvin Yerby, an African American, and Wilhelmina Smythe, who was caucasian. He graduated from Haines Normal Institute in Augusta and graduated from Paine College in 1937. Thereafter, Yerby enrolled in Fisk University where he received his Master's degree in 1938. In 1939, Yerby entered the University of Chicago to work toward his doctorate but later left the university. Yerby taught briefly at Florida A&M University and at Southern University in Baton Rouge.

Frank Yerby rose to fame as a writer of popular fiction tinged with a distinctive southern flavor. In 1946 he became the first African-American to publish a best-seller with The Foxes of Harrow. That same year he also became the first African-American to have a book purchased for screen adaptation by a Hollywood studio, when 20th Century Fox optioned Foxes. Ultimately the book became a 1947 Oscar-nominated film starring Rex Harrison and Maureen O'Hara. Yerby was originally noted for writing romance novels set in the Antebellum South. In mid-century he embarked on a series of best-selling novels ranging from the Athens of Pericles to Europe in the Dark Ages. Yerby took considerable pains in research, and often footnoted his historical novels. In all he wrote 33 novels.

Reviews

[Karina · Rating 5 out of 5]

"A right to be happy? No, Pride--not selfishly. When I--was sick, Father Shannon explained that to me. God does not guarantee anybody happiness in this life. Some of His greatest saints led miserable lives. They were poor, hungry, even tortured. You see, Pride, God has a plan--a kind of universal order that keeps things working. And all of us, even you and I, have a part in that plan. We don't always understand it. We may never know what it means. And when the things we want get in the way of that plan--well, the things we want have to go. It's so much bigger than we are, Pride--so much bigger, and more important, and more beautiful. When we realize that, we can be happy to be doing our share, even if--it does hurt--sometimes..."

"That's a hell of a thing to believe!" Pride said fiercely.

"But I believe it," she said. (PG. 170)

I highly enjoyed this historical drama. Based on my first glance at the cover I thought it would be a lame little 19th century romance where the woman is always swooning and carrying around bath salts while pining for a young rich fellow of "a good family" to notice her.... But I was wrong (kind of) and glad for it.

It was historically accurate as well. The author shares with us the story of the characters but in the background life is still happening. The corruption of men, death in the mines, children working in sweatshops, Vanderbilt spitting out "To hell with the law, hain't I got the power?" Karl Marx in London, thundering: "Workers of the world, unite! You have nothing to lose but your chains!"

"The middle years--the eighteen-seventies, 'eighties, 'nineties--were a time of moral bankruptcy when men stole millions by a stroke of the pen or by the simple expedient of printing tons of worthless paper."

"When Rutherford B. Hayes sat in the White House by the dubious virtue of an election signed, sealed and delivered by sheer fraud." (PG. 9)

The author dove into American history like a historian researching time and people. So much dark history he explored in a novel about a greedy bastard of a man. Pride Dawson was a force to be reckoned with. He wanted to be rich he was rich. He wanted a mistress and a wife he got both even if it made him and others miserable around him BUT he was not a liar or murderer. For that I couldn't decide if I admired or hated him.

The women were the typical era type (antebellum South, Gone With the Wind). Both wanted and needed Pride and would not let him go even if he was a horrible spouse because once they laid their eyes on him they were in love and suicidal. It was a bit too much for me, although I get it. Divorce was bad, being poor was looked down upon, being someone's whore was like you had leprosy etc etc.

I learned about the author along the way. He was a Georgian Black Scots-Irish Native American (Seminole) man. The odds were definitely against him in the early 20th century but he became a great writer. He eventually moved to Spain where there was less racism than America. The way he delves into history is fascinating and I will be looking for more of his books.

They go on Amazon between $500-1,500 in the US. That should say something about him. Highly recommend.

[Alonzo Church · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pride Dawson is the quintessential alpha male making his rise in that most alpha male of eras, the gilded age of the 1870s. He comes from the lower classes, so he is strong, uncouth, and he wants. Money. Power. Women. Since he is just enough unscrupulous, he gets all three, but a man called Pride is going to have a fall. It’s one of the rules of bestseller fiction. But he’s going to have a darn good time getting there. Even though he marries for money, rather than love.

Yerby is a heck of a storyteller, but whoever edited this book should have been fired. The first half of this, depicting Pride’s rise, is good old fashioned storytelling at its best, with a nice mix of physical action and the kind of plot/counterplot battle between impressive adversaries that is a hallmark of better fiction. There is romance and jealousy too. There is also a lot of social commentary, but the author keeps away from overt preaching.

The last third of the gets to be awfully scattershot, where interesting characters get introduced and shuffled off the stage so quickly that it is hard to care about the people or even to figure out what is going on. Rather spectacularly, a number of characters change their point of view radically, without much being shown on how or why that happened.

Definitely worth reading and this makes me wonder if there is a Yerby out there that transcends his bestseller format. This one narrowly misses being brilliant, in a Frank Norris, Theodore Dreiser way.

[Jersy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Historical novel in the style of books like Gone with the wind. The blurb sold me the story of how Pride makes a name for himself with letting the romance seem like a subplot, while actually the unhealthy relationships with his wife and mistress are very much in the foreground of the book. While the narrative is quite sentimental at times, the relationships can be seen as frustrating and the female roles are totally outdated, I really enjoyed it myself. The writing was nice, the historical background was fascinating and the author somehow managed to make me care for some characters. Near the ending, some aspects, like the introduction of a new character, felt kind of rushed and not that necessary, but still I mostly liked the conclusion.

[Misfit · Rating 4 out of 5]

New York, 1870. Pride Dawson and longtime friend and companion Tim McCarthy land in the big city with their grubstake ready to hit the big money like everyone else is - but then Pride manages to lose it all. Down on their luck, they meet seamstress Sharon O'Neal who gives them what little support she can provide (and it's not much). Pride loves Sharon about as much as his shallow soul is capable of love, and Sharon loves him back forever but love is not enough for Pride. He connives gets himself a job as bodyguard of wealthy tycoon Thomas Stillworth, who just happens to have a young daughter named Esther who is tired of her wealthy suitors and decides to hitch up with up and coming Pride, and that leaves faithful Sharon in the dust. Now you would think Pride would let Sharon go and move on with her life, but no, he'll have his cake and eat it too.

"Esther can't understand that-how a man can love two women at the same time. I know that if I had Sharon all the time, I wouldn't want Esther. But if there weren't any Sharon I'd love Esther with all my heart...God, it was a mess!"


What follows is quite a ride of ups and downs, fortunes won and fortunes lost, dirty dealings and plenty of heartache as Esther patiently bides her time waiting for the right moment to get her revenge for all the times Pride done her wrong. All in all I liked this a lot, despite a slower moment here and there. Definitely recommended for those interested in New York in the days of those filthy rich railroad barons.

[Elise Marion · Rating 4 out of 5]

A heartbreaking story about the price of greed. Frank Yerby's writing shines and his descriptive prose is brilliant. I found the female characters weak and insipid, but that's to be expected in this genre at the time it was written.

[John · Rating 4 out of 5]

nO PROBLEM GIVING THIS 4 STARS, From start to finish. Yes it was a sentimental tear jerker, like a long soap opera but a very well written one, wonderful characters and accurate historical events tied into story line.. I am not sure of why Frank Yerbys books were not more popular at the time of their being published, same for Frank Norris, unless it was because of their socialist leanings.

[Chrisangel · Rating 2 out of 5]

I liked the story but hated the people in it, if that makes sense. Frank Yerby could tell a good tale, but in this one, the characters just weren't likeable. Set in the late 19thc, Pride puts ambition ahead of people, and changed his mind about marrying his "true love" (if he was capable of that) Sharon for socially prominent Esther, who he has a strong attraction for, but doesn't love. Against her better judgment and moral standards, Sharon becomes Pride's mistress, later regrets it, and marries Courtney, though she doesn't love him. He knows this, but thinks he can make her happy. He doesn't. Esther, frustrated by Pride's seeming indifference (except in the sack) and love for Sharon, gets her revenge by sleeping with Joe, getting pregnant by him, and letting pride think the baby (Caprice) is his.

Years later, Courtney's dead, and widowed Sharon has a daughter, Letty. Caprice falls for an older guy, Lance, who's also involved with Letty. (History repeats itself.) Pride loses his fortune, Esther has money of her own but refuses to help him, then really sticks the knife in by telling him the truth about Caprice, who he's adored all these years. Pride kills himself, Caprice (who overheard her mother) turns against Esther and breaks her engagement to Lance, and everyone's a real Debbie Downer.

Is it any wonder I don't like these people?

[Robert Hudder · Rating 2 out of 5]

Tbis is a romance in the same style as Dallas the tv show. There is greed, money, deceit, innocence, intergenerational trauma, bad dealings. It is a soap opera of a book. I haven't read anything like this in so long I had forgotten the bad boys and the good women who become sullied.

As a reader, I didn't love it. Even if there is some possibility that the bad deeds don't go unpunished, you know that there is wreckage left in the wake.

The writing is okay but it moves so quickly. Every now and then there is a pause where we get some type of moral summation and then it rolls on again without giving any time to digest. It is of its time.

[Joel · Rating 2 out of 5]

Some of the writing is OK but basically its like an early 19th century romance novel full of awkward dialogue and strange exchanges. Don't bother.

[Lynette Lark · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this author! He writes a great story because he has done a mountain of research. There were no computers in his day.

[YOLANDA MOUZO]

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[Teryl · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this book as a teenager and I still remember it clearly mainly because I found the protaganist so fascinating as well as the character Lilith. To me it was a book about judgement and aspiration. He loved one woman, Sharon, and married another, Esther, because he believed she would bring him the social acceptance he craved. He created so much unhappiness not least his own.

[Ruth · Rating 2 out of 5]

c1949. Who would have believed that this was written way back in the day. I certainly was not aware of it when I read it. A more chilling tale of ambition and love than normal. And the ending.....! Some of the modern day bankers may like to take a look at this one. "“And none of them could know how many were the tears of shame, and how few the tears of grief.”

[Steffi · Rating 3 out of 5]

Spannendes, teilwesie etwas schwülstiges Buch, das ich vor allem gelesen habe, weil es in New York spielt.

[Ann Adams · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'm sure this would have been considered lewd in 1949.

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Love and greed.