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Adelicia: Grace, Grit and Gumption
ADELICIA Grace, Grit and Gumption is not a biography, but an historical fiction based on Adelicia's life and historical events of the time. Twenty-one, self willed and ambitious, Adelicia steps into the Nashville of 1838, as it is making its transition from frontier town to enterprising city. After her first husband's death, she arguably becomes the wealthiest woman in America. However, her wealth offers little protections against the sufferings of the human heart, and Adelicia has her share. She endures the premature deaths of her fist two husbands and the deaths of six of her ten children.
Structurally, Adelicia's story unfolds in five parts, revealing the most legendary aspects of her
Part I (1838-1846), recounts the drama of the young woman in her twenties, her marriage to Isaac Franklin, his death, the losses of three of her four children, and the unprecedented contesting of Isaac's will, from the Supreme Court in Tennessee to the Supreme Court in Louisiana.
Part II (1847-1863) hurls the reader full force into the maturing business woman in her early thirties and forties, her marriage to Joseph Acklen, receiving her inheritance from Franklin, the deaths of three more children, the onset of the Civil War and Acklen's death.
Part III (1863-1864) presents Adelicia as a mature main-chancer, traveling through battlefields with a mule and wagon, befriending the influential of both North and South, and daringly shipping her cotton crop from New Orleans war-time port to England, taking payment in gold.
Part IV (1864) finds Adelicia returning to a war-torn Nashville, shockingly discovering that Union General Thomas Wood is occupying Belle Monte.
Part V (1864-1867) introduces the dismayed, yet, undaunted heroine traveling to Europe, where in Paris, she is hosted by the Countess Eugenie and Napoleon III. After continuing her Post-war tour, she returns to Nashville, rebuilding and establishing herself as doyenne of a city that is both repelled and mesmerized by her.
Adelicia's universal and timeless appeal is driven by the enthralling adventures of the compelling heroine, and the numerous sub-plots that keep both dialogue and narrative active.
Much of the Civil War material, is taken from depositions and logs of both Union and Confederate forces.
Structurally, Adelicia's story unfolds in five parts, revealing the most legendary aspects of her
Part I (1838-1846), recounts the drama of the young woman in her twenties, her marriage to Isaac Franklin, his death, the losses of three of her four children, and the unprecedented contesting of Isaac's will, from the Supreme Court in Tennessee to the Supreme Court in Louisiana.
Part II (1847-1863) hurls the reader full force into the maturing business woman in her early thirties and forties, her marriage to Joseph Acklen, receiving her inheritance from Franklin, the deaths of three more children, the onset of the Civil War and Acklen's death.
Part III (1863-1864) presents Adelicia as a mature main-chancer, traveling through battlefields with a mule and wagon, befriending the influential of both North and South, and daringly shipping her cotton crop from New Orleans war-time port to England, taking payment in gold.
Part IV (1864) finds Adelicia returning to a war-torn Nashville, shockingly discovering that Union General Thomas Wood is occupying Belle Monte.
Part V (1864-1867) introduces the dismayed, yet, undaunted heroine traveling to Europe, where in Paris, she is hosted by the Countess Eugenie and Napoleon III. After continuing her Post-war tour, she returns to Nashville, rebuilding and establishing herself as doyenne of a city that is both repelled and mesmerized by her.
Adelicia's universal and timeless appeal is driven by the enthralling adventures of the compelling heroine, and the numerous sub-plots that keep both dialogue and narrative active.
Much of the Civil War material, is taken from depositions and logs of both Union and Confederate forces.
600 pages, Kindle Edition
Published March 1, 2018
10 people are currently reading
37 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
May 25, 2019
As the author tells it in a most Southern manner, she first heard of her title character when 16, as her high school dean spun tales of this 19th century Nashville legend: “She married once for money, once for love and once for fame.” From that moment on, Blaylock knew she’d write Adelicia’s story and write it she has in cinematic prose that kidnaps you for rapturous hours and begs for a big screen translation.
ADELICIA, a novelized bio, brings fully to mind the South’s most famous saga, the one that saved me in college, too depressed to get my tush out of my dorm room to catch the shuttle for music theory class.
Those grey grey skies that winter in Columbus, Ohio, transformed into a Southern plantation, where the most gorgeous belle in the world was surrounded by a mess of admiring beaux. Fiddle-dee-dee, was I transfixed!
Well, let me tell you how equally transfixed I am by ADELICIA, who reminds me too of Jennie Churchill, so stunning she’d walk into a room where all eyes, male and female both, followed her. Whose brilliance and spirit led her to an unconventional life of her own making, a trail blazer, a once in a lifetime shooting star.
Blaylock was clearly born to write ADELICIA, whose persona leaps off these pages, so vividly you can hear the rustle of her skirts, see the fierce intelligence in her eyes, hear the Dixie loooooooong vowels in her voice, feel her heart beat as she falls thrice in love, becomes the wealthiest woman in America, loses two husbands and six of her ten children prematurely, with the blazing Civil War and Napolean III’s inviting Paris as backdrop.
Yes, ADELICIA is a hefty read at 656 pages but once you reach the last, close the book, and place it on the reading table beside your glass of sweet tea, I promise you’ll feel bereft because this all consuming story has ended. 5 of 5 of the Heartiest Stars!
Much gratitude to the author for the review copy and her great grace as she waited months for my critique of ADELICIA, published last year and available on Amazon. Opinions are mine.
About the Author
Joyce Blaylock, a career teacher, has lived a literary life for which most writers would gladly die of consumption. At the University of South Carolina, she studied under the late James Dickey, poet-in-residence, who became her mentor and friend. While at USC, she also befriended William Styron, Joseph Heller, Kurt Vonnegut, Tom Wolfe, John Irving, and Nora Ephron.
She received the National Endowment for the Humanities Grant for the Dante Institute, the Frist Foundation Grant to study Dante in Italy, and a Fulbright Scholarship that enabled her to teach in Wales.
Blaylock served a four-year term on the Tennessee Film Commission and has been a key supporter of the Southern Festival of Books since its inception. She is a trustee of the Giles County Public Library, and lives with husband Steve and cat Gabby in Tennessee. Website: http://joyceblaylock.com/about-the-au....
ADELICIA, a novelized bio, brings fully to mind the South’s most famous saga, the one that saved me in college, too depressed to get my tush out of my dorm room to catch the shuttle for music theory class.
Those grey grey skies that winter in Columbus, Ohio, transformed into a Southern plantation, where the most gorgeous belle in the world was surrounded by a mess of admiring beaux. Fiddle-dee-dee, was I transfixed!
Well, let me tell you how equally transfixed I am by ADELICIA, who reminds me too of Jennie Churchill, so stunning she’d walk into a room where all eyes, male and female both, followed her. Whose brilliance and spirit led her to an unconventional life of her own making, a trail blazer, a once in a lifetime shooting star.
Blaylock was clearly born to write ADELICIA, whose persona leaps off these pages, so vividly you can hear the rustle of her skirts, see the fierce intelligence in her eyes, hear the Dixie loooooooong vowels in her voice, feel her heart beat as she falls thrice in love, becomes the wealthiest woman in America, loses two husbands and six of her ten children prematurely, with the blazing Civil War and Napolean III’s inviting Paris as backdrop.
Yes, ADELICIA is a hefty read at 656 pages but once you reach the last, close the book, and place it on the reading table beside your glass of sweet tea, I promise you’ll feel bereft because this all consuming story has ended. 5 of 5 of the Heartiest Stars!
Much gratitude to the author for the review copy and her great grace as she waited months for my critique of ADELICIA, published last year and available on Amazon. Opinions are mine.
About the Author
Joyce Blaylock, a career teacher, has lived a literary life for which most writers would gladly die of consumption. At the University of South Carolina, she studied under the late James Dickey, poet-in-residence, who became her mentor and friend. While at USC, she also befriended William Styron, Joseph Heller, Kurt Vonnegut, Tom Wolfe, John Irving, and Nora Ephron.
She received the National Endowment for the Humanities Grant for the Dante Institute, the Frist Foundation Grant to study Dante in Italy, and a Fulbright Scholarship that enabled her to teach in Wales.
Blaylock served a four-year term on the Tennessee Film Commission and has been a key supporter of the Southern Festival of Books since its inception. She is a trustee of the Giles County Public Library, and lives with husband Steve and cat Gabby in Tennessee. Website: http://joyceblaylock.com/about-the-au....
April 16, 2019
I couldn’t put this book down. For a day and a half, I barely moved off of my couch! If you are from Sumner County or the Nashville area, if you love Civil War history, or if you have a love for Scarlett O’Hara, you will fall in love with this work of historical fiction!
There were many similarities between Adelicia and Scarlett O’Hara in that they were both high society, strong, beautiful women of their time, but the fact that Adelicia was once a living being and a part of Nashville history, makes her story that much better!
I don’t want to spoil the book for those who want to read it, but this story that centers around Nashville, Gallatin, Fairvue Plantation, Belmont mansion, the Natchez Trace, and New Orleans will captivate you until the very end. I hope for a sequel from this author!
There were many similarities between Adelicia and Scarlett O’Hara in that they were both high society, strong, beautiful women of their time, but the fact that Adelicia was once a living being and a part of Nashville history, makes her story that much better!
I don’t want to spoil the book for those who want to read it, but this story that centers around Nashville, Gallatin, Fairvue Plantation, Belmont mansion, the Natchez Trace, and New Orleans will captivate you until the very end. I hope for a sequel from this author!
November 27, 2020
I LOVED ALL 650 pages! A Great Read. I recommend it highly!
Marsha Carol Watson Gandy
Marsha Carol Watson Gandy
September 8, 2025
A most enjoyable read! Adelicia was so determined and knew what she wanted from her life. Terrible losses didn't deter her. This read made me happy to be a middle Tennessee gal!
November 2, 2022
I found out about this book after touring Belle Monte. I was so fascinated with the owner, Adalecia, I wanted to know more. This was a great book and really well written. It was also entertaining. I couldn't put it down.
Merged review:
Loved learning about Adelicia
Merged review:
Loved learning about Adelicia
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews