Unfinished Cathedral

The Vaiden Trilogy #3

by T.S. Stribling

Unfinished Cathedral is the third volume of T.S. Stribling’s Southern trilogy and was originally published in 1934. The trilogy, Stribling’s greatest literary achievement, is set in and around Florence, Alabama, and spans six decades of social, economic, and political change from the Civil War and Reconstruction to the 1920s. In each of the novels Stribling brings together the various social classes of the period, revealing their interdependency. The Forge is the story of the South during the period of the Civil War and Reconstruction, while The Store chronicles the changing social and economic landscape of the post-Reconstruction period and the rise to power of the mercantile class in the reconstructed South. In Unfinished Cathedral, Stribling continues the story of the dramatic transformation in the social structure of the South. The 1920s saw the control of society shift from the wealthy landowners and merchants to the rising middle class. This period also saw significant changes in the status of Southern women and blacks, and economically, a surge of prosperity was evident that was brought on by the land boom and the resulting influx of Northern dollars.

 

The University of Alabama Press reissued the first two novels in T.S. Stribling’s trilogy, The Forge and The Store, in 1985.

Genres: Fiction, Historical Fiction, Civil War

400 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1934

About the author

Thomas Sigismun Stribling was a staff writer for "Saturday Evening Post" and a lawyer. He published under the name T.S. Stribling. In the 1920's and 1930's, T. S. was America's foremost author. His most notable works were "Birthright," "Teeftfollow," "Backwater," "The Forge" and "The Unfinished Cathedral". He won the Pulitzer Prize for his book, "The Store" in 1933.

Reviews

[Lexi · Rating 4 out of 5]

I believe I Mooched this copy of the third installment in Stribling's epic trilogy of the Vaiden family and their story that spanned about sixty years of great change in the South. This book follows Jerry Catlin, who is now a Methodist preacher, as he returns to Florence, the scene of his boyhood love for Sydna Crowninshield, now married to Miltiades Vaiden. Milt has arranged for Jerry to return to the local church, mostly to accomplish the building of the titular cathedral, where Milt hopes to be laid in state when he passes away. Jerry is an interesting sort of preacher, and I was frankly surprised that he chose that path in life, given his period of atheism in the last book. His attitudes and beliefs are a little liberal for what I would expect of a Southern preacher in the 1920's. The book covers a lot of territory: Jerry is still kind of in love with Sydna; Milt and Sydna now have a daughter, Marsan, who gets pregnant by a local boy; six African-American boys are put on trial for the alleged rape of a white girl, and almost lynched by a mob, but the lynching is stopped by Milt, who remembers the lynching of his own son years before; there is a real estate boom on in Florence, which Milt is skeptical of; the boom eventually busts and leaves just about everyone in Florence penniless, which eventually leads to Milt's death; Marsan weds her teacher, with whom she is actually in love, to avoid the shame of being an unwed mother; and Jerry weds the church organist, Aurelia, to get over his love for Sydna (it doesn't work).

I enjoyed this last portion of the trilogy very much. The criminal trial of the six boys was a major part of the middle of the book and, due to my profession, I found it very interesting. The various romantic entanglements of the Vaidens and their extended family were amusing, as well. I especially liked the forward-thinking Marsan as a character. I wish I had the brainpower tonight to discuss the symbolism of the unfinished cathedral (Milt's life?) and get into the deeper issues presented by this book, but I'm tired. I do wish Stribling had told us the outcome of the rape trial...did it ever finish? What was the verdict? And there is a passing reference at the end of the book that seems to indicate that Jerry's wife, Aurelia, was murdered. Was she? How did Jerry react to that?

Overall, four out of five Whatevers. Everyone should read this trilogy. It should be taught in schools for its interesting viewpoint of the South, from the Civil War through the Great Depression. I highly recommend all three of the books. I'm holding on to them, in case I want to re-read them in the future.

[Kevin · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Vaiden Trilogy (The Forge, The Store, & Unfinished Cathedral) is an unvarnished look at the American south over six generations of time starting just prior to the Civil War through reconstruction ending at the onset of the great depression. It attempts to depict life in the south with all its grandeur as well as its atrocities. Unlike other southern authors (yes I'm talking to you William Faulkner and Margret Mitchel), Stribling makes no apologies for slavery, the Klan, rape, lynching, or human weaknesses. His epic story traces the events of the Vaiden family, particular Miltiades Vaiden. It follows his ascendancy; subsequent fall; and finally his resurrection via the victimization of others. While I would not consider these novels high art, they portray an very important reality that should never be forgotten.

[Tracy Towley · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am sad to finish this trilogy, as I've enjoyed my time with the Vaidens over the past few weeks.

The trilogy began before the Civil War and continued through to the first post-reconstruction generation. Watching the South fall, rise, and fall again, all through the perspective of one family, was interesting. I felt Stribling did an excellent job of creating this world and I will miss it.

[Gail · Rating 4 out of 5]

Last book of the Vaiden Family triology. You don't have to read the first two books, but it helps to have done so. This book had some insightful commentary on churches and religion that were surprising to me given the book was written in the 1930's. The story ends at the beginning of the depression. I found the entire trilogy very good. There is truth in fiction and these books had much to say about human behavior that still holds true today.

[Nancy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not a bad series... Wonder if it was a truthful portrayal of the South. If so, we HAVE come a long way.... Wonder what the next generations will see as "bad" things about how we see every day life... Find you just go on as you have been taught....

Unfinished Cathedral is the third volume of T.S. Stribling’s Southern trilogy and was originally published in 1934. The trilogy, Stribling’s greatest literary achievement, is set in and around Florence, Alabama, and spans six decades of social, economic, and political change from the Civil War and Reconstruction to the 1920s. In each of the novels Stribling brings together the various social classes of the period, revealing their interdependency. The Forge is the story of the South during the period of the Civil War and Reconstruction, while The Store chronicles the changing social and economic landscape of the post-Reconstruction period and the rise to power of the mercantile class in the reconstructed South. In Unfinished Cathedral, Stribling continues the story of the dramatic transformation in the social structure of the South. The 1920s saw the control of society shift from the wealthy landowners and merchants to the rising middle class. This period also saw significant changes in the status of Southern women and blacks, and economically, a surge of prosperity was evident that was brought on by the land boom and the resulting influx of Northern dollars.

[Pharmacdon · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the last book in The Vaiden Trilogy. Stribling gives us an unflinching view of the deep south, both in its stateliness and brutality, starting prior to the Civil War and ending when the Great Depression starts. Prepared to be uncomfortable with the reality of the South during that time. It is a great trilogy to read, in spite of its no-holds-barred look at the people living during that time. The second book in this series, The Store, won the Pulitzer Prize for fiction in 1933.

"White educated Southerners are completely cut off from black educated Southerners by the inherited attitudes of master and slave, and the one really does not know that the other exists. So now the Reverend Catlin looked at the heavy black man who used correct and moving if rather florid English with a feeling of surprise and grotesqueness as if a bootblack should begin discussing the quantum theory."

[Anna Underwood · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was a good book! The cathedral was left unfinished but there was more to it than I thought! I’ve enjoyed all of the relationship drama throughout the trilogy. I wish that we could have learned how everything in the book turned out, but I think some of it was because the characters did not really care.

[Diana Eberhardt · Rating 5 out of 5]

Final book about the adventures of the Vaiden family. Sorry to see the end of their complicated story.

[Brakob Arthur · Rating 5 out of 5]

An good end to an excellent trilogy.

[Donna (Currently Busy) · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the last book in Stribling's trilogy. It provides good closure. Overall, it's great reading if you like historical fiction.