The Land

Logans #1

by Mildred D. Taylor

The son of a prosperous landowner and a former slave, Paul-Edward Logan is unlike any other boy he knows. His white father has acknowledged him and raised him openly—something unusual in post-Civil War Georgia. But as he grows into a man he learns that life for someone like him is not easy. Black people distrust him because he looks white. White people discriminate against him when they learn of his black heritage. Even within his own family he faces betrayal and degradation. So at the age of fourteen, he sets out toward the only dream he has ever had: to find land every bit as good as his father's, and make it his own. Once again inspired by her own history, Ms. Taylor brings truth and power to the newest addition to the award-winning Logan family stories.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Young Adult, Fiction, Middle Grade, Historical, Classics, Childrens

400 pages, ebook

First published January 1, 2001

About the author

Mildred DeLois Taylor is an African-American writer known for her works exploring the struggle faced by African-American families in the Deep South.

Taylor was born in Jackson, Mississippi, but lived there only a short amount of time, then moved to Toledo, Ohio, where she spent most of her childhood. She now lives in Colorado with her daughter.

Many of her works are based on stories of her family that she heard while growing up. She has stated that these anecdotes became very clear in her mind, and in fact, once she realized that adults talked about the past, "I began to visualize all the family who had once known the land, and I felt as if I knew them, too ..." Taylor has talked about how much history was in the stories; some stories took place during times of slavery and some post-slavery.

Taylor's most famous book is Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry. In 1977, the book won the Newbery Medal. Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry is the middle book, chronologically, in the Logans series that also includes titles such as The Land, Song of the Trees, Let the Circle Be Unbroken, and The Road to Memphis. Her collective contributions to children's literature resulted in her being awarded the inaugural NSK Neustadt Prize for Children's Literature in 2003.

Reviews

[Saba · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am not exaggerating when I say this is one of the greatest books ever! The Land is about an African American boy named Paul Edward Logan, who lives on his white fathers plantation. Paul lives in the time of racism, slaves, and disrespect of black men and women. Even his very own father treats him differently than Pauls white brothers he cannot eat at the table when there are guests. Nor can he talk to white men the way they treat him. Paul begins to realize the truth of it all. However, he does not give up his dream to own his own land. He does not lose faith, even when his father denies him an opportunity to race a horse for cash. Denial only pushes him to accept the offer, but the owner of the horse refuses to pay him his winnings. Mitchell, his personal bodyguard, decides to take matters into his own hands and makes them running for their lives. The Land takes the readers on a journey of Pauls determination, hard work, and his daring and desperate decisions.
One reason I absolutely love this book is because of the plot! The way Paul and African Americans are treated helps me understand what it was like for people, like Paul during the 1800s. This book helps me realize how hard it was back then to treat others respectfully while they mistreat you, to try to be quiet when a white man was speaking! For example, in the book, Paul is not allowed to hit his brother when he has done something wrong because he is white. It makes me think about how unfair it was a century ago. People were treated unjust because of the color of their skin! I now appreciate my life much, much more, knowing how many lifestyles used to be.
In addition to this, I love the suspense! There is always something exciting happening from the horse race to the fights where Mitchell, Pauls bodyguard protects him. What makes this book so fascinating is the fact that there is always something incredible, simply amazing happening. This makes me want to read more! Not only is it entertaining, but also this book raises many intriguing questions. For example, what is going to happen to Paul, what dramatic decision will he make now, and how is Pauls father going to react to this chaos? As you can tell, many questions arise. This is one great aspect of The Land.
I recommend this book to readers who enjoy books based on history something that actually happened. The Land is based on true facts how people were considered, how lifestyles were for African Americans, and how there were many unjust, unfair laws. This book has a wonderful plot, which is not only entertaining, but also educational. You would have to read it yourself!
I can understand why this book won the Coretta Scott King Award!

[Megan · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a teacher, this book was a fantastic read-aloud and excellent for opening discussion about racism and racist language. The use of the "n" word is challenging and but also presents opportunities to discuss the role of language in discrimination and oppression.

[Linda ~ they got the mustard out! ~ · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars

I didn't know what to expect from this book, series or writer, but I like what I see so far. Growing up, I knew of Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry but none of my classes required it for reading, so it passed me by. Now, I'm finally getting to meet the Logans, and this is a good introduction.

These are semi-biographical and semi-autobiographical, based on the stories Ms. Taylor heard about her family growing up, as well as based on her own life experiences, which she breaks down a bit at the end of the book. As such, this had a storyteller quality to it. I could hear Paul Logan sitting down and telling his family about his life story as I was reading. So even though this covered some very heavy topics, as can be expected for the South during the Reconstruction, the tone remained approachable and never too daunting. There were sad moments, and infuriating moments, and happy moments. Mostly, it painted a very stoic and bald portrait of what life was like post-Civil War for former slaves.

Paul was born a slave to his slave mother and white father, and he's light skinned enough to pass for white in the right circumstances. He never took the easy way out though, and in fact his skin caused him trouble with both whites and blacks. He may have been a bit sheltered in his youth, but when the lessons came, they came hard and sudden. He could have allowed himself to become bitter, but just like we see when he figured out a way to befriend his childhood bully, he figured out how to make situations work to his advantage and how to overcome the obstacles in his way. And as you can imagine, he had quite a few obstacles. He also met his share of allies, and while it pained me that he could never full trust the white people in his life, even when they were true and steadfast friends to him, it was understandable why he could never lower that final wall.

This wasn't the first book written, despite this being the first chronologically in the series, so I don't know if the quality of writing will reflect that going forward or not, but I'm interested to see what else this author and series has to offer.

[Anajoy-rusticgirl · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a prequel to the famous book Roll of Thunder, Hear my Cry. The main character is Paul-Edward Logan, the son of a white plantation owner and one of his slaves. It deals with Paul-Edward in hard situation, like having no friends, because the whites look down at him because he is part black, and the blacks look down on him because they think he thinks he is better than them because he has a white 'daddy' and because his daddy owns all the land they live on. It also deals with trusting, and betrayal especially when his father beats him,and his brother turns his back on him to show off to two white boys that they both hated when they were younger.
Time Period: 1870-1880's epilogue takes place 1900-1910.

[Gabriella · Rating 5 out of 5]

Five stars, each and every time. Mildred D. Taylor’s prequel to the Logan family saga introduces readers to Paul-Edward Logan, a man of quiet strength, resolute morals, and audible ambition. (He may be better known, in certain circles, generations, and fandoms, as Cassie Logan’s grandfather.) The Land is a masterfully-paced story that reminds you of the deep pleasure found in hard work aimed towards an honest end, and it’s one that I have a deep history with.

The Land was one of the first books my mom read to my siblings and me in our home in South Carolina, and I remember re-reading it several times during the move. At the time, I did not know (or currently do not remember knowing) that it is a semi-biographical account of Mildred Taylor’s great-grandfather’s pivotal journey from bondage to ownership, and his exploits along the way. Taylor fills in the expectations, dreams, and gambles of her ancestors with such consideration that you’d believe she was along for the ride. It’s a testament to her great-grandfather’s determination, to her great-grandmother and father’s storytelling, but ultimately to her own craft, that Paul-Edward’s journey is one that feels as true as that of my own ancestors’.

As part of our 2020 reading challenges, my mom and I are revisiting the older works of her favorite YA author, Mildred D. Taylor, and will soon get to read All the Days Past, All the Days to Come for the very first time. My mom has loved the Logan story for decades, partially because of its similarities to her paternal side of the family, the Taylors. The emphasis on ownership (particularly of land), the urge to record our stories (both orally as well as in writing), and the unconditional bond of family are lessons I’ve learned by watching my cousins, uncles, and mother in action over the years. Every descendant has their own unique application of their family’s legacy, I am incredibly thankful to read where Ms. Taylor has taken the fruits of her great-grandparents’ labor. She is an encouragement to become more diligent about cultivating the seeds planted by relatives before me.

[Jackie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Let's just say that I planned on not really enjoying this book. Mostly because I hate to say it, but I judged it by its cover and its title. I just sort of thought it had little to offer me, a 30-something woman, but I knew that the high goodreads rating couldn't be that far off, and so I cracked it open. Besides, I had to finish reading it before my students did.

It surprised me right off with its story of Paul-Edward Logan, son to a white plantation owner and a slave. I almost thought I had made an error in judgement in choosing it for my 7th graders. How could Taylor possibly cover this controversial part of our history in terms that they could understand? She did. At some points I gasped out loud at the harshness of the reality of this world I couldn't imagine. And yet it was so different than other books written about this time. It focused on hard work and it didn't have any easy answers. It made me so angry for Paul at times.

I gave it four out of five stars only because I found some of the story, although based on the author's own ancestors, to be a bit too convenient. I was right there with Paul-Edward when he realized the man Sam Perry was talking about was Mitchell and I felt so sorry for Paul. I sort of liked that twist. I didn't like it when it all worked out. The tragedy seemed far too convenient for Paul and the storyline. It felt like a bit of a betrayal.

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a must-read as a prequel to "Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry." I'm not sure how I came upon this book before I found it sitting on my bookshelf, but I'm so glad it's in my possession. This book taught me much about family, loyalty, dreams and sacrifice. This is a story of a man, Paul Logan, who is both black and white, a dangerous combination back in the late 1800s. His white father and brothers, however, treat him like he's no different, but throughout the course of his life, events have a way of changing one brother's view of him and Paul runs away. His dream has always been to own land, and he saves money through his work with his friend Mitchell. They eventually end up in an area where Paul finds his dream land. Through the subsequent years, Paul, along with Mitchell and other new found friends, painstakingly work for another piece of land while he waits for the dream land to become available to buy. When it becomes available, a few mishaps come along that nearly prevent him from getting it. Although it was predictable that he would obtain the land, the way he gets it is miraculous, brought on by his and others' faith in God.

It was a beautiful, moving story that is actually taken from Mildred Taylor's family history. I recommend this to anyone.

[Liza · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was afraid this book would go down the path of so many other historical novels where the tone tends to be preachy or worse white-washed. This novel, thankfully, is none of that. This is the story of Paul Logan, a son of a former slave and white man.

This story isn't simply about life after the Civil War and the racial conflicts that arose. This is Paul Logan's story and the many challenges he faced in order to gain personal achievement. Taylor did a wonderful job of weaving in historical accuracy with compassion and grace. There are times you will cringe when you read about how Caucasians treated all minorities in general, be they biracial or otherwise. There are racial slurs, but like the author explained, within its context, the words were needed to preserve what truly was a horrifying time in American history.

Paul Logan's story begins from the time he is a boy and is bullied by a young black boy named Mitchell, who would later on become a dear friend. There are terrible lessons to be learned about what it meant to be black and the obstacles and lack of opportunities they faced. Taylor does not downplay the random violence that many black people faced and the racial injustices they faced collectively.

Once Paul Logan becomes an adult you are pained to learn that he has learned not to trust white men and not to become beholden to them even if they offer their help. It's a horrible lesson he had to learn, with a bittersweet background that led him to that particular personal philosophy.

There is romance in the book, though sweet and short.

Paul Logan's journey was transformational; the challenges he went through in order to achieve his goal, land in this instance, made the overall reading experience enjoyable and the ending was absolutely perfect. It was not a sugary sweet "happily ever after," and once you learn how much Taylor extracted from her family history to write this novel the characters and story become that much more alive and powerful.

[Lulu · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book!!! Go. Read. It.

[Imani ♥ ☮ · Rating 5 out of 5]

I re-read this recently to remember why I loved this book so much all throughout my adolescence. Anyone who knows me knows how much I love Mildred D Taylor and as someone whose family was from Mississippi before pursuing northern life during the great migration, I appreciate her dedication to telling her family’s stories.

Something that struck me reading this time is the ultimate lesson of this story. Paul Edward is a white passing man whose dream is to secure land in the face of his white family’s betrayal. He sets out to own land through a labor intensive agreement with a white racist. His friend, Mitchell, is there until he can’t be and despite all of Paul Edward’s efforts, white supremacy nearly stops him in his tracks. He ends up relying on the assistance of his late mother who was able to secure a little bit of wealth before she died. In short, Paul Edward’s dream could not be secured through hard work or cunning alone — ultimately, having other family resources helped him get the land he wanted. This sounds like a cynical lesson but it’s an important one. There’s a reason that, to this day, most Black people don’t own anything. And often, unless you know someone or have some other type of privilege (eg family money), it is extremely difficult to secure any of the things necessary for class ascension or just basic survival under capitalism. It’s an interesting but worthwhile message for a YA book but this is why I love Mildred D Taylor — I always learn something new when I return to her.

—————————————

One of my favorite books ever :)
This is the first book in the Logan saga. Which, by the way, must be one of my favorite sagas/series ever. In short, this book chronicles the life of Cassie's grandfather, Paul. It depicts his life as he struggles to accept his multiracial heritage(he's N.American, Black, and White). He was born a slave, to his slave mother and his master father. He grew up actually being acknowledged by his white father, which was rare.
I guess it's kind of hard to explain unless you actually read the book yourself. But I really loved it and I hope others do/will too. :)

[Mrs. Berger · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was pleasantly surprised by how much I actually liked this book. However, I was even more amazed by how much my 8th grade students enjoyed it. Not only did Taylor give us a peek into our country's history following the Civil War, but she did so by sharing her own family's experiences of it.

Right from the beginning of the book she makes us care about Paul Edward and all of those connected to him. She hooks the reader in by showing that he is a flawed individual who is continuously trying to figure out who he actually is and where he really belongs. Many of the obstacles Paul must overcome resonate with many readers even though the events occurred 150+ years ago. It opens the readers eyes to the idea that even though many things may have progressed during this time the relationships and the problems that may arise between family members and friends remain the same, just the cause may be different.

I would recommend this book without hesitation. If you have read "Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry" this is a must read prequal to it.

[Beth Anne · Rating 5 out of 5]

We finished this book as a read aloud today after spending over a month with these characters and their lives. The final pages left me pausing multiple times to choke back my tears so I could read aloud. Every time we read a story in this series, I initially think that it won’t be as good as Roll of Thunder, and yet both other books have been just incredible. The story told in these pages is sweeping, spanning a lifetime and full of the details of a normal, yet extraordinary life. The history and background to Roll of Thunder offered in this story was brilliant. We were constantly surprised by how things happened, and so invested in Paul-Edward’s story.

This was an upper middle grade read for some of the hard aspects it covers, but I will never regret reading these aloud with my kids. These books bring history to life in a way a textbook never could, making it living and breathing and powerful.

[Davina Bell · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was one of those books that I wished I had discovered when I was a youth. Wonderfully written!!! Wonderful story telling. Ms. Taylor truly has a gift! With black history month right around the corner, it was the perfect book to begin the month. When my children are older, they will definitely read this novel.

[Nancy · Rating 4 out of 5]

After writing many books about the Logan family of Mississippi, author Mildred D Taylor wrote a prequel, using her real great-grandfather's story as the basis for it. *Some spoilers* Paul Edward is born right before the Civil War to a white father and a slave mother who was half Native American. Paul Edward was raised by both parents, and his father acknowledged his Black children, as his white wife had died so he lived openly with Paul's mother. His older white brothers accepted him and his sister, but eventually, the brother closest in age turned against Paul, siding with two racist white friends. When his father whips him for striking his brother, Paul decides to leave Georgia and strike out on his own in Texas with a childhood friend Mitchell. After a few years, Paul finds himself in Mississippi and falls in love with a piece of land that is for sale. He and Mitchell earn money by logging and meet Caroline, whom Mitchell marries. After Mitchell is killed by a drunk white man, Paul eventually marries a pregnant Caroline and raises Mitchell's son as his own in addition to the children they would have together (their youngest son David would become Cassie's father from Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry). The heartbreaking sacrifices that were made to obtain The Land show why it was so important to keep it in the family, and we meet younger versions of characters that would be in other Logan books.

This was a fascinating book as it pulled from Taylor's family, and included a family tree to keep track of the generations. Paul Edward's life as being multi-racial showed that despite him only being a quarter Black, and could pass as white if he had chosen to do so, life in that era forced him into a category in which he was discriminated against. He had to deal with looking too white for Blacks and being too Black for whites. The family relationships in his childhood were layered, for although his mother had clearly been forced into a sexual relationship with his father during slavery, choose to stay with him even after she was granted her freedom. Paul's white brothers and Black sister had different levels of connection to him in later years, and in the family tree you could see all their names in either Paul's children or grandchildren. His family bonds, although severed for a time, lived on. Family life can be messy during the best of times, but when racism is added to the mix, you can understand why Paul forged his own path and built a loving family that would thrive in the years to come.

[Amanda Robinson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was an amazing book! One I'll always remember and highly recommend to anyone. I have so much admiration for the main character, Paul-Edward Logan (who is the authors great-grandfather). He faced so much and persevered through so many obstacles (racism, family betrayal, and navigating being multi-racial during the post civil war era). His strong work ethic, as well as his quiet confidence and emotional strength, enabled him to create a beautiful life for not only himself, but also his family and ultimately the generations that came thereafter. So many important life lessons and history in this book that we all can learn from.

[Kathleen · Rating 5 out of 5]

The author’s note made this a definite 5 star read — I love the Logan family!

[Gina Johnson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Despite the fact that this book took me so long to finish it really was quite good. Mildred Taylor definitely knows how to tell a tale. This is a prequel to Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry. I still haven’t read all of the Logan books, but this is the first one, Roll of Thunder is in the middle, and All the Days Past, All the Days to Come is the last and they are all well worth reading!

[Erin · Rating 4 out of 5]

This isn't a book to be digested easily. It's a slow read, a ponderous read (in a good way). There's so much wrapped up in this story, so many highs and so many lows. The setbacks are brutal and devastating, and the yearning is so potent. In other words, I highly recommend this read.

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Profoundly painful, but no more than necessary. Each of our kids will read this book before they leave home. I have no way to more strongly recommend this book.

[Hildie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a surprising loved read for me. I've never heard of this author or this collection of family stories but I'm hopeful they're all just as good as this.

[Colleen Sheaffer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book!

[Destiny · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Land
Midred D. Taylor
375 pgs.

Have you ever suffered from identity crisis? Have you ever thought am I to call myself black or am I to call myself white? Have you ever let society choose your ethnicity for you? In the land Paul-Edward Logan faced all of these questions. Paul suffered from identity crisis all throughout his childhood. His mother was a former slave and black and his father was the owner of the planation, the master to the slaves and white. Paul himself was born into slavery and he was a slave until after the American Civil war. Paul childhood was a very big question that he could never answer; am I black or am I white? Society choose him as black. But he didn't want to believe that because he lived a white life that his three white brothers lived. He was taught how to read, wirte and figure by his father and his brothers. He was well clothed. He knew how to ride horses really well and tame them too. Paul was very gifted.. But it wasn;t until three occassions in his life that paul realized that he was black and no matter how white he looked, society and even his family is going to look at him as a black person. He realized that he wasn't going to get the same priviledged as white people got.

It wasn't until the last occassion in Paul's life, that paul thought to himself its time to change my life, and live it as a black man. Paul put all of his childhood memories behind him except for those that taught his him life long lessons. And he went on to survive with only his skills with and his friend Mitchell.

I could go in more detail but I don't want to give away details. This book is very detailed and well written and the detail allowed me to put myself in Paul's shoes and experience all that he did. At times I got mad with Paul, I got sad with Paul, I even got happy with Paul. And being allowed to do that just made this book even better. I recommend this book to those who needs a good read that doesn't only entertain you but teaches you lessons as you read.

[Cassi Haggard · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Land is a young adult classic that sadly I never encountered in my youth. It takes place in a post-Civil War South. Paul Edward is the son of a former slave owner. Unlike most blacks boys, Paul's father acknowledges him, educated him in a time when it was illegal for blacks to have an education and treats him as his own. In some ways that sounds wonderful, but in other ways it makes it more difficult for Paul to live as a black man (even though he can pass for white) in the South because he was not raised as most black boys are raised.

This book has all the themes that classic Southern tales have, racism, hatred, poverty, etc. But it's just as much about family as anything else. For me the family story was heartbreaking, resonating and stayed with me.

A timeless tale, The Land will make your heart hurt and you'll probably shed a few tears. But it's not a downtrodden, sad story, it's a hopeful story where a boy becomes a man and builds a live for himself on his own terms. It's a book about finding your own way in the world, becoming a self-made man, and making something out of nothing. Even though it may taken place in the post-Civil War South, the themes transcend the setting, creating an ageless book.

Narration
It's hard for me to seperation the narration from the story. The narration is wonderful and perfect for the story. I can still hear Paul Edwards deep voice in my head and it will always be how I imagine Paul Edward. If you find this audiobook listen to it.

[Emma Lauren · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Land by Mildred D. Taylor, was the prequel to the critically acclaimed novel, Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry. I read Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry, when I was very young, eleven years old to be exact, and some of the concepts were much more difficult to understand than they are now. Therefore, I reread the novel when I was thirteen, and absolutely loved it, and have purchased several novels in this series. This, being the prequel, was the story of Cassie's grandfather, and how his story truly came to be. This book was rich with symbolism, and real-life aspects, and it had twists and turns that every reader can love in a historical-fiction novel. What I did not know about this book, was that it is based on the true events of Taylor's life, and her family's lives, and that just makes this story all that much more better. The fact to see the cruelty and the honesty in people, all at the same time, within paragraphs of each other, is amazing. This book is great, and it is clear what it received a Coretta Scott King Award.

[Hastings75 · Rating 5 out of 5]

This has to be one of my favourite reads of the year!

Loved Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry as a child and was excited to hear that this prequel (and a couple of sequels) existed. Thanks to the Read Harder Challenge (and the redhead) for steering me in the direction of this "very fine" novel!

The lead character and narrator is entirely believable and despite his trials and tribulations behaves in a way that is consistent with his character. I liked the fact that the good guys don't always win and the bad guys don't always lose. A perfectly believable situation when you realise that you are essentially reliving an era that saw the emancipation of slaves after the Civil War.

Without wanting to give away any spoilers, I will finish my review by saying that about halfway through the novel, it occurred to me that the dream for The Land that Paul Edward unwaveringly had tied in nicely to MLK's famous "I have a Dream" speech.

Bring on the next novel in the series!

[Jewell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mildred Taylor is a treasure. THE LAND, a prequel to ROLL OF THUNDER, HEAR MY CRY is a rich, complex story about a mixed race, former slave, Paul Edward, who forges his destiny in post-Civil War Georgia. Adults and young adults will find this tale satisfying because of Ms. Taylor's fine dialogue and compelling characterizations. This story, based on Ms. Taylor's great-grandparents, relives the drama of ex-slaves's trying to get a stake hold in America as free men and women.

[Stacy Ford · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed the first person narrative format of this book and the plot. I had read other Taylor books (Roll of Thunder, The Well) and enjoyed this prequel. I'm not sure others would like this book as much as I did, but it is worth reading. I read via audiobook and the narrator was great.

[Casey · Rating 3 out of 5]

I like Taylor a whole bunch. Her stories come from her own family, and her stories are told with a tenderness and humor. Her books are a great way for kids to learn about racism and injustice.

[elissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

I could not put this book down! What incredible writing (characters, plot, setting--everything)! If you like YA historical fiction, don't miss this one!

[Kemyapoohowens]

great