I bought this book on tape at a used bookstore in preparation for a long road trip. Dixie's TV character, Julia Sugarbaker, has always been one of my favorites, and I was shocked to feel how different Julia and Dixie are. Her whole section on dieting offended me so much that I had to stop listening to the tape a few minutes to cool off, notably, where she expresses her belief that obesity is not a disease but a state of mind, and that anyone can have her figure if they only diet for the rest of their life. How.. depressing.

always on the lookout for "bargain" books in bookstores, i chanced upon dixie's book being closed out. liking her anyway in "designing women", i knew i would enjoy her book, but i was not prepared for my fascination. by the time i was finished reading the book, i felt i knew her--she was someone i could drop in on for coffee. she echoed my own sentiments of missing the people being polite to each other, and of loving discipline seldom taught to children today and more than once made me nostolgic for the rich childhood she had--the things that are possible for children and which every child deserves. she writes the way she speaks which is a joy. the book is never dull and in truth, you do not want it to end. i hope she determines to write another book. i want the first copy.

After I started reading this book I could not put it down. Dixie covers almost every subject, from beauty tips to romance. Her Southern charm adds so much to this book. I highly recommend this to everyone.

Pretend for a moment that "Scarlett" is just an ordinary novel, having nothing to do with GWTW. Looked at from that perspective, it's not bad at all. The O'Hara's are, for the most part, lively characters and well written. Aunts Pauline and Eulalie and horrid old Grandfather are the people you like to hate, and Eleanor Butler is a kindly woman with whom we have an enjoyable visit.

The problem comes, of course, when you look at the fact that this *is* a sequel to GWTW, a book that Margaret Mitchell herself never wanted written (she was adamant that the story ended with Rhett leaving Scarlett, and that was that). Ripley wisely does not spend too much time with the characters Mitchell created, instead whisking Scarlett off for adventures with Rhett's family, her own Irish cousins, and her mother's family in Charleston.

As I said, I found the characters well-drawn and the story absorbing in and of itself. The settings seem well researched and written with a good amount of detail. It's an enjoyable read.

As a big fan of GWTW, I must admit some satisfaction at the continuation of Scarletrt's story, and her eventual reunion with Rhett; however, this is always tempered with the small, niggling feeling that this story, entertaining as it may be, is not anything Margaret Mitchell would have written, or wanted written by anyone else.

i am a die hard fan of Gone With The Wind and would never be a traitor to "the greatest love story ever told", but i thouroughly enjoyed Scarlett. I dont know where Alexandra Ripley came up with these ideas, Grandfather Robillard, Ireland, etc... but she put a lot of imagination and creativity into it. I dont think Margaret Mitchell minds at all that Ripley wrote a sequel, she's probably heard heaps of sequel ideas and includes this story in those finalizations of her exquisit novel. Actually, Mitchell didn't even want to write a sequel... but i always wonder what she her idea was, for she must have had one. No, Scarlett is not the same person in the sequel, she is more grown up and less whiney, yet she still is a bit of that same sly, cunning, ambition driven belle of the south. Yes, i do believe though that she would have chased Rhett like she did in the book, which showed the ambitious persona she truly had. Not much talk about her two long lost children, which was disappointing. And, England and Lord Fenton weren't completely necessary. But Ireland was captivating and indeed the best aspect of the long awaited sequel. So, maybe there are some character flaws, but Ripley atleast deserves kudos for getting it published and printed world wide!

There's nothing wrong with the writing of this novel. There's nothing wrong with the story itself. It just wasn't 'Gone With The Wind.' By that I mean it wasn't a 'classic.' Alexandra Ripley is a wonderful writer and she weaves an exceptional story. A 'Gone With The Wind' sequel is just mighty big shoes to fill, but at least Ripley attempted to fill them. I'm glad someone finally did.

I've wanted some sort of closure to GWTW since I first read the book and watched the movie. Yet, I suppose it was the 'cliffhanger ending' that gave GWTW its extra 'umph' and sealed its fate as one the greatest pieces of fiction ever written. Margaret Mitchell was clearly one of a kind. How sad it is that she only wrote one novel, but at least she gave us that one.

Overall, 'Scarlett' is a great read. That is, if you can get the ghosts of 'Gone With The Wind' out of your mind. 'Scarlett' begins where 'Gone With The Wind' left off. It takes the reader onward to meet Mitchell's character as we thought we'd never see her...a mature, grown-up Scarlett. It has a believable plot and satisfying outcome. The characters in this novel are likeable and visual. It takes you back to that time period and is a true historical romance. I though it was very entertaining and powerful considering the tough act it followed.

If we would look at 'Scarlett' as a work in its own right, I think more of us would be pleasantly surprised by how much we admired it. 'Scarlett' is a wonderful read and I recommend it to anyone who's looking for that 'closure' I searched for.