A Gathering of Old Men

By: Sally Darling, Ernest J. Gaines

Narrated by: Peter Francis James, Michelle-Denise Woods, Graham Brown, Murphy Guyer, Tom Stechschulte, Mark Hammer

Stirring, heroic, and wonderfully laced with the musical languages of the Bayou, Ernest J. Gaines - the foremost voice in contemporary African American literature - adds another breathtaking saga to his canon with A Gathering of Old Men.

When Sheriff Mapes is summoned to a sugarcane plantation to find a dead Cajun farmer, he knows who committed the crime. Mapes finds himself powerless, however, when nearly 20 elderly black men confess to the murder. Can justice be served, or will the dead man's brutish father pass judgment his way?

Building to a climax that is as stunning as it is inevitable, A Gathering of Old Men powerfully describes the racial tensions in 1970s Louisiana. Narrators Peter Francis James, Michelle-Denise Woods, Sally Darling, Graham Brown, Murphy Guyer, Tom Stechschulte, and Mark Hammer bring Gaines' masterful prose to vivid life.

©1992 Ernest J. Gaines (P)1996 Recorded Books

Love Gaines!!

This author captures so much emotion and nuance. I just love his work and how he represents the people and ways of rural Louisiana.

Good read

I actually have a hard copy of this one. Listening to the book brought the characters to life. This book spoke to the power of community.

Great Read!

The narrators are talented yet I need to be reminded who is speaking (My fault).

Plot is very interesting at all times whether it be a background story or a reason they shot Bo.

Ending is disappointingly simple with the 5 year punishments for everyone. In my opinion. the case should've gone more in-depth and the reason why the news crew was mentioned still confuses me.

Sad but True

I grew up in this part of the country in this part of the century. This story recreated all the memories; good and bad. It made me laugh and cry and is a reminder that some of what happened then, led to what is happening today. The various narrators were great and spot on. Have your older teenagers listen with you. There are things here that they need to know.

Excellent in every way

How I have never read this book before I don’t know, but I’m so glad I found it. It is one of the most true things I have ever read. It captures a time, a place, a story, a feeling, a lived experience a tells it expertly. Each narrator did an excellent job and it would be especially useful to someone unaccustomed to the pronunciation of Louisiana names, terms, etc. Mr. Gaines is An amazing author and I can’t wait to read his other books.