The Book of Lost Friends
- Downloads：3486
- Type：Epub+TxT+PDF+Mobi
- Create Date：2021-08-11 06:51:25
- Update Date：2025-09-06
- Status：finish
- Author：Lisa Wingate
- ISBN：1984819909
- Environment：PC/Android/iPhone/iPad/Kindle
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Summary
A new novel inspired by historical events: a story of three young women on a journey in search of family amidst the destruction of the post-Civil War South， and of a modern-day teacher who rediscovers their story and its connection to her own students' lives。
Lisa Wingate brings to life stories from actual "Lost Friends" advertisements that appeared in Southern newspapers after the Civil War， as freed slaves desperately searched for loved ones who had been sold off。
Louisiana， 1875 In the tumultuous aftermath of Reconstruction， three young women set off as unwilling companions on a perilous quest: Lavinia， the pampered heir to a now-destitute plantation; Juneau Jane， her illegitimate free-born Creole half-sister; and Hannie， Lavinia's former slave。 Each carries private wounds and powerful secrets as they head for Texas， following dangerous roads rife with ruthless vigilantes and soldiers still fighting a war lost a decade before。 For Lavinia and Juneau Jane， the journey is one of inheritance and financial desperation， but for Hannie， torn from her mother and eight siblings before slavery's end， the pilgrimage westward reignites an agonizing question: Could her long-lost family still be out there？ Beyond the swamps lie the seemingly limitless frontiers of Texas and， improbably， hope。
Louisiana， 1987 For first-year teacher Benedetta Silva， a subsidized job at a poor rural school seems like the ticket to canceling her hefty student debt--until she lands in a tiny， out-of-step Mississippi River town。 Augustine， Louisiana， seems suspicious of new ideas and new people， and Benny can scarcely comprehend the lives of her poverty-stricken students。 But amid the gnarled oaks and run-down plantation homes lies the century-old history of three young women， a long-ago journey， and a hidden book that could change everything。
Lisa Wingate brings to life stories from actual "Lost Friends" advertisements that appeared in Southern newspapers after the Civil War， as freed slaves desperately searched for loved ones who had been sold off。
Louisiana， 1875 In the tumultuous aftermath of Reconstruction， three young women set off as unwilling companions on a perilous quest: Lavinia， the pampered heir to a now-destitute plantation; Juneau Jane， her illegitimate free-born Creole half-sister; and Hannie， Lavinia's former slave。 Each carries private wounds and powerful secrets as they head for Texas， following dangerous roads rife with ruthless vigilantes and soldiers still fighting a war lost a decade before。 For Lavinia and Juneau Jane， the journey is one of inheritance and financial desperation， but for Hannie， torn from her mother and eight siblings before slavery's end， the pilgrimage westward reignites an agonizing question: Could her long-lost family still be out there？ Beyond the swamps lie the seemingly limitless frontiers of Texas and， improbably， hope。
Louisiana， 1987 For first-year teacher Benedetta Silva， a subsidized job at a poor rural school seems like the ticket to canceling her hefty student debt--until she lands in a tiny， out-of-step Mississippi River town。 Augustine， Louisiana， seems suspicious of new ideas and new people， and Benny can scarcely comprehend the lives of her poverty-stricken students。 But amid the gnarled oaks and run-down plantation homes lies the century-old history of three young women， a long-ago journey， and a hidden book that could change everything。
Reviews
Keri
，
I love this story。 Wonderfully emotional。 Intriguing。 But I found the writing of the past very cumbersome。 I struggled to keep focus。 But I enjoyed the way it evolved into the present。 Loved that。 But the very last piece of information- it just seemed disjointed。 Like it didn't belong。 I love this story。 Wonderfully emotional。 Intriguing。 But I found the writing of the past very cumbersome。 I struggled to keep focus。 But I enjoyed the way it evolved into the present。 Loved that。 But the very last piece of information- it just seemed disjointed。 Like it didn't belong。 。。。more
Cmswright
，
Always enjoy historical fiction。 This was a interesting story。 Thought it wrapped up too quickly though。
Beth Willem
，
I really enjoyed this book。 So many life lessons in the pages of perseverance， kindness and help to others， the importance of education。 The alternating chapters of Benny and Hannie you knew were going to intersect in the end。 The thing together in the last chapter was very nicely done。 Then the epilogue。。。also tying up the loose ends until the bombshell in the last several paragraphs。 I didn't see it coming。 Proves once again you have no idea what is going on in someone's life or past， so be ki I really enjoyed this book。 So many life lessons in the pages of perseverance， kindness and help to others， the importance of education。 The alternating chapters of Benny and Hannie you knew were going to intersect in the end。 The thing together in the last chapter was very nicely done。 Then the epilogue。。。also tying up the loose ends until the bombshell in the last several paragraphs。 I didn't see it coming。 Proves once again you have no idea what is going on in someone's life or past， so be kind。 。。。more
Cheryl Barajas
，
Once again Lisa Wingate weaves a magnificent story part fiction， mostly truth。 Couldn’t put this one down！
Jennie
，
Definitely a slow starter but gets interesting soon enough。 Thought the ending came too quickly with lots of loose ends but I think that was the point。 Didn't appreciate the dialect written for Hannie however her story was compelling once you breezed through the superficial descriptions。 Good story， interesting history and characters that， while commonplace， you wanted to learn more from them。 。 Definitely a slow starter but gets interesting soon enough。 Thought the ending came too quickly with lots of loose ends but I think that was the point。 Didn't appreciate the dialect written for Hannie however her story was compelling once you breezed through the superficial descriptions。 Good story， interesting history and characters that， while commonplace， you wanted to learn more from them。 。 。。。more
Ann
，
A very interesting topic-not that well written but I learned a lot by reading it about after the civil war and people trying to find their people who were sold during slavery。
Alisha
，
I highly recommend this book。
Raeleigh
，
I really liked it， but the end felt a tiny bit rushed and I didn’t love the epilogue。 I always love the ‘past’ storyline more than the ‘present’ storyline in historical fiction books that do both， and that was definitely true of this book too。 I loved Hannie， Lavinia， and Juneau Jane’s stories and the story of the lost friends advertisements。 I felt very connected to their story and it made me cry。 I’d definitely recommend it。
Amy Fukunaga
，
I really struggled to get into this book。 The last 10% kept my interest， but the rest was a struggle。
Andrea
，
3。5 learned something new， engaging but a few things bugged me
Kris Seals
，
It was a SLOW read at first but the ending was good。 This storyteller made me think about the past and the importance of every story。 I’m going to research my family’s story for sure☺️
Lydia Lewis
，
There was a newspaper in the 1880's that circulated among black churches where you could advertise to find your lost people。 This is heartbreaking， but I loved it。 There was a newspaper in the 1880's that circulated among black churches where you could advertise to find your lost people。 This is heartbreaking， but I loved it。 。。。more
Tammi Gidlow
，
This is another book with 2 different timelines， which is so popular in historical fiction。 Usually when reading these types of books， I always prefer one story to another but I found both to be equally engaging。 One plotline is set in post-civil war Louisiana and Texas and focuses on 3 women searching for a man who has gone missing and is father to two and former slave-owner to one。 The former slave， Hannie， is also searching for her family members who were sold off when she was a child。 The mo This is another book with 2 different timelines， which is so popular in historical fiction。 Usually when reading these types of books， I always prefer one story to another but I found both to be equally engaging。 One plotline is set in post-civil war Louisiana and Texas and focuses on 3 women searching for a man who has gone missing and is father to two and former slave-owner to one。 The former slave， Hannie， is also searching for her family members who were sold off when she was a child。 The modern day story is about an English teacher in a public school in an underprivileged area of the town of Augustin， Louisiana。 In an effort to engage the kids in reading， she decides to invite older members of the town to share stories from the past。 This leads to a class project where the students have to dig into their family or community history and present biographical sketches， dressed in costume， to their teachers， families and community。 Of course the two stories entertwine as the author draws genealogical connections between the modern characters and the past slave owners as well as of the former slave Hannie。 A bit of a slow start for me but I really ended up appreciating the book。 。。。more
Jill Derrick
，
Hard book to read but could not put it down。 So much information on the lives of people of that time。 So hard to believe people were treated that way。 All the trials in life they endured then to share their stories。 Great characters and great writing about historical facts。
Katherine
，
5 stars
Marie
，
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers。 To view it， click here。 Excellent， could not put it down。
Amy Miller
，
I loved this book。 I love how the Author weaves two stories together。 They become one。 It is such a beautiful story to share。
Julie
，
I really enjoyed this book。 I learned a lot about post civil war slavery and how Texas was shamefully involved。 The book alternates between 1980s and 1880s every other chapter which was sort of disjointed feeling。 Also， it stretched belief that girls passed as boys for months。 Wouldn’t they have had their “monthlies “ that would’ve given them away？ Surprise nugget at the very end ties Benny’s life story to the list friends narrative which was nice。
Nichelle
，
The author says that this book was inspired by Before We Were Yours。 This book is FAR superior in both content and quality of writing to that one。 I rarely give 5 stars。 This book earned every one of them。
Carol Nolan
，
My three-star rating is for the story， not the writing。 The writing dragged on needlessly， particularly in the Hannie story。 The many descriptions of the Texas landscape added nothing to the story， and occurred so frequently that I actually started just scanning them to find the return to the plot， and I NEVER scan。 The book ended abruptly， with several sub-plots left unresolved。 I strongly suspect the wrting was curtailed due to an overdue deadline。
RaeAnn Jackson
，
I really like the writing of Lisa Wingate。 Her book Tending Roses is one of my all time favorite books with such a sweet story。This book deals with some very real and difficult subject matters， poverty， slavery， plantations and family dynamics。 I will recommend this book to all of my book loving friends。This is a good one！！
Stacy
，
DNF。 This book is right up my alley but I just couldn’t get into it - I tried twice。
Peggymsu Valentine Colombo
，
I enjoy books that introduce me to pieces of the past I am not familiar with。 The Lost Friends column is one of those pieces。 It was moving to read this story。
Julie J
，
3。5
Jill Schrupp
，
Very enjoyable story。 I like the mix of the clips from the newspaper article along with the story of the two ladies during two different time periods and seeing how it all tied together。 Both main characters we're likable and I found myself rooting for both。 I would recommend this book and this author。 Very enjoyable story。 I like the mix of the clips from the newspaper article along with the story of the two ladies during two different time periods and seeing how it all tied together。 Both main characters we're likable and I found myself rooting for both。 I would recommend this book and this author。 。。。more
Julie Benton
，
Wonderfully woven storyI was immersed immediately with the tale of these families abs how their true story was unfolded by a new generation。
Peggy Jasien
，
Wonderful for lovers of historical fiction- very appropriate in current times。
Kathy
，
I wish I had read the author’s comments at the end before I started the book。 The “lost friends” notices were from a true source。 While the characters in the story were fiction， several were based on actual people。 I enjoyed the story， but after the first six chapters I had to go back and skim them again as the story goes back and forth between two time periods。 I found it difficult to keep track of events but learned to read at least two consecutive chapters which helped the flow。
Patty Johnson
，
I enjoyed her book Before We were Yours much， much more。 This book had an interesting storyline ， but for me it felt like the author was struggling to write it 。
Sarah
，
I read this because I LOVED the author’s first book before we were yours， but this one lacked anything compelling to hold my attention。 It’s well written and I know I’m in the minority here， but I wasn’t a fan。
Reference
google book https://www.google.com/search?tbm=bks&q=The Book of Lost Friends
hathitrust digital library https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/ls?q1=The Book of Lost Friends&field1=ocr&a=srchls&ft=ft&lmt=ft