Peachtree Road

by Anne Rivers Siddons

Book Overview

Headstrong, independent, and devastatingly beautiful Lucy Bondurant Chastain Venable will never become the demure Southern lady her family requires--while her older cousin, Sheppard Gibbs Bondurant III, is too shy and bookish, a far cry from the suave, gregarious Southern gentleman he's expected to be. In the Bondurants' sprawling home on Atlanta's Peachtree Road, these two will be united by a fierce tainted love--and torn apart by a smoldering rage...

Customer Reviews

A big, juicy read with memorable characters!

I have read this book at least three times so far, and whenever I see a copy of it in a used book store, I buy it so that I'll have extras to loan to my friends. It IS long, but you'll be surprised how fast the book goes. It's a fascinating study both of the Southern way of life and of a dysfunctional relationship -- well, there are actually many of those in the book, but I refer specifically to Shep's love/hate relationship with his cousin Lucy, a beautiful, smart, and self-destructive woman who is permanently scarred by her father's desertion (which is what brings Lucy, her siblings, and their mother to live with Shep and his parents). My only complaint about the book is that I felt Sarah was depicted as some sort of a saint, and I really didn't like her that much . . . Overall, this is a great book, and I can guarantee that you'll find yourself thinking back to the characters for a long time after reading it.

A good old story that you will never forget

Thank you Ms. Siddons! I haven't enjoyed a book like this since I read The Prince of Tides. It was Conroy's quote on the cover, "the Southern novel for our generation," that prompted me to read it. I am so glad I did!! I haven't laughed and cried during a read in some time. The characters are as real as rain...they will not leave me ever. The plot is artfully crafted. I urge readers to read the book from cover to cover if you have a deep interest in the South and enjoy a good story...it's a journey worth taking! Having schooled at Vanderbilt, I can testify to the accuracy of Siddons's portrayal of the wealthy South.

It still comes into my thoughts at certain times

This was the first of her books which I read, and through all the years, I still go back and read portions of it every year or so. Amid all the melodrama is a well written story with interesting characters, all damaged in their own ways, but with compelling stories to tell. And given what happened the day I write this, that an Air France Concorde had crashed while leaving Paris, unable to get altitude, I think I am going to read it again.

It's a Southern Thing

Peachtree Road is like an extremely tall ice tea on a blistering southern day. It is long, and drawn out at times, but so cool and refreshing. If you do not like descriptive narrative this book may not work for you. Personally, I think that it it exemplifies the southern tradition of storytelling. Life down there is (was) a bit slower and everyone takes their time with things. Yes, it did take a while to hook into the story, but having read Siddons before I knew that her characters are so vivid that it would be worth it. I found the lonliness of Shep very disturbing and ultimately got a bit fed up with Lucy. Still, I can almost hear her voice as she calls him on the phone. Being an optimist, I like to think that he did find some peace with Sarah. I loved the ending of the book and I think that Siddons achieved a monumentous task. If you enjoy a deep emotional read than this book will deliver.

A roller coaster ride of love, passion and duty

"Peachtree Road" is a romantic tale of a southern gentleman and a strong-willed, black-haired southern beauty set against changing times in the South. Another "Gone With the Wind"? No, not by a long-shot! This time the story takes place in the aristocratic homes of Atlanta's wealthiest residents during the changing and turbulent years of the 20th century.Young Lucy Bondurant comes to live in the home of her cousin, Sheppard Gibbs Bondurant III, and takes him and everyone she knows, including the reader, on a roller coaster ride through life. "Gibby" is torn between his love and duty for his cousin and his romantic love for another woman. The results are tragic for him ... or is he fulfilling his destiny? You, as the reader, must decide.This book is very long (over 800 pages), but worth the time. Revel in the character development. Savor the relationship you will build with the characters for you will be with them from childhood until death. Speed through the streets on bikes behind Lucy, whoop it up with the Pinks and Jells, march with the Civil Rights Movement and cry through the tragedies that no one is immune from -- not even the very rich.This is one of the best books I've ever read. Though I desperately wanted to see how it concluded, I felt like I had lost my best friend when I was done.