Saratoga Trunk

A Novel

By: Edna Ferber

Narrated by: Robin Miles

The basis for the classic film starring Gary Cooper and Ingrid Bergman, Saratoga Trunk is Pulitzer Prize-winning author Edna Ferber's enthralling saga of love, greed, and power set in New Orleans and Saratoga during the late nineteenth century.

Saratoga Trunk unfolds the story of Clio Dulaine, an ambitious Creole beauty who more than meets her match in Clint Maroon, a handsome Texan with a head for business—and an eye for beautiful young women. Together they do battle with Southern gentry and Eastern society, but in their obsession to acquire all they've ever wanted, they fail to realize they already have all they'll ever need—each other.

A novel by one of the twentieth century's most accomplished and admired writers, Saratoga Trunk is a lively tale of ambition and love that celebrates the triumph of outsiders against the powerful and corrupt.

One of the best

This is my favorite Edna Ferber book -
highlighting the practice of Placage, a colonial tradition that leaves more generational trauma than you can find elsewhere.

Edna Ferber should be more widely read

I have only recently discovered how incredible Edna Ferber is, and I don't understand why she isn't still more widely read.

Saratoga Trunk is set in the late 1800s, and tells the story of Clio Dulaine. She was born in New Orleans, the illegitimate daughter of a French Creole man and light-skinned Creole woman of color. She was schooled in Paris, and only recently returned to the United States. Her hope is to avenge her mother who was treated horribly by her father's family, after she accidentally killed Clio's father.

Clio brings along her maid and manservant. She soon meets a tall Texan named Clint, and they soon begin courting. Unfortunately she is obsessed with revenge and he with gambling. Neither is looking for real commitment. Clint becomes frustrated with Clio's focus on revenge and leaves for Saratoga Springs, New York.

What follows is an interesting tale of miscommunication, machinations, and eventual reconciliation.

I enjoyed this book for all of its unique and extremely flawed characters. The dialogue was filled with wit and sarcasm, and was at times quite funny. I enjoyed the drama, and the histrionics of these characters. I found the story entertaining, but once again my favorite part of a Ferber book is the facility she has with description. She uses language in a delicious way, painting the image in my mind. It was beautiful.

I followed the book by watching the movie which starred Ingrid Bergman and Gary Cooper, which certainly reflects the time in which it was filmed, but is wonderful nonetheless.

Glad I revisited this novel

Nice bit of Saratoga History with colorful characters. Overall the style feels dated, but the plot was interesting. Narrator was good.