Status
Available
Call number
Series
Collection
Publication
London: Fontana Books, 1968
Description
Fiction. Literature. Romance. Historical Fiction. HTML: As Seen on Masterpiece? on PBS�: Book 1 of the beloved Poldark series In the first novel in Winston Graham's hit series, a weary Ross Poldark returns to England from war, looking forward to a joyful homecoming with his beloved Elizabeth. But instead he discovers his father has died, his home is overrun by livestock and drunken servants, and Elizabeth�believing Ross to be dead�is now engaged to his cousin. Ross has no choice but to start his life anew. Thus begins the Poldark series, a heartwarming, gripping saga set in the windswept landscape of Cornwall. With an unforgettable cast of characters that spans loves, lives, and generations, this extraordinary masterwork from Winston Graham is a story you will never forget..… (more)
User reviews
LibraryThing member AdonisGuilfoyle
I started reading Winston Graham's epic Poldark series a year ago, but my introduction was via the second book, and I had to wait until memory faded to start again properly; I wasn't disappointed. Graham, along with Daphne du Maurier and Rosamunde Pilcher, expertly captures the romantic beauty and
The characters, all sharply hewn and honestly portrayed, are what first drew me into his novels, and they continue to entrance even after the twists and turns of the plot are now expected. Ross is the 'hero', though his outspoken pride and emotional failings save him from becoming romanticised - his unconventionality and broad mind are attractive in this first novel, but I recall that he quickly sheds his polished armour. However, my favourite character, christened with one of the best names in fiction, is Demelza, Poldark's (very nearly) child bride; she literally grows and matures as the pages turn, but never loses her own identity or that wonderful accent! She is one of the few 'spirited' heroines I can stomach, such is Graham's talent at portraying her. The rest of the Poldark clan, not to mention the families from the surrounding mining villages, are also a riot of local colour.
Winston Graham's novels are accessible and instructive - he writes from history, not of it - but also thoughtful, and illustrated with beautifully poetic language and sentiment (his description of Ross' new understanding of his young wife is tender, but also concise in expressing the contradiction of feelings and desires). Returning to the beginning is not a chore with these books, and I can hardly wait to savour again the comedy, tragedy and beauty of following sequels.
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close community of Cornwall, although his books cover the county's history and the roots of its modern reputation. The characters, all sharply hewn and honestly portrayed, are what first drew me into his novels, and they continue to entrance even after the twists and turns of the plot are now expected. Ross is the 'hero', though his outspoken pride and emotional failings save him from becoming romanticised - his unconventionality and broad mind are attractive in this first novel, but I recall that he quickly sheds his polished armour. However, my favourite character, christened with one of the best names in fiction, is Demelza, Poldark's (very nearly) child bride; she literally grows and matures as the pages turn, but never loses her own identity or that wonderful accent! She is one of the few 'spirited' heroines I can stomach, such is Graham's talent at portraying her. The rest of the Poldark clan, not to mention the families from the surrounding mining villages, are also a riot of local colour.
Winston Graham's novels are accessible and instructive - he writes from history, not of it - but also thoughtful, and illustrated with beautifully poetic language and sentiment (his description of Ross' new understanding of his young wife is tender, but also concise in expressing the contradiction of feelings and desires). Returning to the beginning is not a chore with these books, and I can hardly wait to savour again the comedy, tragedy and beauty of following sequels.
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LibraryThing member diana.hauser
I recently read Winston Graham’s POLDARK and DEMELZA. These titles are part of a series written by Mr. Graham about a Cornish family spanning the years 1783-1820.
Ross Poldark returns home to Cornwall after a 2 year stint in the British Army fighting in the ‘colonies’ during the American War
The story includes copper mining, unethical banking and politics, marrying, family strife, smuggling, poaching, class inequalities, the natural beauty of Cornwall, elopement, epidemic, death, treachery, deceit, duels and sea captains.
The books subtlely overpower your life. You are totally engaged in the lives, the struggles, the passions of these characters.
I was first aware of this series in the 1970s. I was reading Daphne du Maurier who used Cornwall as a backdrop to several of her brilliant novels. Winston Graham was mentioned in several book lists as another excellent Cornish author.
Before I read any of Mr. Graham’s novels, his first 4 Poldark novels were adapted as a BBC TV series running from 1975 to 1977. Masterpiece Theatre broadcast the series in the U.S. in 1976 through 1978. I fell immediately in love - with Cornwall, with Ross Poldark (and with Robin Ellis, the actor who portrayed Ross Poldark), with Demelza Carne, Verity and all the characters. (Well, not the Warleggans!)
There is presently a fresh production of the Poldark saga on the BBC and Masterpiece Classic in the U.S. It is just as stunning as the first and I find myself falling in love all over again.
Winston Graham lived in Cornwall for 30+ years and his historical Poldark series presents (quite accurately) the wildly fluctuating economic fortunes of the region. Mr. Graham wrote 12 Poldark novels over a span of 40+ years, the last title published in 2002, a year before his death. He wrote many other novels, plays and short stories.
His novels are a fantastic read and I plan a Poldark reading marathon this winter.
Thank you, Mr. Graham, the BBC and Masterpiece Theatre.
Ross Poldark returns home to Cornwall after a 2 year stint in the British Army fighting in the ‘colonies’ during the American War
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of Independence. He returns home to his father’s death; an estate in a ruined state; his ‘intended’, Elizabeth, engaged to his cousin, Francis; a depressed economy and poverty for the miners, fishermen and farmers of the region; and rumors of his own demise in America.The story includes copper mining, unethical banking and politics, marrying, family strife, smuggling, poaching, class inequalities, the natural beauty of Cornwall, elopement, epidemic, death, treachery, deceit, duels and sea captains.
The books subtlely overpower your life. You are totally engaged in the lives, the struggles, the passions of these characters.
I was first aware of this series in the 1970s. I was reading Daphne du Maurier who used Cornwall as a backdrop to several of her brilliant novels. Winston Graham was mentioned in several book lists as another excellent Cornish author.
Before I read any of Mr. Graham’s novels, his first 4 Poldark novels were adapted as a BBC TV series running from 1975 to 1977. Masterpiece Theatre broadcast the series in the U.S. in 1976 through 1978. I fell immediately in love - with Cornwall, with Ross Poldark (and with Robin Ellis, the actor who portrayed Ross Poldark), with Demelza Carne, Verity and all the characters. (Well, not the Warleggans!)
There is presently a fresh production of the Poldark saga on the BBC and Masterpiece Classic in the U.S. It is just as stunning as the first and I find myself falling in love all over again.
Winston Graham lived in Cornwall for 30+ years and his historical Poldark series presents (quite accurately) the wildly fluctuating economic fortunes of the region. Mr. Graham wrote 12 Poldark novels over a span of 40+ years, the last title published in 2002, a year before his death. He wrote many other novels, plays and short stories.
His novels are a fantastic read and I plan a Poldark reading marathon this winter.
Thank you, Mr. Graham, the BBC and Masterpiece Theatre.
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LibraryThing member Jaylia3
I have a shameful confession. Other than a few notable exceptions (Tolstoy, Anthony Trollope, Jasper Fforde) I rarely enjoy fiction written by men. I can’t even discuss it without resorting to stereotypes I would resent if it was women being lumped together, but if I was forced to say something
So while I’ve been eagerly awaiting each TV episode of BBC’s Poldark, I remained hesitant to try the books by Winston Graham that the series is based on. Hesitant, that is, until I read the opening pages of this first book and got hooked.
The prose is beautiful, even graceful, without being ornate or fussy and Graham writes his characters, female and male, with clear-eyed but sympathetic insight that reminds me of George Eliot. There are touches of history (the doings of mad King George, the unrest in France, etc.) and humor, but the heart of the story centers on the families--noble and not--of Cornwall. We see their courtships, their marriages, and their home lives, and we travel to the mines, farm fields, and ocean waters where they earn their livings. It’s a credit to Graham’s skill as a writer that I was actually interested in the sections on copper mining.
In the first chapter of the book--and first episode of the TV series--Ross Poldark returns to Cornwall after fighting with the British in the American Revolution, only to find his father dead, his property in ruins, and his girlfriend engaged to his cousin. Ross is the son of a younger son, and not much interested in the niceties of class and society, making him an appealing character for modern sensibilities. His quick to learn but almost feral kitchen maid Demelza also plays a major role in the story, and so does Elizabeth, his former girlfriend, and his cousins Verity and Francis.
The book and the TV show complement each other wonderfully. The gorgeous scenery of the BBC production made my reading pleasure all the more vivid, and the book fills in details that the show has to skim over. The novel also gave me a chance to dwell in the story a little longer--an addictive pleasure. Immediately after finishing the first book I started the second volume in the series.
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it would be that even when I’m intrigued by the stories male authors have to tell, their characterizations, particularly of women, tend to make my skin crawl.So while I’ve been eagerly awaiting each TV episode of BBC’s Poldark, I remained hesitant to try the books by Winston Graham that the series is based on. Hesitant, that is, until I read the opening pages of this first book and got hooked.
The prose is beautiful, even graceful, without being ornate or fussy and Graham writes his characters, female and male, with clear-eyed but sympathetic insight that reminds me of George Eliot. There are touches of history (the doings of mad King George, the unrest in France, etc.) and humor, but the heart of the story centers on the families--noble and not--of Cornwall. We see their courtships, their marriages, and their home lives, and we travel to the mines, farm fields, and ocean waters where they earn their livings. It’s a credit to Graham’s skill as a writer that I was actually interested in the sections on copper mining.
In the first chapter of the book--and first episode of the TV series--Ross Poldark returns to Cornwall after fighting with the British in the American Revolution, only to find his father dead, his property in ruins, and his girlfriend engaged to his cousin. Ross is the son of a younger son, and not much interested in the niceties of class and society, making him an appealing character for modern sensibilities. His quick to learn but almost feral kitchen maid Demelza also plays a major role in the story, and so does Elizabeth, his former girlfriend, and his cousins Verity and Francis.
The book and the TV show complement each other wonderfully. The gorgeous scenery of the BBC production made my reading pleasure all the more vivid, and the book fills in details that the show has to skim over. The novel also gave me a chance to dwell in the story a little longer--an addictive pleasure. Immediately after finishing the first book I started the second volume in the series.
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LibraryThing member KateSherrod
I first encountered the romantic (and Romantic) figure of Ross Poldark, veteran of the British side of the American Revolutionary War, on television, via the glorious BBC adaptation that PBS aired when I was a kid. I knew that someday I'd have to get my hands on these books to read them, because I
Oddly, though, this does not seem to be the case, much; the television show has proven to be very faithful to the books, or at least to this first one*. Which is to say that all the melodrama of the returned, wronged veteran plot is here, with just a dash more melancholy in the form of a prologue concerning Ross's father and uncle as the former lays dying and the latter lays plans to marry his son to the girl Ross has always fancied. Because everyone presumes Ross to be dead, of course.
Oh, Ross! The odds are stacked against him from the start. His father being a younger son, what patrimony there is for him is meager at best -- just enough to qualify as "landed gentry" with all the responsibilities of a country squire, not enough to afford to live at all well. The tin mine from which his father's fortune was drawn has sucked it all back down again, and a rotten pair of no-good servants have let the family pile get so run down that they're housing chickens in the living room... welcome home, war hero!
Oh, and yes, his childhood sweetheart is indeed marrying his cousin, son of the older son who got all the money and the original estate and the tin mine that's still worth a damn! Did I mention melodrama? Because melodrama.
But melodrama isn't all that's on offer here. There is also some wonderful nature porn, of which author Winston Graham was a gifted practitioner. In the high Romantic tradition, weather is often a stand in for/emphasizer of emotion, so, for example, a solitary figure standing quietly still and watching the sea can be understood as in turmoil if the waves are being especially powerful and crashy. But sometimes it's just there for the sake of being there. I'm already half in love with Cornwall, between growing up watching Poldark on television and having recently enjoyed the excellent Doc Martin series, exteriors of which were shot in Port Isaac, Cornwall (which, take a look at SF superstar Alastair Reynolds' relatively recent photo odyssey there, tracking down Doc's house and whatnot), and it's obvious that Graham was, too. With good reason.
But Graham does interiors, too, like that of a cottage in which dwell a family under Ross's care, and how the family spends its exhausted evenings. Graham gets the whole "world lit only by fire" and turns this shack into a mysterious abode of shadows and half-secrets: "On the floor Matthew Mark Martin's long bare legs glimmered like two silver trout; the rest of him was hidden in the massive pool of shadow cast by his mother."
Winston Graham is one cinematic writer, no?
But he is also, as it turns out, a writer with a real gift for honest, ordinary human emotion. Especially -- and this is quite rare -- happiness. For example, a scene, one that really just concerns Ross and Demelza rowing out to watch the yearly pilchard catch, is one of the loveliest I've read in a long time, not so much for the scenery (although that is nice) as for the rarity it captures: a moment of quiet, slightly awe-stricken joy, joy that is recognized and savored by our usually troubled hero. It's a total grace note, this scene, but I'm so glad it's there.
For Ross is a most turbulent, even exhausting character. A member of a family so ancient and steady they would probably have regarded the Cecils as gotten up parvenus, he shuns the local gentry in favor of the miners and farmers and poverty-stricken villagers who are his tenants, not out of any hipster-ish disdain for the manners and mores of the former so much as an inborn sense of decency (sharpened by the memory of his reprobate, skirt-chasing-and-catching father), which gets him into plenty of trouble when his proteges get caught poaching or when he rescues an urchin from a beating and makes the life-changing decision to adopt said urchin as a member of his household staff even after said urchin turns out to be a 13-year-old girl... and everyone in Cornwall starts thinking what you're probably thinking right now, unless you already know Ross and his story...
All in all, this first Poldark book is one of the loveliest things I've ever read; even the love story, which sort of element usually makes me retch, is a thing of beauty. I suspect this is because Graham focused on the friendliness and companionship rather than on the passion. Ross Poldark spends most of the second half of the book hopeful and happy. And Graham found a way to make these states of mind anything but boring.
For pure pleasure in reading, Ross Poldark cannot be beaten.
*Though this is, of course, in plot and tone, really, this faithfulness. One way in which the TV show is lacking is in the way it portrays the relationship between Ross and Demelza. Robin Ellis did not really sell Ross's tenderness and genuine love for her, or the sheer happiness she brought to him. But could anyone, without a lot of cheesy voice-overs?
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could just tell that stuff was getting left out.Oddly, though, this does not seem to be the case, much; the television show has proven to be very faithful to the books, or at least to this first one*. Which is to say that all the melodrama of the returned, wronged veteran plot is here, with just a dash more melancholy in the form of a prologue concerning Ross's father and uncle as the former lays dying and the latter lays plans to marry his son to the girl Ross has always fancied. Because everyone presumes Ross to be dead, of course.
Oh, Ross! The odds are stacked against him from the start. His father being a younger son, what patrimony there is for him is meager at best -- just enough to qualify as "landed gentry" with all the responsibilities of a country squire, not enough to afford to live at all well. The tin mine from which his father's fortune was drawn has sucked it all back down again, and a rotten pair of no-good servants have let the family pile get so run down that they're housing chickens in the living room... welcome home, war hero!
Oh, and yes, his childhood sweetheart is indeed marrying his cousin, son of the older son who got all the money and the original estate and the tin mine that's still worth a damn! Did I mention melodrama? Because melodrama.
But melodrama isn't all that's on offer here. There is also some wonderful nature porn, of which author Winston Graham was a gifted practitioner. In the high Romantic tradition, weather is often a stand in for/emphasizer of emotion, so, for example, a solitary figure standing quietly still and watching the sea can be understood as in turmoil if the waves are being especially powerful and crashy. But sometimes it's just there for the sake of being there. I'm already half in love with Cornwall, between growing up watching Poldark on television and having recently enjoyed the excellent Doc Martin series, exteriors of which were shot in Port Isaac, Cornwall (which, take a look at SF superstar Alastair Reynolds' relatively recent photo odyssey there, tracking down Doc's house and whatnot), and it's obvious that Graham was, too. With good reason.
But Graham does interiors, too, like that of a cottage in which dwell a family under Ross's care, and how the family spends its exhausted evenings. Graham gets the whole "world lit only by fire" and turns this shack into a mysterious abode of shadows and half-secrets: "On the floor Matthew Mark Martin's long bare legs glimmered like two silver trout; the rest of him was hidden in the massive pool of shadow cast by his mother."
Winston Graham is one cinematic writer, no?
But he is also, as it turns out, a writer with a real gift for honest, ordinary human emotion. Especially -- and this is quite rare -- happiness. For example, a scene, one that really just concerns Ross and Demelza rowing out to watch the yearly pilchard catch, is one of the loveliest I've read in a long time, not so much for the scenery (although that is nice) as for the rarity it captures: a moment of quiet, slightly awe-stricken joy, joy that is recognized and savored by our usually troubled hero. It's a total grace note, this scene, but I'm so glad it's there.
For Ross is a most turbulent, even exhausting character. A member of a family so ancient and steady they would probably have regarded the Cecils as gotten up parvenus, he shuns the local gentry in favor of the miners and farmers and poverty-stricken villagers who are his tenants, not out of any hipster-ish disdain for the manners and mores of the former so much as an inborn sense of decency (sharpened by the memory of his reprobate, skirt-chasing-and-catching father), which gets him into plenty of trouble when his proteges get caught poaching or when he rescues an urchin from a beating and makes the life-changing decision to adopt said urchin as a member of his household staff even after said urchin turns out to be a 13-year-old girl... and everyone in Cornwall starts thinking what you're probably thinking right now, unless you already know Ross and his story...
All in all, this first Poldark book is one of the loveliest things I've ever read; even the love story, which sort of element usually makes me retch, is a thing of beauty. I suspect this is because Graham focused on the friendliness and companionship rather than on the passion. Ross Poldark spends most of the second half of the book hopeful and happy. And Graham found a way to make these states of mind anything but boring.
For pure pleasure in reading, Ross Poldark cannot be beaten.
*Though this is, of course, in plot and tone, really, this faithfulness. One way in which the TV show is lacking is in the way it portrays the relationship between Ross and Demelza. Robin Ellis did not really sell Ross's tenderness and genuine love for her, or the sheer happiness she brought to him. But could anyone, without a lot of cheesy voice-overs?
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LibraryThing member egrant5329
I binged watched season 1 on TV and really enjoyed it. Season 2 wasn't available yet so I decided to read the books. Oddly enough I felt the TV series is actually better than the books so far. The book is still good, but the show does a better job with Ross being crushed by Elizabeth. It also
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builds more of a story around the Warleggons trying to buy and control the mining. There are differences in the stories too. So read the books, then watch the PBS series when it comes out, both are excellent! Show Less
LibraryThing member arubabookwoman
This is the first volume of a series exploring life in 18th-19th century Cornwall. We are introduced to Ross Poldark as he returns to Cornwall having fought and been wounded in the American Revolutionary war. He finds that the woman he loves, and had hoped to marry, is engaged to another man, his
We can tell right away that Ross, although of a rebellious character, will be a leader and will shape his destiny. Along the way we will learn of farming methods, tin and copper mining, poaching, 18th/19th century medicine, and much, much more. The writing style is straight-forward, but lyrical (I loved this description of the sea: "The waves were shadows, snakes under a quilt..."). I'm looking forward to accompanying the various characters on their life paths.
4 stars
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cousin. His father has died and his family home and estate is in a shambles. I was immediately drawn in, as we are introduced to such real and varied characters as Jud and Prudie, Demelza and cousin Verity, and the various miners and their families living on Ross's estate and eking out an existence.We can tell right away that Ross, although of a rebellious character, will be a leader and will shape his destiny. Along the way we will learn of farming methods, tin and copper mining, poaching, 18th/19th century medicine, and much, much more. The writing style is straight-forward, but lyrical (I loved this description of the sea: "The waves were shadows, snakes under a quilt..."). I'm looking forward to accompanying the various characters on their life paths.
4 stars
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LibraryThing member anissaannalise
Last year my local PBS ran the BBC Poldark adaptation from the 70s & they showed a title card for the new adaptation that has just begun to air in the US through Masterpiece, and though I'd never heard of it, I found out that this was all a big deal and so were the books, back in the day. There's
Ross returns home to Cornwall and literally has just about the worst homecoming a person can have upon returning from a war scarred and lame (I don't recall him being lame in the television adaptations but then again, Ross is the sort of character that I think it would go unnoticed anyway). His father is dead & he's left nothing but debts, the family home, Nampara is in such a state that to say it's dilapidated would be a kindness and his fiancee, Elizabeth is now engaged to his cousin, Francis and their nuptials are imminent. That he didn't board ship and head off into the horizon or pitch himself down an mine and have done with it all speaks to the man. I will grant that Ross does a good bit of being wounded given the situation with Elizabeth and who could blame him but he also rolls up his sleeves and gets to setting right the things he can control in his life and that was utterly charming.
No major spoilers but I will say that I liked the mining business portion of the story and especially the Warleggans, who are just determined to own, consume and conquer. I'm pulling for Ross but like that he has formidable obstacles and the odds are not in his favor. There's a fair bit of class warfare going on as well and that was interesting theme as well. As for other characters, Demelza is quite endearing (he family is a catastrophe) and even with the age difference, I can see how she & Ross will work longterm. Verity is so very good that I just want good things for her and feel badly for her as she's either ignored, taken for granted or ordered & expected from by just about everyone but Ross. He treats Verity like an individual with a mind and feelings of her own. Their relationship is one of my favorites and I truly think she's more Ross's little sister than Francis's. Francis and Elizabeth seem like a good match as they care about the same things and I'm looking forward to Ross realizing that too. Jud & Prudie are a complete wreck but I admire Ross's ability to tolerate and care for them in spite of their flaws. I like to think that's what his father would have wished.
All in all this was an enjoyable read and is peopled with colorful characters. The sense of place and time is well rendered and I found this very readable. I'd recommend it to fans of historical fiction and I will be continuing with the series. I've already bought Demelza.
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serious fandom devoted to television adaptation and book. I thought it looked interesting and I'm always up for a good period drama so I watched and quickly realized that I was going to need to read the books. Now that I've read the first, I'm fairly sure that I'm going to need to go on through with the rest of the series. Ross returns home to Cornwall and literally has just about the worst homecoming a person can have upon returning from a war scarred and lame (I don't recall him being lame in the television adaptations but then again, Ross is the sort of character that I think it would go unnoticed anyway). His father is dead & he's left nothing but debts, the family home, Nampara is in such a state that to say it's dilapidated would be a kindness and his fiancee, Elizabeth is now engaged to his cousin, Francis and their nuptials are imminent. That he didn't board ship and head off into the horizon or pitch himself down an mine and have done with it all speaks to the man. I will grant that Ross does a good bit of being wounded given the situation with Elizabeth and who could blame him but he also rolls up his sleeves and gets to setting right the things he can control in his life and that was utterly charming.
No major spoilers but I will say that I liked the mining business portion of the story and especially the Warleggans, who are just determined to own, consume and conquer. I'm pulling for Ross but like that he has formidable obstacles and the odds are not in his favor. There's a fair bit of class warfare going on as well and that was interesting theme as well. As for other characters, Demelza is quite endearing (he family is a catastrophe) and even with the age difference, I can see how she & Ross will work longterm. Verity is so very good that I just want good things for her and feel badly for her as she's either ignored, taken for granted or ordered & expected from by just about everyone but Ross. He treats Verity like an individual with a mind and feelings of her own. Their relationship is one of my favorites and I truly think she's more Ross's little sister than Francis's. Francis and Elizabeth seem like a good match as they care about the same things and I'm looking forward to Ross realizing that too. Jud & Prudie are a complete wreck but I admire Ross's ability to tolerate and care for them in spite of their flaws. I like to think that's what his father would have wished.
All in all this was an enjoyable read and is peopled with colorful characters. The sense of place and time is well rendered and I found this very readable. I'd recommend it to fans of historical fiction and I will be continuing with the series. I've already bought Demelza.
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LibraryThing member purpledog
I wanted to read this book before I saw the PBS series and I am so glad I did. The best thing about the story was the characters. They are very relate-able. Even though the setting in over 200 years ago, the struggles are not so different from today.
The imagery was very well done and the plot
The imagery was very well done and the plot
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moved along nicely. Anyone who like historical fiction will love this one. Show Less
LibraryThing member justagirlwithabook
This was a bit of a slower sort of book but, if interested in the area of Cornwall, England and the time of the Revolutionary War, this book provides all the atmosphere a reader could want. The story follows Ross Poldark, a soldier for the British, as he returns home to find his fiance engaged to
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his brother (everyone had thought Ross was dead). This results in many complications throughout the rest of the story. Ross ultimately picks up a poor girl named Demelza who is a bit rough around the edges, and things develop from there. Overall, a really lovely story with strong time and place captured well. Show Less
LibraryThing member arielfl
I picked this up after watching the excellent Poldark series starring Aidan Turner on Masterpiece. I loved the series and wanted more. The basis for the story is Ross Poldark returns home to England from American Revolutionary War. His return is marred by the fact that his father has passed away,
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his house has fallen apart, and his betrothed, thinking he was dead, is married to his cousin. Through the course of the story Ross gradually regains his life back with the help of Demelza, a young servant girl he takes into his home. The TV series was extremely faithful to the book and I enjoyed both immensely. Show Less
LibraryThing member SoulFlower1981
When I started this book I thought that there was no way I was going to get through it because the first part of the book is very tedious in nature with far too many introductions of characters to get straight, however as it progressed it became a much more pleasurable read. I loved this book
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because it took ideas that were prevalent in this particular time period and showed why they don't matter. While some aspects didn't seem to sit well with me I do have to say that Graham was able to create something truly unique here and magical. He makes you care about each individual character and makes you wonder where each are going. In a book with some many characters that is no small feat! I originally did not feel that I would continue reading the rest of this series, but after finishing this volume I don't see how I can not read it. Show Less
LibraryThing member Jaylia3
I have a shameful confession. Other than a few notable exceptions (Tolstoy, Anthony Trollope, Jasper Fforde) I rarely enjoy fiction written by men. I can’t even discuss it without resorting to stereotypes I would resent if it was women being lumped together, but if I was forced to say something
So while I’ve been eagerly awaiting each TV episode of BBC’s Poldark, I remained hesitant to try the books by Winston Graham that the series is based on. Hesitant, that is, until I read the opening pages of this first book and got hooked.
The prose is beautiful, even graceful, without being ornate or fussy and Graham writes his characters, female and male, with clear-eyed but sympathetic insight that reminds me of George Eliot. There are touches of history (the doings of mad King George, the unrest in France, etc.) and humor, but the heart of the story centers on the families--noble and not--of Cornwall. We see their courtships, their marriages, and their home lives, and we travel to the mines, farm fields, and ocean waters where they earn their livings. It’s a credit to Graham’s skill as a writer that I was actually interested in the sections on copper mining.
In the first chapter of the book--and first episode of the TV series--Ross Poldark returns to Cornwall after fighting with the British in the American Revolution, only to find his father dead, his property in ruins, and his girlfriend engaged to his cousin. Ross is the son of a younger son, and not much interested in the niceties of class and society, making him an appealing character for modern sensibilities. His quick to learn but almost feral kitchen maid Demelza also plays a major role in the story, and so does Elizabeth, his former girlfriend, and his cousins Verity and Francis.
The book and the TV show complement each other wonderfully. The gorgeous scenery of the BBC production made my reading pleasure all the more vivid, and the book fills in details that the show has to skim over. The novel also gave me a chance to dwell in the story a little longer--an addictive pleasure. Immediately after finishing the first book I started the second volume in the series.
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it would be that even when I’m intrigued by the stories male authors have to tell, their characterizations, particularly of women, tend to make my skin crawl.So while I’ve been eagerly awaiting each TV episode of BBC’s Poldark, I remained hesitant to try the books by Winston Graham that the series is based on. Hesitant, that is, until I read the opening pages of this first book and got hooked.
The prose is beautiful, even graceful, without being ornate or fussy and Graham writes his characters, female and male, with clear-eyed but sympathetic insight that reminds me of George Eliot. There are touches of history (the doings of mad King George, the unrest in France, etc.) and humor, but the heart of the story centers on the families--noble and not--of Cornwall. We see their courtships, their marriages, and their home lives, and we travel to the mines, farm fields, and ocean waters where they earn their livings. It’s a credit to Graham’s skill as a writer that I was actually interested in the sections on copper mining.
In the first chapter of the book--and first episode of the TV series--Ross Poldark returns to Cornwall after fighting with the British in the American Revolution, only to find his father dead, his property in ruins, and his girlfriend engaged to his cousin. Ross is the son of a younger son, and not much interested in the niceties of class and society, making him an appealing character for modern sensibilities. His quick to learn but almost feral kitchen maid Demelza also plays a major role in the story, and so does Elizabeth, his former girlfriend, and his cousins Verity and Francis.
The book and the TV show complement each other wonderfully. The gorgeous scenery of the BBC production made my reading pleasure all the more vivid, and the book fills in details that the show has to skim over. The novel also gave me a chance to dwell in the story a little longer--an addictive pleasure. Immediately after finishing the first book I started the second volume in the series.
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LibraryThing member Herenya
I was delighted and relieved to discover that this tells the same story as the first four episodes of the BBC's recent series, Poldark: Ross returns home to discover his estate is derelict and the girl he loves is engaged to his cousin; he does a better job of befriending neighbouring tenants than
From my perspective, the book was a perfect mix of things that are the same - the personalities of the characters, specific lines of dialogue - and of things that added more to the story, or whose difference didn't really matter. Like the appearance of various characters.
I appreciated having a better understanding of the dynamics of the community and the greater nuance this gave certain events, such as the way Demelza is treated at the Christmas party. I loved getting to see more of Ross' relationship with his cousin Verity, and Verity's friendship with Demelza.
And I enjoyed Winston Graham's writing style much more than I expected to. His descriptions of Cornwall are lovely and vivid. (His descriptions of late 18th century medical practices are unsettling and frustrating - not because they're graphic but because I know that they're ineffective, or even counter-productive. But I suspect that's the point.)
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members of his own class and focuses on opening a mine; he rescues an urchin girl...From my perspective, the book was a perfect mix of things that are the same - the personalities of the characters, specific lines of dialogue - and of things that added more to the story, or whose difference didn't really matter. Like the appearance of various characters.
I appreciated having a better understanding of the dynamics of the community and the greater nuance this gave certain events, such as the way Demelza is treated at the Christmas party. I loved getting to see more of Ross' relationship with his cousin Verity, and Verity's friendship with Demelza.
And I enjoyed Winston Graham's writing style much more than I expected to. His descriptions of Cornwall are lovely and vivid. (His descriptions of late 18th century medical practices are unsettling and frustrating - not because they're graphic but because I know that they're ineffective, or even counter-productive. But I suspect that's the point.)
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LibraryThing member BrendaKlaassen
One of the patrons at the Library told me about this series. I tried and read this book to give her an honest opinion. I found the story so full of details that it moved very slowly. Sometimes this book did not hold my attention. The characters were well developed, but the adventure in the story
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just plodded along. I am not sure if I will read the other books in the series or not. Show Less
LibraryThing member BDartnall
Well written period drama/romance - finely drawn characters, believable dialogue, with historical/economic late 18th-century Cornwall life woven in almost seamlessly. Author does a good job of providing just enough atmosphere through landscape details/weather, and driving plot line forward.
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Wonderful British reserve at work again, here, as with other Brit writers I admire - saying what needs to be said, but just that, not more, and in precise prose. Look forward to reading book #2! Show Less
LibraryThing member janerawoof
Ross Poldark, the second son of a second son returns from the British defeat in America to his home in Cornwall. He tries to revive his defunct copper mine. He finds that his love, Elizabeth, has thought him dead and has married his cousin. But he finds and marries Demelza, a girl from a lower
This was a typical romance, not really didn't catching fire until halfway through Book 2. From then on I couldn't put it down. The author wrote well; I especially liked his descriptions of the Cornish landscape. Sometimes the use of dialect by the lower class characters puzzled me. The only characters I felt anything for and had any personalities were Ross, Demelza, and Verity, his cousin. Through family disapproval, she has lost her love, a sea captain. She becomes a friend to Demelza. Why Ross in the first place had been enamoured with the milksop, Elizabeth, is beyond me.
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class, although he's gentry. They find happiness together.This was a typical romance, not really didn't catching fire until halfway through Book 2. From then on I couldn't put it down. The author wrote well; I especially liked his descriptions of the Cornish landscape. Sometimes the use of dialect by the lower class characters puzzled me. The only characters I felt anything for and had any personalities were Ross, Demelza, and Verity, his cousin. Through family disapproval, she has lost her love, a sea captain. She becomes a friend to Demelza. Why Ross in the first place had been enamoured with the milksop, Elizabeth, is beyond me.
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LibraryThing member Joanne53
I fell in love with this series when I first saw it on Masterpiece Theater back in the late 70' or early 80's and just recently came across the new issues published by Sourcebooks. Hopefully I will be able reach my goal of reading all 12 volumes!
LibraryThing member Shuffy2
A British soldier, once thought dead, returns home after the American Revolution…but what does life hold?
Ross Poldark returns home to Cornwall after the war to find his life is in shambles—his father is dead, the house is in disarray, his bank account is empty and the love of his life has found
I was excited to read this book knowing there was a PBS adaption in the works and while I enjoyed it, I feel the story was a bit too light and rushed at times. The characters and story all fit fine into place but I did not feel the character relationships were developed to their full potential--- yes Ross loved Elizabeth, Elizabeth married Francis, and Demelza… well—I knew how they felt because the author told us but I did not ‘see’ it for myself. The story is intriguing so I will continue with the series as I am interested to see how it turns out, I hope the character development grows further with each book…
Ross Poldark returns home to Cornwall after the war to find his life is in shambles—his father is dead, the house is in disarray, his bank account is empty and the love of his life has found
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someone new. To put everything back together he will need help-- he has his father’s ‘faithful’ servants, Jud and Prudie, as well as a new young kitchen maid, Demelza-- will it be enough? As he struggles to put everything back together, he eventually discovers there is more to life than wealth and status… what about love and happiness? I was excited to read this book knowing there was a PBS adaption in the works and while I enjoyed it, I feel the story was a bit too light and rushed at times. The characters and story all fit fine into place but I did not feel the character relationships were developed to their full potential--- yes Ross loved Elizabeth, Elizabeth married Francis, and Demelza… well—I knew how they felt because the author told us but I did not ‘see’ it for myself. The story is intriguing so I will continue with the series as I am interested to see how it turns out, I hope the character development grows further with each book…
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LibraryThing member Smiler69
I stayed up very late for a few nights reading the first book in this series, and just finished it last night. Somehow I vastly increased my reading speed with this novel from nearly 2 mins/page nearly by half—to just 1 minute and a few seconds! (my normal rate in much younger days). Not sure how
Of course this doesn't constitute much of a review, or if it even is one, which I doubt, but, in my defence, other than rehashing the book synopsis and expressing how excited I was about this novel I don't feel I have much to add; and as the former can be found everywhere and others have already done a great job of interpreting their take on the story, I think my job is done. I hope I did manage to get across how much I enjoyed it and will add that I'm seriously considering reading the whole series in short order, as I have it from knowledgeable sources that all the following 11 books are of equal quality of writing and period detail.
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that happened, but I'm hoping it carries over with other books, though I suspect it has a lot to do with reading interest and a narrative you don't want to pull away from even for a mere moment! Can't wait to continue on with Demelza. Of course this doesn't constitute much of a review, or if it even is one, which I doubt, but, in my defence, other than rehashing the book synopsis and expressing how excited I was about this novel I don't feel I have much to add; and as the former can be found everywhere and others have already done a great job of interpreting their take on the story, I think my job is done. I hope I did manage to get across how much I enjoyed it and will add that I'm seriously considering reading the whole series in short order, as I have it from knowledgeable sources that all the following 11 books are of equal quality of writing and period detail.
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LibraryThing member emmytuck
I had some high expectations for this book based on the reviews and whatnot and unfortunately I was a little disappointed.
The story seemed to be as much about the villagers on Ross's estate as Ross himself. And I couldn't help feel that every time the plot got pulled off in the direction of one of
Some of the accents were nearly unintelligible. And they often went on forever. There were these big rambling speeches and I would understand the gist, but half of the words were indecipherable. I don't know what accent it was supposed to be, but it just didn't make sense.
However, there was some good descriptive writing, which gives the book some merit, but you can't carry a story on that.
The story seemed to be as much about the villagers on Ross's estate as Ross himself. And I couldn't help feel that every time the plot got pulled off in the direction of one of
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these other characters, that the story has just lost its focus. One instance of this was, at the marriage of two of the villagers (which Ross was not at) there was almost an entire chapter dedicated to an argument over a case of gin. It did not add to the story and was not interesting to me. I think it was supposed to be humorous, but it just felt flat. And it brings me to my next point.Some of the accents were nearly unintelligible. And they often went on forever. There were these big rambling speeches and I would understand the gist, but half of the words were indecipherable. I don't know what accent it was supposed to be, but it just didn't make sense.
However, there was some good descriptive writing, which gives the book some merit, but you can't carry a story on that.
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LibraryThing member fuzzi
I, also, fell in love with the series after watching the BBC production in the 1970s, broadcast through Masterpiece Theatre on PBS (remember Alistair Cooke?).
I have most of the books in this series on my bookshelves, and have read all except the last (Bella Poldark), which was not available at the
So, what is it about this series, these characters, that mesmerize us, that have us wanting more?
Perhaps it is because the people and situations are real to us, and that we quickly come to care about them, thus creating a desire for more information, more stories.
I am sorry that Mr. Graham has since passed on, but he has left a legacy with this series, and I mean that sincerely.
I have most of the books in this series on my bookshelves, and have read all except the last (Bella Poldark), which was not available at the
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library. I'll get it one of these days...So, what is it about this series, these characters, that mesmerize us, that have us wanting more?
Perhaps it is because the people and situations are real to us, and that we quickly come to care about them, thus creating a desire for more information, more stories.
I am sorry that Mr. Graham has since passed on, but he has left a legacy with this series, and I mean that sincerely.
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LibraryThing member lindawwilson
I agree completely with the review by "amma" and could not say it better. I spent a lot of time collecting the 12 books in this series from used sellers on amazon and have been enthralled with the first 2 volumes. I wish the books were still in print and on kindle.
LibraryThing member F.Langman
l loved the Poldark series and have read it many times,a must for lovers of historical sagas. Set in 17th century Cornwall it tells the tale of Ross Poldark,returned from the war to find his father dead,his fiancee engaged to another man and the family home a ruin. He meets a young girl at a fair
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and when he takes her in as a servant his life changes for ever. Show Less
LibraryThing member MickyFine
Ross Poldark returns to his native Cornwall after fighting on the British side in the American Revolutionary War. In his absence, Ross has lost his father, his lands and estate have fallen into disrepair, and the girl with whom he had an informal understanding is now engaged to his cousin. In the
I picked up this novel after finding myself sucked into the most recent television adaptation and was not disappointed. The books are well written and the characters of whom I was already fond are well drawn. The advantage of print over television of course is that we get a sense of the internal motivations of the characters and it was interesting to see where my interpretation of events in the television show differed from how the book described it. Wonderful and compulsively readable historical fiction, I am immediately diving into the second book in this series.
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face of all these hardships, Ross nonetheless makes strides towards developing his own estate and re-opening a long disused mine. He also makes the spur of the moment decision to take on an urchin from a fair as his kitchen maid, a choice that will have longer ramifications than anyone suspected.I picked up this novel after finding myself sucked into the most recent television adaptation and was not disappointed. The books are well written and the characters of whom I was already fond are well drawn. The advantage of print over television of course is that we get a sense of the internal motivations of the characters and it was interesting to see where my interpretation of events in the television show differed from how the book described it. Wonderful and compulsively readable historical fiction, I am immediately diving into the second book in this series.
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LibraryThing member lynelle.clark.5
Ross Poldark's book was waiting for me patiently for a few years, I might add, before I could finally get to it.
After watching the entire TV series, I knew I had to make a plan to buy these books. Each time I receive money I buy the Kindle version and finally got to it in last week.
The author's
It felt like I was walking back in time and experience the hardships of the mining families, the longing of Verity to be with her beau. Witness Ross as he limped his way through Treadwell's doors and meets Elizabeth after a time of separation. The heartache of knowing his love was engaged to another. It was like looking at the series all over again.
Book one begins with Ross Poldark returning from America after a two-year war. The boy that went away and left under the scrutiny of childish whims became a man. Once he returned, the boy made room for a man that had to face the harsh realities of Nampara's neglect. Of his father's death, two trusted workers who cared more for their next glass of ale than running the farm and the poverty-stricken chaos left behind.
Through these discouragements, he finds his feet once more and we watch as he picks up the pieces and gets his life back on track.
It's a story almost too common to be a hit series. With highs and lows of typical everyday life, but through the author's writing, it becomes a tale of victory, love and determination.
A story that touches the heart and leaves you with a sense of peace. As if all things are possible, if you will stay with the basics; do what is right, be true and all will work out.
The things that mostly stood out for me were to stay true to your path and enjoy the simple things in life. The rest will work out on its own.
This is really a must read for all readers that is looking for more than just crisp writing or a thrilling story. It allows you to forget the problems in your own life and see through the author's eyes the lives of others and how they have found their own wisdom and peace.
Now I am off to read more about Demelza and her part within this growing saga of the Poldark clan.
After watching the entire TV series, I knew I had to make a plan to buy these books. Each time I receive money I buy the Kindle version and finally got to it in last week.
The author's
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writing style brought all the scenes of the series to the forefront and I could enjoy the characters, the beautiful sceneries of Cornwall, the crash of the seas on the nearby rocks in vivid colour once again. It felt like I was walking back in time and experience the hardships of the mining families, the longing of Verity to be with her beau. Witness Ross as he limped his way through Treadwell's doors and meets Elizabeth after a time of separation. The heartache of knowing his love was engaged to another. It was like looking at the series all over again.
Book one begins with Ross Poldark returning from America after a two-year war. The boy that went away and left under the scrutiny of childish whims became a man. Once he returned, the boy made room for a man that had to face the harsh realities of Nampara's neglect. Of his father's death, two trusted workers who cared more for their next glass of ale than running the farm and the poverty-stricken chaos left behind.
Through these discouragements, he finds his feet once more and we watch as he picks up the pieces and gets his life back on track.
It's a story almost too common to be a hit series. With highs and lows of typical everyday life, but through the author's writing, it becomes a tale of victory, love and determination.
A story that touches the heart and leaves you with a sense of peace. As if all things are possible, if you will stay with the basics; do what is right, be true and all will work out.
The things that mostly stood out for me were to stay true to your path and enjoy the simple things in life. The rest will work out on its own.
This is really a must read for all readers that is looking for more than just crisp writing or a thrilling story. It allows you to forget the problems in your own life and see through the author's eyes the lives of others and how they have found their own wisdom and peace.
Now I am off to read more about Demelza and her part within this growing saga of the Poldark clan.
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Language
Original language
English
Original publication date
1945
Physical description
347 p.; 6.8 inches