One (Knowledgeable) Author’s Opinion on the Sequels to “Gone with the Wind”

John Wiley, Jr. is the co-author of “Margaret Mitchell’s Gone With the Wind,” a history of how GWTW became an international phenomenon that has sustained the public’s interest for 75 years. Wiley is one of the world’s foremost authorities on the Mitchell and her novel. He owns an immense collection of related memorabilia, including more than 800 different editions of the novel, and has been interviewed by USA Today, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, the London Times and NPR. Wiley publishes The Scarlett Letter, a quarterly newsletter for GWTW fans.

We asked Wiley what he thought about the authorized sequels to this iconic novel, and below is what he said:

“There have been two authorized sequels to ‘Gone with the Wind,’ both published long after author Margaret Mitchell’s death.

“The first, ‘Scarlett’ by Alexandra Ripley, became an instant bestseller on its release in 1991, but was savaged by critics. While Ripley gave the public what it wanted – a reunited Scarlett and Rhett – many readers, including myself, found taking Scarlett to Ireland jarring. By moving the setting from the South and killing off Mammy early, Ripley was able to avoid dealing with racial issues, but her Scarlett did not seem like the ‘real’ Scarlett.

“A second authorized sequel was published in 2007. ‘Rhett Butler’s People’ by Donald McCaig tells the story of Rhett before and after he met Scarlett – and ‘fills in’ the GWTW story in those long sections of the original novel when Rhett is offstage. The book received generally positive reviews, and while I did not like the ending, I think McCaig did a good job of capturing Rhett and explaining some of his later behaviors.

“The magic of Mitchell’s original is that each reader can imagine his or her own ending. The question – Did Scarlett win Rhett back? – continues to be debated today.”

So what do you think? Did you read either sequel? If so, were you satisfied with what it added to the GWTW story?

Interested in learning more about John? Read our Q&A with him.