"The Gilded Strand of 19th Century New Jersey"

Long Branch, New Jersey, initially a sleepy little seashore village but one where the cottages eventually resembled palaces, becomes the Gilded Strand of the Gilded Age of the late 19 th century. The narrator tells the story of how her grandmother of the famous Dunbar family interacted with former Presidents and many other influential, powerful families within that political and social milieu. Indeed, it is General Ulysses Grant who first establishes Long Branch as a noteworthy summer resort area. And it is James Garfield's daughter, Molly, who becomes the best friend of the narrator's grandmother.

Eventually, James Garfield is shot by an assassin, seems near death for three months, and is finally brought to Long Branch , almost half way into the book. For those who are socially conscious, the names and family/political/social connections in this book are innumerable for that particular time period. Scandals, disputed elections, with passing references to other famous men and women like Susan B. Anthony bring the reader into a prosperous and superficial community hiding a host of political intrigue and deception from its constituents.

The forty years between the Civil War and the dawn of the 20 th century, however, are accurately portrayed as amazingly progressive on industrial and technological inventions destined to change the face of future American business. In that sense alone, this account is an accurate, albeit rambling, reflection of the changing American culture on the cusp of a turning century.

Reviewed by Viviane Crystal on March 28, 2006

Reviewed by Viviane Crystal
Courtesy Crystal Reviews
Posted July 9, 2006

Summary

Garfield's Train is a novel of the New Jersey Shore, when Long Branch was the "Gilded Strand" of the Gilded Age. The wealthiest families in the country built elaborate 30-room cottages along the seacoast, frequented the casinos and racetracks, and lived the good life. Then President James Garfield was shot by an assassin in 1881. He lingered in pain for three months, and was finally brought to Long Branch to die. The fictional Dunbar family interacts with a supporting cast of General Grant, Roscoe Conkling, James G. Blaine, Susan B. Anthony, and of course, the whole Garfield family, recreating the bygone era of Long Branch's proudest hours.