I am confident that the Book of Lost Friends by Lisa Wingate is a story that will stay with me for a very long time. Wingate includes actual advertisements from those looking for their "Lost Friends" after the civil war. Southern Newspapers ran these advertisements, and they were read aloud in churches with the hopes of reuniting friends and families torn apart by slavery. I had unfortunately never heard of these advertisements, and they made me feel both horrified once again for those that endured the pain and heartbreak of separation from those they loved (amongst the endless other evils of slavery), and also hopeful that the heart will never stop longing for it's missing pieces.

1875: Hannie was very young when her family was cruelly sold off in pieces and she's spent the rest of her young life clinging to the memories and the hope of finding them again. She meticulously stores their names in her brain, noting the details she remembers from their last whereabouts. Hannie is so brave, interesting and wise beyond her years, and I just fell in love with her. Throughout the story, she consistently shows great character by doing what she believes is right, even when it's not what is safest or most beneficial for her. Hannie goes on such a journey, alongside two unlikely travel companions, and made my heart nearly explode a few times.

1987: Benny is a new English teacher in an impossible situation. She does her best to connect with her students, but their lives in Rural-Louisiana, in a high school that even the school board has basically written-off, leave little for them to feel hopeful about, let alone motivate them to do well in school. Benny befriends her landlord Nathan Gossett, who also owns the vacant plantation, Goswood Grove, and with a little unexpected help from one of her students, they uncover some priceless historical information. Benny also enlists the help of some respected members of the community (I love Granny T. and Sarge!), and her classes go on an incredible journey to make the history of their town and families come alive.

Glows:

I love learning about Hannie's period of time, even though it's also heartbreaking. The characters are engaging, and at times terrifying. I really enjoyed the adventure the three women were on, even though I was often very nervous about what was going to happen, or at times really sad about circumstances. I thought the different accents/dialects were well-done.

The 80's time period was also written well and kept my interest. I connected with many characters in this book and was really rooting for their growth and happiness.

Grows:

One thing that bothered me was the names for the groups of students in Benny's story. I really didn't like the term "swamp rats," even though I KNOW these were likely common terms, and I've heard terms like "mall rats," and "street rats" (Aladdin!) before. I still don't like it.

I know books can't go on forever, but I would have loved to know a little bit more about Benny especially before the end of the book. We get hints of her story, but not much that makes us truly understand until the very end.

I also personally really want to know what happened back at Goswood after Hannie and the other ladies leave. I don't know how it would make sense in the story, but I really want to know what Mrs. Gossett, Tati, Jason and John did in their absence.

Overall, I absolutely enjoyed and would definitely recommend this book. Thank you so much to Random House Publishing Group, NetGalley, and Lisa Wingate for an advanced electronic copy of this book.

Thank you to Random House Publishing, Ballentine and Net Galley for the chance to read and review this book. Once again, Lisa Wingate has written a great story based on true history. In 1875, Hannie (a former slave) is on a journey to find her lost family. In 1987, teacher Benedetta Silva is searching for a way to help her students connect to their ancestors and appreciate life a little more. The author does a wonderful job of connecting these two women and bringing their stories together. I really liked the "Lost Friends" advertisements throughout the book. This is a winner!

Much like “Before We Were Yours” this is a story that NEEDED to be told.... and Lisa Wingate did a beautiful job doing so. The dual time periods intertwined into one story was a plus. Highly recommended

After loving Before We Were Yours by Lisa Wingate, I couldn't wait to read The Book of Lost Friends and was thrilled to receive an ARC from NetGalley. This book did not disappoint. It's written in two different points of view in two different time periods. Hannie is a young, ex-slave in 1875 and Benny, a teacher in Louisiana, in 1987. Each woman learns and grows through their journey during the story. The title, The Book of Lost Friends, is based on "Lost Friends" postings that were posted after the Civil War by ex-slave families hoping to find their loved ones that had been sold away while enslaved. This is another "couldn't put it down" book.

I do love Lisa Wingate and her previous books, but this one did not grab me. It seemed dry and repetitive...and I couldn't connect with the characters.
I do believe however that others will love the historical significance this story does bring. If you love history..do try it.

Lisa Wingate never disappoints. I was riveted by this books. What a fantastic description of the post-Civil War and the poignant search for family. The connection to modern day made it all the more interesting and an homage to history teachers.

Lisa Wingate does not disappoint! The Book of Lost Friends is a historical fiction novel that will move you, enrage you, and mesmerize you from start to finish. Inspired by real life, Lisa Wingate creates a storyline that you won’t soon forget. My favorite aspect to Lisa Wingate’s novels is the fact that I always learn so much! After finishing this 5 star novel, I researched more online because I was so blown away by this books premise! I highly recommend The Book of Lost Friends to everyone - a true must read!

This book is so heartbreaking. I cannot find the words to Express the level of hurt I felt in this book. Knowing that it was inspired by true events makes it even more heartwrenching. Wingate is an amazing writer and deserves all the praise. This is my first book by Wingate but I have Before We Were Yours waiting on my shelf.

I received this from Netgalley.com for a review.

The chapters are written in alternating timelines. In 1875 we meet Hannie, a former slave.
1987, Benny a new school teacher, trying to get through to her kids, in a very rural area of Louisiana.

A great story and a slice of American history that should never be forgotten.

4☆

I loved this book. The story is riveting. I knew nothing about the existence of The Lost Letters. I plan on learning more about this topic

The book goes back and forth from 1875 with Hannie setting out to find the family in which she was separated and 1987 with Benny who has issues with her family as well.

The stories are woven together excellently and come together effectively in a great ending.

My favorite line in the book is “‘We die once when the last breath leaves our bodies. We die a second time when the last person speaks our name.” - very moving words!

Thank you to Netgalley for an advanced copy. I will be recommending this book to all of my friends!

In 1987 Louisiana, Benedette Silva has landed a subsidized job at a poor rural school, a job she hopes will help pay for her large college debts, But when she lands in this tiny river town that is out of step. The people of Augustine Louisiana do not easily embrace new comers with new ideas. And Benny cannot even begin to imagine what life is like for her poverty stricken students, many of whom come to school hungry. But in this setting amidst snarled oaks and run down plantations, lies the history of three women from a century prior, and there stories just may change everything.


I give the Book of Lost Friends five out of five stars!


Happy Reading!

Wow, just wow! I just finished this book and have goosebumps. This well-written story of 2 women, of different eras, is poignant and gripping. Hannie Gossett, from Louisiana in 1875, finds herself looking for her family after the civil war. She has a harrowing journey in which she finds more than she ever hoped. Benedetta SIlva, is a teacher in Louisiana in 1987. On her quest to relate to her students, she unearths a deep history she did not know about. This history brings her closure to her past, as well as opening a future she could only dream of.

This story is a page turner and a must read!

I loved Before We Were Yours. It left an indelible impression on me, and I still think about the story, The Book of Lost Friends came very close to “as good”.
Hannie is a brave brave girl, and most definitely my favorite character in the book. How she finds her lost family is incredible. This is a wonderfully written book of literature. I couldn’t put it down. Thank you to NetGalley and Random House publishing for the egalley.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
The Book of Lost Friends
Lisa Wingate
Publication date 4/7/20

What a masterpiece of Historical Fiction. This story goes back and forth from 1875 - 1987. Inspired by true events this book is told from two points of you. This incredibly raw and compelling story deals with three young women post civil war trying to find their lost family members in the late 1800’s. It then follows a new teacher a century later moving to Louisiana to try to start over... Lisa Wingate created believable characters and in interesting plot twists. The story builds slowly but the crosses over between the characters and time periods. I felt myself rooting for these incredible women and the books shows their strength, encouragement and perseverance.

What I really loved was that in between the chapters were articles posted by former slaves looking for their families. The heartbreaking letters were published in a Methodist newspaper and went out to more than 4000 subscription holders. I can only hope and pray that it did unite some families. This book left me heartbroken for all the slaves that were sold and treated so badly, for those that were abused and to then ones who were never reunited. This is a story that will stay with you just like all her other books! It’s a must read!!

Thank you the Netgalley and Random House for providing me the ARC for my honest review of The Book of Lost Friends.

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I have been looking forward to this book!

I love Lisa's writing, her historical writing amazes me. She does her research
so we can learn while we enjoy the book. I find myself holding my breath while I am reading her books.

Through the historical terminology and dialect we hear their words.
We travel to the South after the Civil War, where freed slaves want to find relatives again.
Through newspaper columns - LOST FRIENDS in the SOUTHWESTERN
from 1879 - 1884, family members desperately search for lost family members.

Then fast forward to 1987, where a teacher is attempting to reach her students
begins project "Tales from the Underground" with her students.
Leads them all down a new and unexpected path.
Real history lets us see others in another light and helps understanding.

This title from Lisa Wingate is disappointing. The characters fail to grab hold of the reader and the plot trudges along. Would recommend her past titles to patrons.

I was hesitant to request and read this because there is an earlier book by Lisa Wingate that I am pretty sure I hated, although I never marked it as "read" on goodreads, so either I hated it enough not to even acknowledge I read it, or I am mistaken. Anyway, I decided to request it from netgalley last week since I was in between books and part of the story is set in the South not long after slavery was abolished, which is a favorite of mine.

There are actually two timelines/POVs which I am not usually a big fan of but they work pretty well in the story, however it seemed like when the story had the potential to make me truly emotional or had me captivated with wanting more, that's when the POV would switch. In between each set of two POV scenes, there is a classified ad, I think most of the ads are connected to the present day storyline, although I didn't realize it until the third or fourth when the name sounded familiar.

Despite my hesitations and the POV switching I still really enjoyed the book. Lisa Wingate created believable characters and believable plotlines. The only real drawback, the reason this didn't get shelved on my need-more-stars shelf, is the ending felt rushed and not completely concluded - we know from the epilogue where things ended up but not completely how since it was summarized in the epilogue.

*received free digital ARC from netgalley

THE BOOK OF LOST FRIENDS by Lisa Wingate is a beautifully-written and moving work of historical fiction set mainly in Louisiana in two different time periods a century apart. Inspired by true events, it tells the compelling story of three young women bound together by their search for their missing family members in the post-Civil War South. In 1875, Lavinia is the spoiled heiress to her father’s dwindling estate. When her illegitimate half-sister, Juneau Jane appears claiming a part of the inheritance, the pair set off to seek the documents that will settle the matter. Lavinia’s former slave, Hannie, discovers Lavinia and Juneau Jane in a perilous situation and takes charge of rescuing them even though this puts her at great risk in these troubling times. The three women end up on a treacherous journey westward to Texas where Lavinia and Juneau Jane search for their father and Hannie searches for her mother and eight siblings that were torn from her at a slave auction when she was only six-years old. In 1987, Benedetta Silva is a first-year teacher in the impoverished river town of Augustine, Louisiana. Inadvertently, she comes across information from a hundred years past that sheds light on the journey of the three women and their connection to the students in her own classroom. The book alternates between the 1875 and 1987 and the points of view of Hannie and Benny. The two storylines are woven together seamlessly in the end. I admit that I knew nothing about the “Lost Friends” advertisements that were posted in Southern newspapers so that freed slaves and displaced people could attempt to locate their loved ones. Using some of the actual ads throughout the book gave a touching continuity to the whole story. I really enjoyed this interesting and engrossing read and highly recommend it. Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the chance to read an early copy.

Lisa Wingate's The Book of Lost Friends begins slowly, but the payoff for persevering is big. The last few chapters twine the plot's twin narratives together in an effective, moving way.

Let's start with the Book of Friends at the heart of The Book of Friends. After emancipation, thousands upon thousands of formerly enslaved people found themselves searching for family and friends from whom they'd been separated through sales. The Southwestern Christian Advocate ran advertisements on behalf of those seeking loved ones, and Black clergy read these ads aloud from the pulpit every week in hopes of bringing about reunions. The ads ran from immediately after the Civil War into the first part of the 20th Century. You can view a contemporary database of these ads here: https://www.hnoc.org/database/lost-fr...

In one story line, Hannie, a former slave finds herself traveling through Texas with her former owner's two daughters—one legitimate, the other born to his "high yellow" mistress—searching for their father. Hannie is worried the former owner's wife will cheat her family out of a sharecropping contact, which would grant them a plot of land after sharecropping it for ten years. The two daughters are both determined to prevent the other from collecting inheritance. The three travel, disguised as men, and on their journey find themselves collecting "lost friends" stories to share in hopes of facilitating some reunions themselves.

In the second story line, set in the 1980s, a naive teacher takes a job at a rural Louisiana school in order to earn student-loan forgiveness. The school is miserably under-resourced; the students are disengaged, with few hopes for the future. At this moment, the book could have turned into a "white savior" narrative, but Wingate avoids that by having the students find their own way out of disengagement, conducting family histories and research on the history of the town they live in and its Black Library (now desegregated), built with Carnegie funds when the town refused Blacks admission to the single library available during the late 1880s.

As I said at the start, this book opens slowly, and I considered leaving it unfinished at several point, but I'm very glad I didn't. The book is sentimental in places, but there's something larger and more challenging at its heart that is worth reading.

I received a free electronic review copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. The opinions are my own.

Excellent story about two women, Benny and Hannie, whose lives intertwine in different times and circumstances. Benny, a struggling first-year teacher in a tough rural Louisiana school, genuinely wants to have an impact on the lives of her students, who seem hellbent on remaining firmly where they are, despite her best efforts to win them over. Hannie is a young former slave, working hard to survive sharecropping on the estate of her former owner and hoping to gain ownership of the farm she shares with friends, all while desperately searching for her mother and siblings who were all ripped away from her years earlier. Wingate's characters are beautifully developed in alternating chapters interspersed with authentic advertisements taken by African Americans seeking loved ones lost to slavery in the Southwestern Christian Advocate (a newspaper circulated in the post-Civil War era).
I thoroughly enjoyed this novel and learning about the history of the "Lost Friends" ads that sought to reunite families. Benny's story especially resonated with me, as it strongly reminds me of the two years I spent teaching in a similar community. (I needed a Granny T in my corner!)
Thanks to NetGalley for the read!
Highly recommended