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The Cigar Factory: A Novel of Charleston (Story River Books) Kindle Edition

by Michele Moore (Author), Pat Conroy (Foreword) Format: Kindle Edition
4.3 out of 5 stars 519 ratings
Two women kept apart by segregation at a Southern cigar factory forge a powerful alliance in the labor rights movement in this historical novel.

With evocative dialect and remarkable prose, The Cigar Factory tells the story of two entwined families—the white McGonegals and the African American Ravenels—in the storied port city of Charleston, South Carolina, during the World Wars. Moore’s novel follows the parallel lives of family matriarchs working on segregated floors of the massive Charleston cigar factory, where white and black workers remain divided and misinformed about the duties and treatment received by each other.

Cassie McGonegal and her niece Brigid work upstairs in the factory rolling cigars by hand. Meliah Amey Ravenel works in the basement, where she stems the tobacco. While both suffer in the harsh working conditions of the factory and endure the sexual harassment of the foremen, segregation keeps them from recognizing their common plight until the Tobacco Workers Strike of 1945.

Through the experience of a brutal picket line, the two women discover how much they stand to gain by joining forces, creating a powerful moment in labor history that gives rise to the Civil Rights anthem, “We Shall Overcome.” Moore’s historical research includes interviews with family members who worked at the cigar factory, adding nuance and authenticity to her empowering story of struggle, loss, and redemption.

Foreword by New York Times best-selling author Pat Conroy

Winner of the 2016 David J. Langum, Sr. Prize
Previous slide of product details
  1. Print length
    428 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    University of South Carolina Press
  4. Publication date
    February 9, 2016
  5. File size
    4.0 MB
  6. Page Flip
    Enabled
  7. Word Wise
    Enabled
  8. Enhanced typesetting
    Enabled
Next slide of product details

Editorial Reviews

Review

"[Michelle Moore] . . . strikes gold in her depiction of cigar manufacturing in an era when the free market ruled. The factory is clearly the main character, a vivid, oppressive presence in the lives of its workers, and readers will not regret learning the nuts and bolts of its operation. High quality historical fiction."―Kirkus Reviews

"Moore . . . handles speech deflty, and the poetry of Charleston street lingo quickly shines through."―Star News Online

"An enthralling new novel."―Charleston Magazine

"Compelling. The Cigar Factory vividly portrays an unspoken but well-known fact about life in Charleston: It is rooted in Gullah Geechee culture and has close ties to West African heritage. From the Gullah language spoken by both white and black Charlestonians, to shared food ways, religious practices, and folk beliefs, Michele Moore's novel showcases the many ways that Charleston has been affected by the port city's large West African presence. In these pages characters of varying social classes and of European, African, and American heritages blend their truths about momentous events in Charleston history. Marvel at their stories and at all you will learn."―Ronald Daise, author, cultural preservationist, and past chair of the Gullah Geechee Cultural Heritage Corridor Commission

"The story whisks along, pulling the reader into a beautifully rendered Charleston of yore."―The Post and Courier

"The Cigar Factory is a large-hearted novel with a cast of characters wholly original in the vast, tempestuous literature of Charleston. It is a courageous book that takes chances with language that I wouldn't think of taking; but I will always be grateful that Michele Moore took as her ambitious objective to tell a story in which the truth of language and the truth of lives hold equal sway."―Pat Conroy, from the foreword

"The Cigar Factory is a musical prose poem. Important."―Will Patton, award-winning audio-book recording artist

About the Author

Michele Moore has served as a fellow in the English Department at Piedmont College in Demorest, Georgia. She was a 2006 finalist for the Bellwether Prize for Literature. Her creative nonfiction has been broadcast on Georgia Public Radio and published in the Louisville Review, Habersham Review, ACM (Another Chicago Magazine), Groundwater, and O, Georgia. She has also won awards and grants from the Kentucky Foundation for Women, the Kentucky Arts Council, and the Kentucky Chapter of the National Society of Arts and Letters.

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0178I2YRI
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ University of South Carolina Press (February 9, 2016)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ February 9, 2016
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 4.0 MB
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 428 pages
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.3 out of 5 stars 519 ratings

Customer reviews

4.3 out of 5 stars
519 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers find this historical novel engaging, particularly fascinated by its portrayal of old Charleston. The book is well-written with expressive Gullah language throughout the dialogue, and one customer notes the author's extensive research. Customers appreciate the vivid descriptions of Charleston's early days and find the characters richly developed.

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49 customers mention "Historical accuracy"44 positive5 negative

Customers appreciate the historical accuracy of the book, describing it as a great history story that is interesting to read about old Charleston, with one customer noting it provides eye-opening insights into southern cultures.

"...The story is compelling, the characters are engaging, and the book is just grand." Read more

"...young boy and even construction of the Silas Pearman bridge, events became alive for me." Read more

"...into the novel, and yet is presented in a fashion which makes the story more interesting, not a history lesson...." Read more

"It was factual and I appreciated the author's writing in "Gullah" language. That was a fascinating aspect...." Read more

41 customers mention "Readability"41 positive0 negative

Customers find the book thoroughly enjoyable and interesting, particularly appreciating its portrayal of Charleston.

"...The story is compelling, the characters are engaging, and the book is just grand." Read more

"Excellent educational and recreational reading." Read more

"...In my humble opinion, this is the best southern novel since Prince of Tides...." Read more

"...It was worth reading and I feel I did learn something." Read more

32 customers mention "Language"26 positive6 negative

Customers praise the book's language, particularly its expressive use of Gullah dialect throughout the dialogue, with one customer appreciating the Glossary at the beginning.

"Michele Moore is a skilled writer, but in addition, she is an astute student of linguistics...." Read more

"...So few authors are allowed to do this. I appreciated the Glossary at the beginning as it helped to refer back while reading dialog...." Read more

"...The use of the language of the time is effective if sometimes difficult. The images are vivid. Would make an excellent movie." Read more

"...Characters are beautifully written as we live their difficult lives as they head each day to work in the Cigar Factory...." Read more

19 customers mention "Information quality"19 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the book's information quality, finding it insightful and an eye-opener, with one customer noting the author's extensive research.

"Excellent educational and recreational reading." Read more

"This is an entertaining and educational look into Charleston during a period that most of us know little about...." Read more

"...The author obviously did tons of research and her use of all the different dialects definitely added to the interest. It is a MUST READ for all." Read more

"...So, this book, even though a novel, was very informative about this procedure and also the women who were involved, both black and white, and what..." Read more

16 customers mention "Character development"13 positive3 negative

Customers appreciate the character development in the book, finding them rich and well-developed, with one customer noting how the author wraps them in history.

"...The story is compelling, the characters are engaging, and the book is just grand." Read more

"...The characters are 3 dimensional, and grew to be like family as I read… flaws and all, I loved them and cared about what happened to them...." Read more

"...Moore wraps her characters in history, in rich sensual imagery, and the bright warmth of the Gullah-Geechee languages spoken by all, buckruh, high..." Read more

"...swiftly yet at the same time slows you down and pulls you into the intimacy of the many characters and their intersecting lives." Read more

5 customers mention "Color accuracy"5 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the book's color accuracy, with vivid descriptions that create a good picture of early Charleston.

"...Charleston in 1947 and stories I was told by my father were described in vivid colors...." Read more

"...The author does an excellent job of drawing you into the stories of the white and black women who worked there and lived their lives under the..." Read more

"...At times the dialect was difficult. But mostly it added to the local color and truth." Read more

"very good picture of early charleston and the history of the cigar factory. Interesting characters. Dialect a bit hard to stick with at times." Read more

A good and interesting story based on the cigar workers in ...
5 out of 5 stars
A good and interesting story based on the cigar workers in ...
Met the author at my local library. A good and interesting story based on the cigar workers in South Carolina. Characters are very believable.
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Top reviews from the United States

  • Elizabeth C. Keith
    5.0 out of 5 stars Fabulous book
    Reviewed in the United States on March 14, 2024
    Verified Purchase
    Michele Moore is a skilled writer, but in addition, she is an astute student of linguistics. To write using the patois of one culture is challenging, but to skillfully divert and also write in the peculiar dialect of another's is astounding. The story is compelling, the characters are engaging, and the book is just grand.
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  • Jeannie
    4.0 out of 5 stars Stories Told by My Dad
    Reviewed in the United States on September 1, 2021
    Verified Purchase
    We read this book in a ladies’ book club. Although others didn’t care for the writing style, I thoroughly enjoyed it. I was born in Charleston in 1947 and stories I was told by my father were described in vivid colors. From having known employees at the Cigar Factory to days of swimming in the harbor as a young boy and even construction of the Silas Pearman bridge, events became alive for me.
    One person found this helpful
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  • Gene W. Wood
    5.0 out of 5 stars Superb historical fiction. Written with great skill..
    Reviewed in the United States on July 27, 2024
    Verified Purchase
    Excellent educational and recreational reading.
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  • Nancy F.
    5.0 out of 5 stars Fantastic New Author!!
    Reviewed in the United States on September 20, 2016
    Verified Purchase
    I am a Charlestonian, an English major, and somewhat of a literary snob. In my humble opinion, this is the best southern novel since Prince of Tides.
    Michelle Moore has written an extraordinary period piece set during the two World Wars. It is as if she wrote two novels about different families, one white, and one black, and then braided those novels together by having their lives intersect at the Cigar Factory at which they are employed.
    I was amazed at the amount of research that went into the novel, and yet is presented in a fashion which makes the story more interesting, not a history lesson. The voices of the Old Charleston, and African American Gullah, are accurate and authentic. The characters are 3 dimensional, and grew to be like family as I read… flaws and all, I loved them and cared about what happened to them.
    I look very forward to reading Michelle Moore’s next novel!
    9 people found this helpful
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  • Claire M. Peterson
    3.0 out of 5 stars It was factual and I appreciated the author's writing in ...
    Reviewed in the United States on October 3, 2016
    Verified Purchase
    It was factual and I appreciated the author's writing in "Gullah" language. That was a fascinating aspect. However, I was not sure if this was a story about oppressing women, the spirit of Charleston, race relations of the time, social issues? It was all over the place as far a Theme goes.
    I think the author to general a topic and was not able to present one strong Theme. It was worth reading and I feel I did learn something.
    One person found this helpful
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  • Scott
    4.0 out of 5 stars A glimpse into real Charleston
    Reviewed in the United States on January 1, 2019
    Verified Purchase
    This is an entertaining and educational look into Charleston during a period that most of us know little about. I appreciated the two distinct voices of the time living in the same space but with quite different experiences. It takes a couple chapters to get the rhythm of Gullah language but once it "clicks" it's an incredibly entertaining aspect of the book I also appreciated that it wasn't a tale of the have vs. have nots - something many Charlestonian writers like to contrast. Rather, this is a comparison of two regular women struggling with class, race, job, and living on the edge at a time when many lived on the edge.
    3 people found this helpful
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  • Pam Rauber
    5.0 out of 5 stars Fascinating Historical Novel
    Reviewed in the United States on November 5, 2017
    Verified Purchase
    This is a historical fiction. Michele Moore has done a brilliant job putting together a story of life working in the Cigar Factory in Charleston, now converted to condos and home of Garden & Gun Magazine. The vivid description of smells and reactions waft from the pages. The knowledge offered on how cigars were made from which strain of tobacco leaf to use and in what order to place the leaf was fascinating. I attended a lecture where Michele showed photographs of the factory depicting women packed elbow to elbow on one floor and black women in the basement sitting on baskets while the white man watched over. She shared her research from published writings to interviews with her aunt and father who worked in the Cigar Factory. Michele captured the dialect of Gullah and GeeChee beautifully. So few authors are allowed to do this. I appreciated the Glossary at the beginning as it helped to refer back while reading dialog. The story is carried over many years from 1917 to 1940s when Charleston began building the many bridges you see today...the strike that helped change for the better for cigar factory workers. Michele made certain to weave individual stories following the characters through to the end. Well done.
    5 people found this helpful
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  • Amazon Customer
    5.0 out of 5 stars This book is a MUST READ for all.
    Reviewed in the United States on March 29, 2016
    Verified Purchase
    I thought this was an excellent book that took us though the thinking of the lead character of her attitude toward the black people and then realizing that they are actually good human beings She experienced some of the hardships that the blacks took for granted and then was shown kindness from a black lady and her ideas began to change. Thee book also developed the idea of unions in the beginning and how they separated a work place. Conditions were so bad that even those against unions thought they might be worth a try. Unfortunately they were not the help that was needed. This is a book that will be in our minds for a long time and hopefully help us to be a little more open in our way of thinking. The author obviously did tons of research and her use of all the different dialects definitely added to the interest. It is a MUST READ for all.
    3 people found this helpful
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