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Nell Dickerson
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Gone: A Photographic Plea For Preservation Hardcover – April 15, 2011

4.3 4.3 out of 5 stars 55 ratings
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Photographer and architect Nell Dickerson began her exploration of antebellum homesteads with encouragement from her cousin-in-law renowned Civil War historian and novelist Shelby Foote. Her passion for forgotten and neglected buildings became a plea for preservation.

Gone is a unique pairing of modern photographs and historical novella. Foote offers a heartbreaking look at one man s loss as Union troops burn his home in the last days of the Civil War. Dickerson shares fascinating and haunting photographs, shining a poignant light on the buildings which survived Sherman's burning rampage across the Confederacy, only to fall victim to neglect, apathy and poverty.

GONE is a powerfully moving volume that will change how you see the forgotten buildings that hide in obscurity across the Southern landscape.

From the photographer:
The Civil War had been over for exactly ninety years in 1954, when my cousin, Shelby Foote, published--PILLAR OF FIRE--as part of his novel, Jordan County: A Landscape in Narrative. The book's stories painted a vivid picture of a fictitious Mississippi county steeped in Southern culture.

PILLAR OF FIRE took readers into a heartbreaking and commonplace scene late in the Civil War, when Union troops moved through the civilian South destroying not only plantations but also ordinary homes and cabins. Those troops, battle-hardened and bitter from the loss of their own brethren, shared the tragic effects of war.

In PILLAR OF FIRE, they take no joy in burning a home in front of its dying, elderly owner and his frail servants. The cruelty of the circumstances is as much a given for them as the dying man's grief over all the memories that burn with his house.

Now, on the eve of the Civil War's 150th commemoration, my mission is to draw attention not only to the architectural heritage devastated by the war but also the heritage we've lost since then: to neglect, to poverty, and to shame, as the war's infamy colored the attitudes of later generations and tainted the homes those generations inherited. What the war didn't take, time and apathy did. And yet those grand old homes whether mansion or cabin deserve our reverence and protection.
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Previous page
  1. Print length
    120 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    BelleBooks, Inc.
  4. Publication date
    April 15, 2011
  5. Dimensions
    11.75 x 0.75 x 9.75 inches
  6. ISBN-10
    1611940036
  7. ISBN-13
    978-1611940039
  8. See all details
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Editorial Reviews

Review

There is great irony to be found in her powerful images of such fragile places. --Robert Hicks, author of THE WIDOW OF THE SOUTH

From the Inside Flap

The words I remembered were those of the mad woman on the lawn. Calling yourself soldiers, she said. Burners is all you is. Photographer and architect Nell Dickerson began her exploration of antebellum homesteads with encouragement from her cousin-in-lawrenowned Civil War historian and novelist Shelby Foote. Her passion for forgotten and neglected buildings became a plea for preservation.Gone is a unique pairing of modern photographs and historical novella. Foote offers a heartbreaking look at one man's loss as Union troops burn his home in the last days of the Civil War. Dickerson shares fascinating and haunting photographs, shining a poignant light on the buildings which survived Sherman's burning rampage across the Confederacy, only to fall victim to neglect, apathy and poverty. GONE is a powerfully moving volume that will change how you see the forgotten buildings that hide in obscurity across the Southern landscape.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ BelleBooks, Inc.; First Edition (April 15, 2011)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 120 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1611940036
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1611940039
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 2.45 pounds
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 11.75 x 0.75 x 9.75 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.3 4.3 out of 5 stars 55 ratings

About the author

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Nell Dickerson

Nell Dickerson

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Photographer and architect Nell Dickerson began her exploration of antebellum homesteads with encouragement from her cousin-in-law, renowned Civil War historian and novelist, Shelby Foote. Her passion for forgotten and neglected buildings is manifested in "GONE: A photographic Plea for Preservation," (BelleBooks 2011) the first book in a series to capture and preserve the rich culture of the South.

Her second book, "Porch Dogs," (John F. Blair, Publisher 2013) explores the lost tradition of Porch Sitting as preserved by our dogs. This beautiful collection of environmental portraits of dogs and their historic porches is available wherever books are sold.

Customer reviews

4.3 out of 5 stars
4.3 out of 5
55 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

Sin Nombre
5.0 out of 5 stars Poignant
Reviewed in the United States on February 10, 2012
Verified Purchase
Thumbed through the copy (purchased for myself) and decided it would make an excellent gift for my Dad. I just ordered another for my library. Lovely, moody photographs with the words of the late,great historian Shelby Foote and novelist Robert Hicks. Both Southrons; read their works!

Note to Kindle owners: "Picture" books should be purchased in original (hard copy) form, as they simply cannot be appreciated in the way the author intended. I speak from experience.

I agree; this work will become a collector's item.
2 people found this helpful
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Anachronist
5.0 out of 5 stars EXCELLENT
Reviewed in the United States on November 3, 2021
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Couldn't be happier with this book and quality of transaction. Much appreciation!
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Ida Claire
3.0 out of 5 stars Beautiful full-page photographs throughout
Reviewed in the United States on March 5, 2015
Verified Purchase
Beautiful full-page photographs throughout. Would like to have more info on the pictures/places themselves than the brief descriptions provided. Book is well worth it's price for the professional pictures of historically & architecturally interesting buildings. Did not realize, however, when ordered, that the majority of the text is a reprinted portion of a piece of historical fiction which does not specifically relate to the photographs. As I prefer nonfiction material, the inclusion of the lengthy piece was not something I care to have, though I am sure those who enjoy historical fiction may appreciate it. Also, the included, almost full-page (apparently not professional) photo of the author of the included fiction is, as noted by a previous reviewer, more than a bit creepy as it is a head-to-toe shot of him seated, wearing worn, tattered pajamas. Nice, professional bust shot of him on the book jacket, but I can't understand the reason for including the larger photo of him at the end of a book with such amazing photos of architectural gems...just seems inappropriate & unnecessary to me.
2 people found this helpful
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LadyDragoness
4.0 out of 5 stars Like Two Books in One
Reviewed in the United States on June 3, 2011
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Forward: not rated/unread
Short story: rated 5 stars
Photos: rated 5 stars
Photographer's notes: rated 2 stars
Afterward: rated 4 stars

Gone: A Photographic Plea For Preservation is almost like two books in one. It is comprised of two main components, a short story by famed Civil War Historian, Shelby Foote, first published almost exactly 90 years after the civil war ended, and the photographs of his cousin, Preservationist, Nell Dickerson, who also wrote the photographer's notes and afterward, which closes the book on a hopeful note. Additionally, there's a forward by Robert Hicks, which, I'll admit, I did not read.

I requested this book for review through the LibraryThing Early Reviewers program, but was not lucky enough to receive one of the limited number of review copies. Shortly after discovering that I had won a different book, an email from the publisher provided a link to the online version of Gone - which shows only half the pages, and mostly photos at that, while I wanted most to read the story, but the online version was enough to prompt my purchase of the book, which I had been considering anyhow.

Shelby Foote's short story, "Pillar of Fire", and his cousin, Nell Dickerson's photographs are almost a point - counterpoint performance. At the beginning of Pillar of Fire, Shelby details the aristocratic society that was prominent in the south prior to the Civil War, while the photos provided by Nell Dickerson show what has become of some of those beautiful homes and other buildings, which comprises a plaintive plea for preserving our past.

Later, the story tells of the wanton destruction perpetrated by the northern soldiers as retaliation for the rebels firing upon the yankees... except that such retaliation was not against the rebel soldiers, but instead done to innocent bystanders who just happened to be in the way. This part of the story, and it's dramatic ending strike a note of anguish as haunting as the note of the photographic plea.

In considering my rating of the book as a whole, I do have to say that the photogaphs are not as well-matched to the story as I had hoped they would be, and most of the photographer's notes don't provide as much information about the homes and other buildings as one could wish. While the photos themselves are wonderful, that lack of information in the notes is enough for me to downgrade the rating on that part of the book. Shelby Foote's story is well-written and gripping. I had a hard time putting the book down while reading Pillar of Fire... would have rated the entire book higher if there were only this text and/or if the photos were a better match.

This review (for which I received no financial compensation) has been simultaneously published on Dragon Views, LibraryThing, Amazon.com and wherever else I may deem appropriate.
5 people found this helpful
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Sylverdollar
5.0 out of 5 stars Once they are gone, they are gone forever....
Reviewed in the United States on January 12, 2013
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This book is well written. I admire the work of preservationists when it comes to historical homes. There is a short story in this book written by Shelby Foote. So, you get a great book, with vivid photographs, and a story. I highly recommend this book, especially if you love the south and the homes that are a part of the south and its history.
One person found this helpful
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R. Evans
5.0 out of 5 stars Awesome
Reviewed in the United States on January 26, 2014
Verified Purchase
I love history and have toured a lot of plantations in Mississippi and Louisiana. But to have this book published and then see so many more that I didn't even know existed and what has become of them, is truly sad.

But if you love history, then this is the book for you.
One person found this helpful
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FFVMink
5.0 out of 5 stars GONE: Not Forgotten
Reviewed in the United States on May 14, 2011
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The quintessential coffee table book of antebellum South, "GONE" is a collection of beautiful & haunting photos by Nell Dickerson, accompanied by narrative of her immortal 'uncle', Shelby Foote. The result of this Southern duo is nothing short of brilliant . . . a spiritual touch stone for anyone has been blessed to have experienced life south of the Mason Dixon.
One person found this helpful
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J. E. Baxter
3.0 out of 5 stars Beautiful historic photography
Reviewed in the United States on February 16, 2013
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This book deserves to be seen if for no other reason than the spectacular photography of dilapidated antibellum homes throughout several states. Seeing them takes you back in time to the era before our modern creature comforts and impresses me with their grandure and craftsmanship. At the risk of exposing my lack of literary prowess, I would have liked more focus on the descriptions of the houses themselves and their history and less of the Shelby Foote short story.
3 people found this helpful
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