Book Review: Delta Wedding by Eudora Welty

Delta Wedding

Author:  Eudora Welty

Publisher:  Mariner Books (1979), (first published 1946)

336 pages

Young, motherless Laura McRaven is traveling alone from Jackson, Mississippi to visit her mother's people, the Fairchilds, at their plantation in Fairchilds, Mississippi.  Her 17-year-old cousin, Dabney, is getting married.  She will be staying with Uncle Battle, Aunt Ellen and her many cousins.  The story follows the day to day happenings on the plantation as the family prepares for the wedding.  It is through the day to day happenings that we learn about the characters as they come and spend time together at the plantation and help prepare for the wedding.  

At times I found the story dragging because nothing much happens.  It is an interesting look at life in the Mississippi delta on a plantation.  Things moved slower then and this is evident in the story.  Most of their time was spent working - the men in the fields, the women with the servants, in the house, garden or kitchen.  When they weren't working, they were spending time with one another.  They ate simply and for fun would go to the river for a swim.  

I enjoyed getting to know the Fairchild family.  If you like stories of large, close-knit families, I recommend this book.