Finished reading on 4/15/11:

MARGARET MITCHELL'S "GONE WITH THE WIND": A BESTSELLER'S ODYSSEY FROM ATLANTA TO HOLLYWOOD by Ellen F. Brown and John Wiley, Jr., 2011.

A wonderfully written, informative, and entertaining look at the phenomenon of the most popular American novel in history. This is a "biography" of the book itself, from its conception to the present time. The authors used various and numerous sources, including archives and interviews, in their research, and have done an excellent job of distilling so much available information into a very readable narrative, providing not only necessary factual information, but intriguing stories as well. In the course of 18 chapters, they write of how Mitchell started writing the novel, its discovery by Lois Cole of Macmillan, the problems of getting the manuscript ready for publication, the unwanted celebrity that followed for the author, the issues with overseas copyrights, legal hassles, the crazy business and pressures of filming the movie, and how the book turned into an entity in itself, becoming a trust handled by attorneys. They tackle well known rumors and mysteries and issues concerning the book and actually provide answers to some of the most frequently asked questions and clearing up some misconceptions.The volume is illustrated with great photographs, some from Wiley's own enormous personal collection of GWTW material. An enjoyable read and a handy reference, this is well worth adding to your shelf next to your copy of "Gone with the Wind."