Welcome to the History Tricks, where any resemblance to a boring old history lesson is purely coincidental.

In here is your 30-second summary.

In a world where southern bells rain supreme and the prosperity of a golden era seems like it would never end.

Two women, one fictional and one real, lived parallel lives after their comfortable existences were blown apart by the winds of change.

They broke free from the expectations society had for them and had to rely on nothing but gumption, charm, and their wits in order to survive.

Margaret Mitchell and Scarlett O'Hara, two women, two eras, one amazing podcast.

Thank you.

You're welcome.

Let's talk about Gone with the Wind.

But first, let's drop it into history. In 1936, Billboard magazine published its first hit parade.

Edward VIII abdicates the throne in favor of marriage to all Simpson.

The Hindenburg makes its first flight. Hitler breaks the Treaty of Versailles and is taking full power.

In the U.S., the dust bowl is damaging land and lives and the country is in the Great Depression.

FDR is elected to a second term as president and in June 1936, Margaret Mitchell's epic novel of love, loss, and survival set during the Civil War and Reconstruction is published.

Hello and welcome to the show. Once every season we cover a fictional subject. We've covered the likes of Cinderella, Red Riding Hood, Alice in Wonderland, and today we're here to bring you yet another literary heroine.

None other than Scarlet O'Hara, the iconic southern bell from the book and later the movie Gone with the Wind.

Almost every American has at least heard of it. I venture to say more of us have seen the movie than have read the thousand-page book.

Call me crazy.

I haven't read the thousand-page book until this summer.

Well, there you go. Well, it caused anger, controversy, nostalgia, adoration, and it's the second most sold book in the world after the Bible.

Not even William Shakespeare himself can beat it. Fiddle, D, D.

It's one of the most loved and the most hated books on earth, either of which will do a wonder for your sales numbers. Scarlet would approve.

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