Plantation ManSet in the southern US state of Louisiana, Australian writer Hartley Henderson's novel, Plantation Man, provides a sensitive account of how a catastrophic event such as a major hurricane can result in the lives of complete strangers being impacted and intertwined. A moving insight is provided of how Jack Lansell, a surgeon from New York, finds himself for a few weeks in New Orleans assisting in dealing with medical trauma in the wake of the hurricane. How did he come to rescue a black man from destitution, own a plantation, go on to discover love, and a new life in the deep south? As the storyline progresses, colorful scenes are portrayed in a variety of locations including in cafes and onboard a Mississippi paddle steamer, often to the strains of jazz and blues music featuring the lovely Salina. And the reader is taken on memorable side trips - to Paris, and to Darwin in Australia. The themes running through the novel include the importance of racial equality, personal development opportunities, generosity of spirit, and the ability to sympathize. Jack and Salina become driving forces in their local community, providing opportunities for the development of those around them. The day-to-day operation of a working plantation is realistically presented together with how the business is developed and diversified. Throughout the revealing narrative and dialogue, care, kindness, love and laughter are often present, while at other times challenging events such as crime and death are confronted and dealt with. How the central characters of Jack, Salina and Sam are gradually developed as the storyline proceeds is a feature and strength of the novel. Personality traits of individual characters are progressively revealed against a wide variety of fascinating backdrops. Brendon Lefont, for example, becomes a key character as he matures from being a spoilt irresponsible university student to a construction company director. This is a story about the importance of ambition, drive, fairness, loyalty, love and, above all, consciously helping others to thrive along the way.
