The Grandissimes

by George Washington Cable

"The Grandissimes" by George Washington Cable is a novel published in 1880. Set in New Orleans immediately after the Louisiana Purchase of 1803, the story explores the complex racial and class divisions of Creole society through the extended Grandissime family. When Philadelphia abolitionist Joseph Frowenfeld arrives in the city, his friendship with the white Honoré Grandissime challenges the foundations of their slaveholding world. Romance, violence, and tragedy unfold as characters confront the brutal realities beneath their romanticized culture.