O Pioneers! by Willa Cather
Summary (from the publisher): O Pioneers! , Willa Cather's second novel, tells the story of an immigrant family's struggle to save their Nebraska farm. Cather's placement of a strong and capable woman at the center of the story, her realistic depiction of life on the midwestern prairie, and her vivid portrayal of the immigrant experience at the turn of the century make O Pioneers! a true American classic. Review: My review of this seems in some ways impacted by the fact that I read this book on the heels of reading Willa Cather's novel My Antonia . Both novels focus on the Nebraska landscape and the hardscrabble farming community made up largely of self-made immigrants. This novel follows Alexandra Bergson, who takes over the family farm in the wake of her father's death. A savvy businesswoman, she manages to turn their land into a prosperous farm, despite her brothers' more cautious ideas. Now middle-aged, she is viewed as a wealthy landowner and has raise...
