On his deathbed, John Bergson, the head of a Swedish American family, decided to will the family farm to his daughter, Alexandra, instead of her two older brothers. Though it upset his sons, John was firm in his decision, knowing that the conditions in Nebraska required discipline and strength to strive. Alexandra, already a strong-willed woman, accepted the farm and devoted herself to it. Through droughts and depression, Alexandra's neighbors give up and move away, but Alexandra is determined to make the farm succeed and ...
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On his deathbed, John Bergson, the head of a Swedish American family, decided to will the family farm to his daughter, Alexandra, instead of her two older brothers. Though it upset his sons, John was firm in his decision, knowing that the conditions in Nebraska required discipline and strength to strive. Alexandra, already a strong-willed woman, accepted the farm and devoted herself to it. Through droughts and depression, Alexandra's neighbors give up and move away, but Alexandra is determined to make the farm succeed and prove that her father made the right decision. A time jump in the narrative affirms Alexandra's goals, but invites troubles to rival those presented by the harsh realities of the Nebraska plains. Carl Lindstrum, an old friend and neighbor, comes back into town after his abrupt departure years before, stirring an old flame between he and Alexandra. Emil, Alexandra's younger brother, also returns home after going to a state college. The two Bergson siblings, Alexandra and Emil, soon find themselves in forbidden relationships. With the pressure of secret love, unpredictable weather, murder, and scandal, Alexandra and Emil must persevere to protect their family and preserve their happiness. Separated into five sections, The Wild Land, Neighboring Fields, Winter Memories, The White Mulberry Tree, and Alexandra, Willa Cather's O Pioneers! depicts neighborly disputes, forbidden love, family drama, and murder, all to the backdrop of pioneer Nebraska. With themes of feminism and innovation, O Pioneers inspires perseverance and participation in new inventions and ideas. O Pioneers! is the first of the critically acclaimed and commercially praised Great Plains trilogy, entertaining with its drama and sentiment while enlightening audiences with visceral depictions of pioneer life in the early origins of midwestern America. With a new eye-catching cover design and reprinted in an easy-to-read font, this edition of O Pioneers! , written by the esteemed author Willa Cather, is now accessible and appealing for a modern audience.
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PLEASE NOTE, WE DO NOT SHIP TO DENMARK. New Book. Shipped from UK in 4 to 14 days. Established seller since 2000. Please note we cannot offer an expedited shipping service from the UK.
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Seller's Description:
PLEASE NOTE, WE DO NOT SHIP TO DENMARK. New Book. Shipped from UK in 4 to 14 days. Established seller since 2000. Please note we cannot offer an expedited shipping service from the UK.
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The item shows wear from consistent use, but it remains in good condition and works perfectly. All pages and cover are intact (including the dust cover, if applicable). Spine may show signs of wear. Pages may include limited notes and highlighting. May NOT include discs, access code or other supplemental materials.
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This item is in overall good condition. Covers and dust jackets are intact but may have minor wear including slight curls or bends to corners as well as cosmetic blemishes including stickers. Pages are intact but may have minor highlighting/ writing. Binding is intact; however, spine may have slight wear overall. Digital codes may not be included and have not been tested to be redeemable and/or active. Minor shelf wear overall. Please note that all items are donated goods and are in used condition. Orders shipped Monday through Friday! Your purchase helps put people to work and learn life skills to reach their full potential. Orders shipped Monday through Friday. Your purchase helps put people to work and learn life skills to reach their full potential. Thank you!
Cather published her second novel, O Pioneers, in 1913 at the age of 40. Together with My Antonia it is the novel for which she is best known. Years after writing the book, Cather wrote of it " Since I wrote this book for myself, I ignored all the situations and accents that were then thought to be necessary."
The book is set on the plains of Nebraska in the late 19th Century as the Prairie is settled be Swedish, Bohemian, and French immigrants trying to eke out a living from what appears to be a harsh, inhospitable land. The heroine of the book is Alexandra Bergson who inherits her father's farm as a young woman, raises his three sons and stays with the farm through the harsh times to become a successful landowner and farmer.
The books speaks of being wedded to the land and to place. In this sense it is an instance of the American dream of a home. It also speaks of a strong woman, not in cliched, late 20th Century terms but with a sense of ambiguity, difficulty and loss.
This is a story as well of thwarted love, of the difficult nature of sexuality, and of human passion. There is also the beginning of what in Cather's works will become an increased sense of religion, Catholicism in particular, as a haven and a solace for the sorrow she finds at the heart of human endeavor. Above all it is a picture of stark life in the Midwest.
There is almost as much blood-letting in this short book as in an Elizabethan tragedy. Cather's picture of American life on the plains, even in her earliest books, is not an easy or simple one. Some readers may quarrel with the seemingly happy ending of the book. I don't think any will deny that Alexandra's happiness is dearly bought or that it is bittersweet.
I tended to shy away from this book in favor of Cather's later novels. I feared that it would be conventional and trite. The stereotyping was mine, however. This is a thoughtful, well written story of immigrant life on the plains and of the sorrow pain, and strength of the American experience.
Robin Friedman
bluelady
Apr 13, 2009
Read the book
Book arrived in excellent condition for being a used book, was so very pleased.
Another wonderful story by Willa Cather my only problem with it wasn't long enough.
Good clean reading.
