O Pioneers! (Thrift Editions)

Set on the Nebraska prairie where Willa Cather (1873–1947) grew up | this powerful early novel tells the story of the young Alexandra Bergson | whose dying father leaves her in charge of the family and of the lands they have struggled to farm. In Alexandra's long flight to survive and succeed | O Pioneers! relates an important chapter in the history of the American frontier.Evoking the harsh grandeur of the prairie | this landmark of American fiction unfurls a saga of love | greed | murder | failed dreams | and hard-won triumph. In the fateful interaction of her characters | Willa Cather compares with keen insight the experiences of Swedish | French | and Bohemian immigrants in the United States. And in her absorbing narrative | she displays the virtuoso storytelling skills that have made her one of the most admired masters of the American novel.