[.ca] Signet Classics O Pioneers (ISBN 0451529197)

THE LAND TO WHICH WE BELONG...:
In this, the author's second published work, the author writes about that which she knew best, early pioneer life in Nebraska, the place to which she and her family moved in 1883 when she was a mere slip of a girl. She eventually attended the University of Nebraska, graduating in 1995, at a time when most girls did no such thing. In this work, the author was on very sure footing. Her clear, straightforward prose lends itself capably to the story of early pioneers who went to Nebraska and set down roots, weathering the exigencies that often plagued a newcomer to a particular region. It is a surprisingly unsentimental look at pioneer life. This thematically complex, but simply written story focuses primarily on Alexandra Bergson, the intelligent, independent, resourceful, and strong-willed daughter of pioneer John Bergson. Upon his death he did what was then the nearly unthinkable. He left his land in the hands of his oldest child, his daughter, Alexandra, rather than in those of his sons, recognizing in his daughter those qualities that would ensure that his land would prosper under her stewardship. This then is the story of not only Alexandra but of that land and those whose sustenance depended upon its fruitfulness. The reader follows the Bergson clan as they live their lives and interact with their neighbors. Under Alexandra's skillful management, the Bergson farm prospers. As the farm prospers, so does its environs, as the area becomes a bustling center of activity with more and more settlers developing the land around that of the Bergsons. Thematically, the book explores the vicissitudes of life, as well as its life-affirming moments. As in all lives, the characters in this book experience moments of high drama and great tragedy, as well as memorable moments of love and hate. All this is grounded within the context of pioneer life, with all its hardships and privations, as well as its occasional abundance. The author skillfully re-creates a melting pot of the many nationalities that cultivated the land known as Nebraska. This is the French text edition of "O Pioneers", a book that those who like reading about pioneer life will certainly enjoy, as will those who simply like a well-written book with a tale to tell. This classic novel was also adapted for a Hallmark Hall of Fame film, starring Jessica Lange in the role of Alexandra Bergson.

Cather's Second Best!:
"O Pioneers" is not "My Antonia", but it's pretty close. Anything that Willa Cather has written is great and you without a doubt want to add this one to your library.

Blah...:
What a boring book. If it wasn't assigned reading, I would never have finished it.

A great book:
After having read "My Antonia", I wanted to read more Cather, so I read this book. I was not disappointed. The writing is beautiful and the characters memorable. Alexandra is a great yet flawed protagonist and her struggles throughout her life reflect the universal struggles that occupy us all. Some reviewer called this book "dated" and I strongly disagree. There is something here for all human beings living in 2004.

"E" for Effort--a good book but not modern literature:
"O' Pioneers!" was not a modern piece of literature, it having bee written many decades ago, but it is an interesting time capsule of life in the early twentieth century and how peoplelived. If you want to know about the Midwest in its conception, then this book will describe it perfectly I've just finished it, and thinking back on how deeply moving it was, especially in the scenes between the two sets of lovers (the point when Carl leaves Alexandra for Alaska, the moment in the fortune telling tent between Marie and Emil, and others). I won't give away the ending of the novel, or at least I'll do my best not to, but I was struck more swiftly than I've ever been in a novel, at the end by the mixture of sorrow and blame in Alexandra. How in hell could this character, though perhaps not quite as in tune with her emotional center as others in the book - how could she place the blame where she does? Her blaming of the two came closer to breaking my heart than the event itself. Carl does what he can to bring her around, letting her know what he had seen and that what was between the two was as pure as can be, and as beautiful as love should be. One even gets the sense that Carl believes the two young lovers would have been wrong to not love each other. But, by the final line of the book, I, as a reader, was not convinced that Alexandra was swayed by Carl's words as she should have been. Still, this is an incredibly atmospheric piece of work and probably the best thing that Cather has written. It is required reading for most students at some point, but it should be read anyway for its simple and straightforward style. It's not earth-moving, but it is a good effort by one of America's top writers.