O Pioneers! (Barnes & Noble Classics Series)

Wonderful!

This was the first Willa Cather book I have ever read, and I was not disappointed. This novel is short, but spans over a woman's life from teenage years past her forties, with love stories, conflicts, murders, sweet characters, strange characters, mean characters. I just loved it. Not to mention that Willa Cather's view of America's land is beautiful to read. It gives you a sense of appreciation for things that you may have overlooked, or that you could never quite put into such words as Willa Cather. I got the sense that Alexandra was greatly inspired by Willa Cather herself, which also adds to the book. This book was a very quick read, but one I am sure I will read many times. I also plan to give her other writings a read as well!

6 out of 7 people found this review helpful.

Poignant frontier tale

Will Cather's O Pioneers! certainly left an impression on me, as any good book should. The novella, a haunting, even troublesome, story of the life of European immigrants in Nebraska at the end of the 19th century, belies Cather's simple, casual style by providing deep insights into the human condition and life itself. Cather claimed she "wanted to let the country be the hero," and she definitely succeeds in her purpose. In fact, none of the characters--least of all Alexandra Bergson, the protagonist--display profound depth or dynamism in and of themselves, but Cather places her "human characters" in the background for a reason. Her story ultimately focuses on the interaction between Man and Nature, as well as humanity's continual struggle against perceived "fate." Deeply tragic yet (paradoxically enough) hopeful and satisfying, O Pioneers! takes the reader on a journey through the melancholy regions of life, refusing to glamorize pain and hardship. However, Cather finally concludes that loss constitutes an integral part of the human experience and essentially serves to refine each individual. Recommended!

2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

Touching- Makes you think.

I read O Pioneers for school but quickly found it was more of a for-fun read- I enjoyed every page and only wish it were longer. The characters are so amazingly real that the reader becomes easily attached to them. I really felt as though I was in the book as I experienced this amazing tale.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Cather paints with words

I bought this book as a gift for my niece who is a book worm. Willa Cather paints her stories. She is a wonderful writer. Great stories, great characters. This is a classic of the pioneering days in the Midwest. I highly recommend all her books.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

A wonderfull story

I read this in High School and 40 plus years later my Book Club decided to read it. Got so much more out of it now - It is a wonderful easy yet very deep meaning story.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Enjoyable

This was a wonderful story about a strong pioneering woman. Well written story focused on the main character growning up in the frontier. Nicely done classic.

Truly a Classic

If you have never walked the hills and fields of grass in Webster county nebraska smelle,d touched and felt the land the way Cather did the you owe it to yourself to do just that. Located a short 2 hour drive from Lincon here is a 1 or 2 day, 1 tank trip to see much of rural America as it was 120 years ago. Some of the best preserved sites and buildings anwyhere and the are in our back yard. OH and the book Love, Murder, Adultry it is all there and even better today than when it was new. Interesting how times change but the stories continue!

Been There

It's a classic so it's kind of dry

I had no problems getting through the first half of this book. As I progressed in the novel I had a hard time getting through the rest. It just drags on in some spots. I appreciate the classic writing and storytelling and all that but I totally get why I had problems reading it in high school.

I LOVED this story

Perhaps because I was born and raised on a farm in Canada, I related to this story. I understand the hardships associated with farm life, and the tolls it can take on a family.
The characters are so well defined, they virtually step out of the pages and into your life.
I recommend this to anyone who enjoys reading about the breaking into the midwest, how people survived and the hardships they endured. Though at times it may read like a history book, it opens the readers mind to what it was like to live in those times. The story helps us to experience the deep family bonds, the test of wills, and the liberties and constraints people lived with, both personally and culturally. A very good read; I only thing I disliked was having to put it down for mundane things like, sleep, meals and general household tasks!

wow!

I really loved this book. It could have been written yesterday instead of decades ago. The characters are strong and the story goes at a good pace.

A good book!

Somehow I missed reading this one in high school. Even though this book is almost a century old, the story of love, loss, and determination is timeless. The writing style is easy to read, characters are believable, and the descriptions of the prairie are lovely. I recommend this one.

WONDERFUL

I'm not a Willa Cather fan but I have nothing by praise for this book.
Other works by Cather have failed to move me, so I expected little from O Pioneers!
There's an economy of words, but each one paints a very thorough, detailed and imaginative picture. This book is meant to be read several times.
A true classic.

Slow at first, then haunting

Alexandra grows up in frontier Nebraska on the brink of what appears to be a wasteland. Through forward, perhaps wishful, thinking - Alexandra conquers the plain but at the expense of her distrustful family. The story has an unexpected, haunting conclusion.

A reviewer

A bit slow at first, then the reader's interest is entwined with concern for the characters' survival. Like many classics, values and ethics are presented as story and develop into life's lessons that all should consider, but rarely pay any attention to.

O Pioneers (Barnes & Noble Classics Series)

I loved every page in this book. I don't want to ruin the ending, but it is one i will not soon forget. It left me thinking for a long time. This book has many lessons and ideas buried within. Overall, a fantastic book!

O Pioneers (Barnes & Noble Classics Series)

I wasn't looking for this book when I found it, but it turned out to be better than any others I bought that day. The story goes quickly through the life of a woman named Alexandra. This book ended fantastically and I will always treausre this book.

Struggle on the Frontier

This short to the point story about a woman challenged by the Nebraska farm land. It is amazing what she went through.

A wonderful book!

I stumbled on this book one day entirely by accident, and I'm so glad I did! It is a very engaging book. Cather's flowing style and her mastery of descriptive writing made this book especially enjoyable.

Great Classic!

I really enjoy reading about pioneers and frontier life. I have bought classics in the past but they have just ended up on the my bookshelve because I have a difficult time getting into them. I didn't have any problems with this book. It reads very smoothly and it holds your interest. I look forward to reading Cather's book, My Antonia, next.

No text was provided for this review.