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A tender biography of one of the greatest authors of the twentieth century and an elegant exploration of artistic endurance, as told by a lifelong lover of Willa Cather’s work
The story of Willa Cather is defined by a lifetime of determination, struggle, and gradual emergence. Some show their full powers early, yet Cather was the opposite—she took her time and transformed herself by stages. The writer who leapt to the forefront of American letters with O Pioneers! (1913), The Song of the Lark (1915), and My Ántonia (1918) was already well into middle age. Through years of provincial journalism in Nebraska, brief spells of teaching, and editorial work on magazines, she persevered in pursuit of the ultimate goal—literary immortality.
Unlike Hemingway, Faulkner, and Fitzgerald, her idealism was unironic, and she stood alone among the great modern authors—at odds with the fashionable attitudes of her time. Combining intricate analysis with an empathetic, lyrical voice, Benjamin Taylor uncovers the reality of Cather’s artistic development, from modest beginnings to the triumphs of her mature years. His book is simultaneously an homage to her character, a warm consideration of her work, and a case being made to read Cather with renewed vigor.
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Creators
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Publisher
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Release date
November 14, 2023 -
Formats
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OverDrive Listen audiobook
- ISBN: 9780593789773
- File size: 112721 KB
- Duration: 03:54:50
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Languages
- English
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Reviews
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September 4, 2023
Memoirist Taylor (Here We Are) examines in this solid critical biography the ideas and passions that animated the life and work of novelist Willa Cather (1873–1947). Taylor emphasizes the importance of place to Cather and contends that her family’s move to Red Cloud, Nebr., from Virginia’s Shenandoah Valley when she was nine proved “profoundly” formative, inspiring the setting for several of her novels and exposing her to a diverse array of immigrants who led her to view America “as a gathering of peoples from elsewhere.” Taylor offers a matter-of-fact overview of Cather’s career, noting that The Song of the Lark (1915) fictionalized the life of singer Oliver Fremstad while dramatizing Cather’s own artistic aspirations and that A Lost Lady (1923) marked the maturation of the novelist’s style, defined by psychological depth and “meanings evoked but not belabored.” Taylor demonstrates a willingness to take Cather to task for her antisemitism and astutely contextualizes Cather among her contemporaries, arguing that she stands out among the era’s modernists, who wrote skeptically about the “deceptiveness of ideals,” because of her “unguarded admiration” for the “antique virtues: valor, loyalty, fulfillment of some high destiny.” It’s a strong overview of Cather’s bibliography that’s as concise as her best novels. -
Benjamin Taylor delivers a plainspoken performance of this audiobook; little fanfare or theatrical nuance is added to the work. This style may suit the subject matter well; after all, Cather is often associated with the simple majesty of the American plains, and simplicity governs this work--despite the intriguing energy of its title. Taylor's workmanlike narration echoes the structure of the audiobook as a whole. His steady pace and consistent tone lead the listener into a pattern of narrative, excerpts from letters and reviews, plot synopses, and author insights starting with Cather's youth and ending with her death. There are few surprises with either content or artistry, but this is a fine glimpse of the life of one of America's most notable authors. L.B.F. © AudioFile 2024, Portland, Maine
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