3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A TIMELESS AMERICAN CLASSIC..., July 23, 2009
This review is from: My Antonia (Willa Cather Scholarly Edition) (Paperback)
I first read this book when I was in junior high school. I admit that, at the time, I did not appreciate the strengths of the book and the quality of its writing. I am quite glad that I decided to give it another chance, as I now understand why it is considered to be a classic in literature. It is simply a beautifully written book, covering many of the themes that one stumbles across in life and coalescing them into a work of extraordinary breadth.
The book is the story of two young people, Jim Burden and Antonia Shimerda. They meet for the first time when Jim is ten years old and Antonia is fourteen. Recently orphaned, Jim has moved to the Great Prairie to live with his grandparents in Nebraska. Antonia, on the other hand, has been wrenched from her homeland in Bohemia, emigrating with her parents to the United States and finding herself in Nebraska. Jim and Antonia's chance encounter on a train sets the stage for the forging of a friendship and unconditional love that time will not diminish.
The book relates the harshness of immigrant life through the eyes of Jim, who narrates the events contained in the book. There is a relentless stoicism about the book, which is written in spare, clear prose. With intense imagery and descriptive exactitude, late nineteenth century Nebraska comes to life. It also relates the paths that each of the characters choose to follow, as well as the vicissitudes of life that mold and shape them in ways that no one would have imagined.
The focus of the book, which is also a coming of age tale, seems to be on the female characters and their strengths. Consequently, the book has a faintly feminist undercurrent to it, as all the women in it seem to be survivors, despite the hardships that they encounter. This is, without a doubt, a life affirming book, wrought with great feeling and a decided sense of time and place. Yet, despite its poignancy, the book is surprisingly unsentimental and straightforward. It is a testament to the author's literary talent that this book has emerged as a timeless classic. Bravo!
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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A masterpiece that we all can read again and LOVE as an adult, March 31, 2010
This review is from: My Antonia (Willa Cather Scholarly Edition) (Paperback)
I read it in high school - what a waste - it was SO MUCH BETTER as an 'adult' !! ...PLEASE read it again, but buy an edition like the one I did (college/scholarly edition) as you'll get great footnotes and context for Willa Cather's life. I hope you read it - what an edification for us - our ancestors were beautiful people.
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