Old Jules: Portrait of a Pioneer [Hardcover]

Mari Sandoz (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 1997

First published in 1935, Old Jules is unquestionably Mari Sandoz's masterpiece. This portrait of her pioneer father grew out of "the silent hours of listening behind the stove or the wood box, when it was assumed, of course, that I was asleep in bed. So it was that I heard the accounts of the hunts, . . .of the fights with the cattlemen and the sheep-men, of the tragic scarcity of women, when a man had to ‘marry anything that got off the train,’ of the droughts, the storms, the wind and isolation. But the most impressive stories were those told me by Old Jules himself."

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Editorial Reviews

Review

First published in 1935, Old Jules is unquestionably Sandoz's masterpiece. "A realistic biography, a rare find. On putting down this book one feels that one has read the history of all pioneering." --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

About the Author

Helen Winter Stauffer is author of Mari Sandoz: Story Catcher of the Plains and editor of Letters of Mari Sandoz.

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 448 pages
• Publisher: Fine Communications (July 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 156731175X
• ISBN-13: 978-1567311754
• Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 5.6 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (22 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #913,368 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

37 of 37 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Unlikely Origins of a Pioneer, April 16, 2002

By 

Z. Weir (Midwest) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Old Jules: Portrait of a Pioneer (Hardcover)

In the book Old Jules, Sandoz presents a biographical account of her immigrant/pioneer father, Jules Ami Sandoz. By presenting the information in chronological order, Sandoz guides the reader through her father's arrival on the western frontier, emergence as an early community builder and agricultural expert, and role in establishing the identity of the Niobrara country of frontier Nebraska. Sandoz presents her father Jules to the reader relative to his position amidst the dynamic social, cultural, and political climates of late 19th century American frontier life in the Nebraska Territory. The author follows Jules through his involvement in land speculation, agriculture, political dealings, community building, and family life in order to acclimate the reader to the multifaceted realities of frontier life. Sandoz employs her personal knowledge of her father alongside historically accurate data, presenting the reader with not only an entertaining, but also informative biography of Old Jules.

Mari Sandoz argues that the biography of her father - Jules Sandoz: pioneer, settler, entrepreneur, agricultural and horticultural experimenter, area enthusiast and developer, friend of Indians, enemy of entrenched cattlemen, and devil to his family - not only provides entertaining reading, but also accurately depicts the historical period of American frontier life.

In the biography of Old Jules, Sandoz focuses on details of her father's life that distinguish him from other stereotypical pioneers and settlers, as well as commonalities that frontiersmen of the Nebraska Territory shared in their experience. Almost immediately, Sandoz informs the reader about the nationality and social upbringing of Jules, which most likely provided a stark contrast to the socio-economic backgrounds of the majority of pioneers and settlers. Jules immigrated to the United States, leaving behind an upper class background in Switzerland in search of his own fortune and to escape familial pressures to become a doctor. Educated and seemingly intelligent, Jules brought significant talents and strengths to the American frontier. Sandoz argues that her father's cleverness and considerable ability as an organizer and planner allowed him to succeed in the Nebraska Territory as an entrepreneur, agricultural and horticultural specialist, and community builder.

Sandoz shows Jules' unwavering confidence in the ability of the hard Nebraskan land and short growing season to nonetheless yield a successful agricultural return. Jules' detailed observations and recordings allowed him to refine his cultivation methods as to maximize the crop output and quality, making this knowledge a great asset to the frontier community. Sandoz focuses at detail on Jules' interest in agriculture to highlight his overwhelming desire to achieve self-sufficiency, a concept held in high regard by settlers and pioneers of the Great Plains during a period that placed high emphasis on individualism. Jules' contributions to the development of the Niobrara country didn't end with agricultural knowledge; Sandoz informs the reader of her father's correspondences with potential settlers, role in the creation of a local post office, and participation in land speculation for incoming migrants to the area. Sandoz shows that Old Jules' involvement in community organization and planning surpassed that of most people of the frontier. She contests that people of the immediate area looked to her father for not only agricultural advice, but also for guidance in many areas their daily lives including obtaining land, seeking justice, and dealing with the problems posed by the encroaching cattle ranchers.

The significance of Sandoz's biography not only lies in the presentation of her father Old Jules as a unique and capable pioneer and settler, but rather also in the book's accurate description of larger issues facing all settlers and pioneers of the Great Plains during the late 19th century. Sandoz uses the biography of her father as a case study to illustrate the position of the settler and pioneer relative to the conflicts arising with the cattle ranchers, the removal and eventual deterioration of American Indian culture, and the lawlessness that characterized the early history of the Midwest. In her examination of her father Jules, Mari Sandoz successfully shows that the challenging characteristics of American frontier life shaped and defined the lives of the pioneers and settlers of the period giving them a unique identity in the history of the American move westward.

Sandoz's biography of her father successfully combines engaging narrative alongside detailed historical accounts of the Niobrara country of the Nebraska Territory. The book not only entertains the reader through Sandoz's stories of her father Old Jules, but also educates about the nature of American frontier life on the Great Plains during the latter part of the 19th century. Certain elements of the book add to the understanding of the social, economic, and cultural aspects unique to American frontier life, providing a stark contrast to the urbanization taking place in Eastern portion of the country during the same period.

23 of 25 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars One of the Most Extraordinary Books of Western Americana, May 5, 2000

By 

Mark K. Mcdonough "Mark McDonough" (Reston, VA USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Old Jules: Portrait of a Pioneer (Hardcover)

We're buried in books about gunfighters and whores and trainrobbers and other quite atypical denizens of the Old West. This issomething else again -- a story of an implacably determined European immigrant with a dream of re-making himself in the Sand Hills of western Nebraska.

The strength of Jules' dream is affecting, and so is the story of its collision with the bleak reality of midwestern frontier life. One branch of my family were ranchers in Wyoming, and their descendants remain a tough lot. Tough doesn't begin to describe Old Jules, and like most very tough people, he was more memorable and even admirable than likeable.

When it comes to the lives of women on the frontier, Willa Cather covered similar ground, but Sandoz is absolutely unsparing and is an extraordinarily talented writer. This is one of those books that you'll think about for years. I've bought and given away half a dozen copies over the years.

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Shaping of an Author, September 3, 2001

By 

Jeremy Joseph McKnight "jeremyjoseph" (United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Old Jules: 50th Anniversary Edition (Bison Book) (Paperback)

Old Jules was tough, mean, revengeful, yet his daughter went on to become one of the best historical writers of the west. He would get mad when you Mari wrote fiction, or did anything for that matter. Yet he showed her, lived the example of writing, corresponding daily to make his points with politicians, friends and associates. He was tough and mean, but what Mari Sandoz brings to light in this excellent biography are his essential qualities of hard work, perseverience, education and human equality. People with those qualities shaped America, particularily the west. Old Jules open welcome of Native Americans clearly had an impact on Mari Sandoz, showing in her excellent books on the Cheyenne nation and her biography of Crazy Horse. Because Mari is writing about her father, this book helps show not only how a man helped shape his community, but how he helped shape the future of the nation.