Willa Cather

(1873-1947)

Cather spent her youth in the midst of the American Great Plains surrounded by European immigrants making their homes in Nebraska.

Her best known work, "My Antonia," has a frontier setting and a story line that captures the drive and determination of people living on the Great Plains.

Cather also explored the negative aspects of frontier life with works such as "Song of the Lark," "Youth and the Bright Medusa" and "Paul's Case." She uses a theme of fighting to cultivate one's talent amid the confinement of small-town living.

Pub Date: 11/22/98