As an immigrant myself, this book has a special meaning for me. It accurately captures the wonder of America, the seemingly limitless opportunities & resources of the country. It also captures the terror of the immigrant experience, the poverty, the struggles to learn English & adapt to a new world. No, not everyone is going to make it (Mr. Shimerda). Most people will however overcome the adversity & build new lives in America. My parents never really were able to adapt, but their sacrifices enabled me to make it. Overall, a great book.
My argument precisely in my graduate seminar on Asian American literature. I broke down the process into the stages of adaptation and assimilation and said that European and Asian immigrants went through the process quite similarly, which also meant that I was arguing that racism was not the major cause of the older generation's isolation. I also disputed that the internment was the cause of the division between the older and younger generations of Japanese Americans. The younger generation entirely adapted to the trends of American society, including the aimlessness and occasional unmotivated violence of the youth and young adult culture of the Postwar era. The instructor was woman from an upper class Pakistani family who had renounced Islam and become an avowed atheist. She did not like my point of view. In my in-class presentation on Korean-American literature, I also explained why there were two Korea. They're not just there because they are. They're there because the Soviet Union entered the war in the Pacific. These people very often do not like good history.
I found Willa Cathers decades ago, meandering around the old historical novels in the library. I saw the literary awards and decided to pick up two to take home and read. Just wonderful! And as you said, she paints a picture to fill the gaps and those were my favorite places. It's sad that so few know of her, and I'm glad you chose her to review. Thank you.
Wonderful job can't believe it's your first review. I'm reading the book now...I never thought about what it was like settling the prairies, never thought much about Nebraska... So delighted to be learning about all of it in such an entertaining and compelling way through the book.
I just finished the Barnes & Noble edition of the book. I highly recommend the editors introduction, but ready it after you've finished the novel. It gives great insight into Cather and her use of Jim as the narrator.
hey, your reviews are great! :)) something I found interesting was Cather's tendency to write unconventionally strong "masculine" female characters (namely Antonia but also Jim's grandmother, Lena, Sally, Frances and some others in different ways), which on the one hand implies a non-conformity to patriarchal gender roles... but on the other hand, suggests that the strongest and most desirable trait is conventional masculinity / physical strength, albeit in women. also Jim's (fragile and so easily shattered!) masculinity is so often threatened by Antonia's relative power, and subsequently his level of insecurity informs the description we get of her. we love a semi-unreliable narrator! and I definitely agree with you about the vivid nature imagery...
I am glad you picked up on the gender conformity / unconventionality themes and the book I really enjoyed that about the book too! If I remember correctly, Cather was gay, and her perspective enabled her to write characters that challenged traditional roles of femininity
I enjoyed your comments. Cather is sooo important in early American History. As we modernize and become more and more computer dependent it is difficult to fathom the conditions early pioneers grew up in. They lived in freedom, discovery, adventure and a total imagination of "what could be" in a way that was personal and beautiful. The landscape was so much a part of their lives day-to-day. County scenes are made for post cards or Christmas cards in todays world. At that time such beauty surrounded them every day. Hear the larks, discovering a nest in the hedge, the prairie quail, not to mention their own stock who were beautiful --it was incredible.
I started reading My Antonia for the first time just a couple of days ago - enjoying it. Finding your review has been perfect timing - loved hearing your insights about the book. Thank you so much!
I'm just now viewing your talk on My Antonia. I've read it perhaps 5 times and it is my choice for a book group discussion in April 2022. I'm going to learn more about the Homestead Act as context for her work. Your review was insightful and I appreciate it.
I do it. I'd better. I'm writing my master's thesis on WIlla Cather. By the way, Thea in "Song of the Lark" I believe is pronounced either Tay-ah or Tea-ah as far as I can tell. It can be pronounced Thee (rhymes with "fee") - ah or Thay (rhymes with "play") - ah, but I think the pronounciation varies by langauge, and what I have is correct in Swedish. But I could be wrong. All I have to do is spell it right! LOL.
Appreciate your review. Reading novels came late to me. A novel is better for me when I’ve learned a bit about its’ time first, thank you. Look forward to more! I’m a 3rd generation immigrant from the Azores Island, off the coast of Portugal. Family landed, on the West Coast , Central Valley, California. Aunts and Uncles would talk and discuss their stories as a business conference. Tribal expectations were established at these gatherings. Adult family members’ would influence actions such as providing a lot of the local people with dairy 🥛 products during the Great Depression. History has timeless human lessons. Now to listen to the book, 5 🌟
Just an FYI, the link to the Paris Review currently takes us to a sports article. Really enjoyed your review. I am very fond of this book and I believe the 'flatness' of the characters symbolizes how simple life was back then, and it allows us, the reader to really use are imagination into exploring what they are thinking, feeling, experiencing... Thanks again.
Just last month i visited the Willa Cather Museum in Red Cloud, NE. Her house is being renovated, therefore it was not accessible, but we did walk around it, and even peeked through the windows.
*Thank you for this review! As I posted in a comment on a video about Cather's life and overall works, "My Ántonia" was the first novel that I tried to teach as a college lecturer in Japan. It was my own introduction to Cather's writing, and by now, I have read most of her works.*
Thank you for your insights on this book. I came to this book thinking it would be a Huck Finn type children's novel, but found a very adult themed (for the time), layered and artfully written gem. I agree that the two main characters are not fully drawn however, we do get some great flashes when Jim speaks of Roman liturature and that lovely episode at the theatre. I loved the nature descriptions as well.
You did a great job on the review! This is one of my favorite books! I listed to the audio book while driving to Ord, Nebraska where I am doing genealogy and Nebraska pioneer research!
Am I the only one that feels a little heart broken over the lost chance of love between them? I LOVED the book. Loved the characters, backdrop, history, but I literally shed a tear when he comes back to find her after her “almost” marriage. They are and always have been so in love but it never comes to be. That to me is what makes the book so beautiful and sad…
You are certainly not the only one. The emptiness of the Plains mirrors the sad emptiness in the heart of the narrator. "My" Antonia is not mine, the narrator, Jim, might more truly say. That sadness pervades the tone of the whole work. Why is their love not consummated? Why did Jim not marry Antonia? Because Jim is a woman. He is the female author who appears in the first few pages of the novel and "receives the manuscript" from Jim. Antonia, in any case, is straight, and Jim, the woman, cannot come out to her. "Jim"s love for Antonia is doomed from the outset, as the tone throughout tells us.
@@wb2trf I don't know - "Jim" may have missed a chance, then: Antonia sure seemed happy when "he" got rid of that big snake that was lying around doing nothing ...!
Great explanation. I just bought the book. Her statue was just unveiled today. My grandparents migrated to Nebraska from Czechoslovakia. Tough and sturdy genes! Raised 6 kids by herself after husband died of TB. Thank you Grammy. .
Try Ole Rolvaag"s Giants in the Earth for a description of the hardships of pioneering. Cather is one of my favorite authors. Actually like Song of the Lark, Death Comes for the Archbishop, and The Professor's House more. Edith Wharton ranks as my favorite American writer.
Willa Cather is no longer listed in the author index of The Paris Review. You can search her name in the search window but the articles that come up are not active links. You'll be better off at Wikipedia
I appreciate this review, however, i completely disagree with the notion that there's not a lot of exposition in Jim, and Anthonia's characters, and that this is a flaw in the story. They could not be more well balanced to the whole of the story. I Completely connected with them... I could see all of them as clear as I see people in from of me. That is to say, they are in my memory clearer than most people I've met. I could see older Jim looking at older Anthonia; looking past her missing teeth, and warned countenance, and seeing that young vibrant Antonia. I could see her vivid eyes, as she remembers young Jim. But my favourite memory is that of them gathered at the river back looking at the dying Sun, and the old plough left in the field to its own littleness somewhere in the prairie.
You picked a good book to review for a first effort. It's unfortunate that this novel wasn't illustrated by its first publisher. Still a very fine novel.
Not how I read the book . I'm writing my master's thesis on literary naturalism in the prairie fiction of Willa Cather. I emphasize the role of determinism by race, ethnicity, gender and class. Most people won't read it that way.
@@aclark903 No idea. Two of the major influences I know of were Henry James and the Latin poet Virgil. She was very well read from an early age and was a real intellectual prodigy. My argument, though, is that Cather's naturalism was akin to that of the ecological naturalist who studies the cycles and interrelationship of plants and animals in a natural system. I did not equate it to the naturalism of the male American naturalist writers and especially not to European naturalism.
@@aclark903 But Faulkner wasn't active until later. He wasn't a huge force until the Depression era. I'm dealing with the Prairie Trilogy which was published during the World War I era and Death Comes for the Archbishop published in 1927. It takes a lot of work to be a Cather scholar.
As an immigrant myself, this book has a special meaning for me. It accurately captures the wonder of America, the seemingly limitless opportunities & resources of the country. It also captures the terror of the immigrant experience, the poverty, the struggles to learn English & adapt to a new world. No, not everyone is going to make it (Mr. Shimerda). Most people will however overcome the adversity & build new lives in America. My parents never really were able to adapt, but their sacrifices enabled me to make it. Overall, a great book.
My argument precisely in my graduate seminar on Asian American literature. I broke down the process into the stages of adaptation and assimilation and said that European and Asian immigrants went through the process quite similarly, which also meant that I was arguing that racism was not the major cause of the older generation's isolation.
I also disputed that the internment was the cause of the division between the older and younger generations of Japanese Americans. The younger generation entirely adapted to the trends of American society, including the aimlessness and occasional unmotivated violence of the youth and young adult culture of the Postwar era.
The instructor was woman from an upper class Pakistani family who had renounced Islam and become an avowed atheist. She did not like my point of view. In my in-class presentation on Korean-American literature, I also explained why there were two Korea. They're not just there because they are. They're there because the Soviet Union entered the war in the Pacific. These people very often do not like good history.
I found Willa Cathers decades ago, meandering around the old historical novels in the library. I saw the literary awards and decided to pick up two to take home and read. Just wonderful! And as you said, she paints a picture to fill the gaps and those were my favorite places. It's sad that so few know of her, and I'm glad you chose her to review. Thank you.
Wonderful job can't believe it's your first review.
I'm reading the book now...I never thought about what it was like settling the prairies, never thought much about Nebraska...
So delighted to be learning about all of it in such an entertaining and compelling way through the book.
I just finished the Barnes & Noble edition of the book. I highly recommend the editors introduction, but ready it after you've finished the novel. It gives great insight into Cather and her use of Jim as the narrator.
hey, your reviews are great! :))
something I found interesting was Cather's tendency to write unconventionally strong "masculine" female characters (namely Antonia but also Jim's grandmother, Lena, Sally, Frances and some others in different ways), which on the one hand implies a non-conformity to patriarchal gender roles... but on the other hand, suggests that the strongest and most desirable trait is conventional masculinity / physical strength, albeit in women. also Jim's (fragile and so easily shattered!) masculinity is so often threatened by Antonia's relative power, and subsequently his level of insecurity informs the description we get of her. we love a semi-unreliable narrator! and I definitely agree with you about the vivid nature imagery...
I am glad you picked up on the gender conformity / unconventionality themes and the book I really enjoyed that about the book too! If I remember correctly, Cather was gay, and her perspective enabled her to write characters that challenged traditional roles of femininity
I enjoyed your comments. Cather is sooo important in early American History. As we modernize and become more and more computer dependent it is difficult to fathom the conditions early pioneers grew up in. They lived in freedom, discovery, adventure and a total imagination of "what could be" in a way that was personal and beautiful. The landscape was so much a part of their lives day-to-day. County scenes are made for post cards or Christmas cards in todays world. At that time such beauty surrounded them every day. Hear the larks, discovering a nest in the hedge, the prairie quail, not to mention their own stock who were beautiful --it was incredible.
I started reading My Antonia for the first time just a couple of days ago - enjoying it. Finding your review has been perfect timing - loved hearing your insights about the book. Thank you so much!
I'm just now viewing your talk on My Antonia. I've read it perhaps 5 times and it is my choice for a book group discussion in April 2022. I'm going to learn more about the Homestead Act as context for her work. Your review was insightful and I appreciate it.
I've just read this novel and loved it. Thank you for your wonderfully eloquent review.
Awesome .... first review I have found where reviewer pronounced An toe knee uh correctly! Great review too~ lovedthe book!
Me too! It seems under appreciated
I do it. I'd better. I'm writing my master's thesis on WIlla Cather. By the way, Thea in "Song of the Lark" I believe is pronounced either Tay-ah or Tea-ah as far as I can tell. It can be pronounced Thee (rhymes with "fee") - ah or Thay (rhymes with "play") - ah, but I think the pronounciation varies by langauge, and what I have is correct in Swedish. But I could be wrong. All I have to do is spell it right! LOL.
Appreciate your review. Reading novels came late to me. A novel is better for me when I’ve learned a bit about its’ time first, thank you. Look forward to more! I’m a 3rd generation immigrant from the Azores Island, off the coast of Portugal. Family landed, on the West Coast , Central Valley, California. Aunts and Uncles would talk and discuss their stories as a business conference. Tribal expectations were established at these gatherings. Adult family members’ would influence actions such as providing a lot of the local people with dairy 🥛 products during the Great Depression. History has timeless human lessons. Now to listen to the book, 5 🌟
Just an FYI, the link to the Paris Review currently takes us to a sports article. Really enjoyed your review. I am very fond of this book and I believe the 'flatness' of the characters symbolizes how simple life was back then, and it allows us, the reader to really use are imagination into exploring what they are thinking, feeling, experiencing... Thanks again.
I first read this book 35 years ago and it still ranks as one of my favorites.
Just last month i visited the Willa Cather Museum in Red Cloud, NE. Her house is being renovated, therefore it was not accessible, but we did walk around it, and even peeked through the windows.
One of my favorites. I always read it mainly as a nostalgic retreat from the nightmares of WWI.
*Thank you for this review! As I posted in a comment on a video about Cather's life and overall works, "My Ántonia" was the first novel that I tried to teach as a college lecturer in Japan. It was my own introduction to Cather's writing, and by now, I have read most of her works.*
Thank you for the review
Thank you for your insights on this book. I came to this book thinking it would be a Huck Finn type children's novel, but found a very adult themed (for the time), layered and artfully written gem. I agree that the two main characters are not fully drawn however, we do get some great flashes when Jim speaks of Roman liturature and that lovely episode at the theatre. I loved the nature descriptions as well.
I just read 'A Lost Lady' which I really liked, now on to 'My Antonia'... Thanks for the review, very nice!
This is a good review. Help me a lot to understand the context of the story.
You did a great job on the review! This is one of my favorite books! I listed to the audio book while driving to Ord, Nebraska where I am doing genealogy and Nebraska pioneer research!
I heard about this book on a great British podcast called backlisted.Love your unpretentious style.Keep up the good work.🇬🇧
Am I the only one that feels a little heart broken over the lost chance of love between them? I LOVED the book. Loved the characters, backdrop, history, but I literally shed a tear when he comes back to find her after her “almost” marriage. They are and always have been so in love but it never comes to be. That to me is what makes the book so beautiful and sad…
I have a few questions
what does Antonia mean to Jim?
Haha you doing a school assignment?
You are certainly not the only one. The emptiness of the Plains mirrors the sad emptiness in the heart of the narrator. "My" Antonia is not mine, the narrator, Jim, might more truly say. That sadness pervades the tone of the whole work. Why is their love not consummated? Why did Jim not marry Antonia? Because Jim is a woman. He is the female author who appears in the first few pages of the novel and "receives the manuscript" from Jim. Antonia, in any case, is straight, and Jim, the woman, cannot come out to her. "Jim"s love for Antonia is doomed from the outset, as the tone throughout tells us.
@@wb2trf I don't know - "Jim" may have missed a chance, then: Antonia sure seemed happy when "he" got rid of that big snake that was lying around doing nothing ...!
Good review! I am reading this book now, and I see what you're talking about.
Great explanation. I just bought the book. Her statue was just unveiled today.
My grandparents migrated to Nebraska from Czechoslovakia.
Tough and sturdy genes! Raised 6 kids by herself after husband died of TB. Thank you Grammy. .
This is my favorite book. I love the contrast between Lena and Tony.
Thank you! I’m about to start reading My Ántonia.
Try Ole Rolvaag"s Giants in the Earth for a description of the hardships of pioneering. Cather is one of my favorite authors. Actually like Song of the Lark, Death Comes for the Archbishop, and The Professor's House more. Edith Wharton ranks as my favorite American writer.
I read it in high school (1976), and am rereading it now ! Great review! 😀
Great review, thanks! 📚
Honey, it"'s " Cather " to rhyme with " rather ."🐾❤️❤️🌏🌏💚💛 but I share your great love and admiration for this gorgeous work.
Great job 🤩
Willa Cather is no longer listed in the author index of The Paris Review. You can search her name in the search window but the articles that come up are not active links. You'll be better off at Wikipedia
I appreciate this review, however, i completely disagree with the notion that there's not a lot of exposition in Jim, and Anthonia's characters, and that this is a flaw in the story. They could not be more well balanced to the whole of the story. I Completely connected with them...
I could see all of them as clear as I see people in from of me. That is to say, they are in my memory clearer than most people I've met.
I could see older Jim looking at older Anthonia; looking past her missing teeth, and warned countenance, and seeing that young vibrant Antonia. I could see her vivid eyes, as she remembers young Jim.
But my favourite memory is that of them gathered at the river back looking at the dying Sun, and the old plough left in the field to its own littleness somewhere in the prairie.
You picked a good book to review for a first effort. It's unfortunate that this novel wasn't illustrated by its first publisher. Still a very fine novel.
Well done!
thanks very much
This is one of my favorite books. 🤗
It's so good!
Your link for the further reading on Willa Cather is incorrect methinks - topic is basketball?! fyi
Oh, hahaha! Thank you so much for letting me know. I will edit that. Thank you!
Not how I read the book . I'm writing my master's thesis on literary naturalism in the prairie fiction of Willa Cather. I emphasize the role of determinism by race, ethnicity, gender and class. Most people won't read it that way.
Most people wouldn't read it the way I did or you did? Either way, I'm untrained, I just wanted to give visibility to an under-read book ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
I was wondering how much Zola Cather had read..
@@aclark903 No idea. Two of the major influences I know of were Henry James and the Latin poet Virgil. She was very well read from an early age and was a real intellectual prodigy.
My argument, though, is that Cather's naturalism was akin to that of the ecological naturalist who studies the cycles and interrelationship of plants and animals in a natural system. I did not equate it to the naturalism of the male American naturalist writers and especially not to European naturalism.
@@anonymike8280 I'm reading Axes, by Skaggs, who argues Faulkner was also a major influence, or at least a major irritant.
@@aclark903 But Faulkner wasn't active until later. He wasn't a huge force until the Depression era.
I'm dealing with the Prairie Trilogy which was published during the World War I era and Death Comes for the Archbishop published in 1927. It takes a lot of work to be a Cather scholar.