Willa Cather

In 1938, Edward Wagenknecht contacted Willa Cather about writing on her uncollected stories. She at first misunderstood the request and reacted strongly against anyone reprinting them. Once Wagenknecht explained he had no intention of reprinting these stories, but had every good intention of writing on them, Cather's tone changed - though she did not change her negative attitude toward her early work. Nonetheless, Wagenknecht promised that if he ever wrote a book about Cather he would include a section on these uncollected writings.More than fifty years later, we are fortunate to have the book conceived many years ago. It not only includes thorough discussions of the uncollected stories: it discusses Cather's entire career. The volume begins with a consideration of the author's life before examining her novels and tales. Among them are some of the most widely read and cherished works in American literature: O Pioneers!, My Antonia, My Mortal Enemy, Death Comes for the Archbishop, "A Death in the Desert," "Paul's Case," "The Sculptor's Funeral," and more. The final chapter considers Cather's character and personality in some detail, and the volume concludes with an appendix on the uncollected tales.As Edward Wagenknecht observes, many critics view Cather as essentially a religious writer. For her, the most precious word of all was the view that art and religion are one. In this spirit, Willa Cather always served the Best and Highest she knew.