内容简介
Firstpublished1918,MyAntoniaisCather'sfourthnovelandconsideredherfinestwork.ThestoryistoldbyJimBurdenwhorecountshislifeandmemoriessurroundingAntonia,achildhoodfriend.Thenovelisdividedintofiveparts,someofwhichincorporateshortstoriesCatherhadwrittenaboutherownlifegrowingupinNebraska.WillaCather'smasterfulportraitofprairieculture,basedonherownlife.AgainstNebraska'spanoramiclandscape,Catherrecreatesthelifeofanimmigrantgirlwhobecomes,inthememoriesofnarratorJimBurden,theepitomeofstronganddignifedwomanhood.
作者简介
WillaCatherPulitzerPrize-winningwriterWillaCatheroncefamouslyobserved,"Theendisnothing;theroadisall."Catherherselfmadethemostoftheroadshetraveled,wearinganindelibleliterarypathstuddedwithclassicAmericannovelsfromOPioneers!toMyántonia.BiographyWilellaSibertCatherwasbornonDecember7,1873,inthesmallVirginiafarmingcommunityofWinchester.Whenshewastenyearsold,herparentsmovedthefamilytotheprairiesofNebraska,whereherfatheropenedafarmmortgageandinsurancebusiness.Home-schooledbeforeenrollinginthelocalhighschool,Catherhadamindofherown,changinghergivennametoWillaandadoptingavariationofhergrandmother'smaidenname,Seibert,ashermiddlename.DuringCather'sstudiesattheUniversityofNebraska,sheworkedasadramacritictosupportherselfandpublishedherfirstpieceofshortfiction,"Peter,"inaBostonmagazine.Aftergraduation,herloveofmusicandintellectualpursuitsinspiredhertomovetoPittsburgh,wheresheeditedthefamilymagazineHomeMonthly,wrotetheatercriticismforthePittsburghDailyLeader,andtaughtEnglishandLatininlocalhighschools.Cather'sbigbreakcamewiththepublicationofherfirstshortstorycollection,TheTrollGarden(1905).ThefollowingyearshemovedtoNewYorkCitytoworkforMcClure'sMagazineasawriterandeventuallythemagazine'smanagingeditor.Consideredoneofthegreatfiguresofearly-twentieth-centuryAmericanliterature,WillaCatherderivedmuchofherinspirationfromtheAmericanMidwest,whichsheconsideredherhome.Nevermarried,shecherishedhermanyfriendships,someofwhichshehadmaintainedsincechildhood.HerintimatecoterieofwomenwritersandartistsmotivatedCathertoproducesomeofherbestwork.SarahOrneJewett,asuccessfulauthorfromMainewhomCatherhadmetduringherMcClure'syears,inspiredhertodevoteherselffull-timetocreatingliteratureandtowriteaboutherchildhood,whichshedidinseveralnovelsoftheprairies.ShewasawardedthePulitzerPrizein1923forhernovelaboutWorldWarI,calledOneofOurs.Shewonmanyotherawards,includingagoldmedalfromtheAmericanAcademyofArtsandLettersandthePrixFeminaAmericaine.OnApril24,1947,twoyearsafterpublishingherlastnovel,WillaCatherdiedinNewYorkCityofacerebralhemorrhage.AmongCather'sotheraccomplishmentswerehonorarydoctoratedegreesfromColumbia,Princeton,andYaleUniversities.AuthorbiographyfromtheBarnes&NobleClassicseditionofO,Pioneers!.GoodToKnowWhenCatherfirstarrivedattheUniversityofNebraska,shedressedasWilliamCather,heroppositesextwin.CatherwasthefirstwomanvotedintotheNebraskaHallofFame,in1961.Shespentfortyyearsofherlifewithhercompanion,EdithLewis,inNewYorkCity.
