Part love-letter to the Midwest prairies and paid homage to pioneer life, O Pioneers is a beautiful tribute to the people and land that turned the land into the breadbasket of America.
The main character, Maria Bergson, grew up in a log cabin on the Nebraska plains with neighbors in sod huts, everyone trying to turn the prairie into farmland. Maria's family are immigrants from Sweden and live among fellow immigrants from Slavic countries and France. After her father's death, Maria takes charge of the family, making the decision to go into debt while growing their land. It pays off and they become a prosperous, well-regarded family. But families are families and conflicts arise with her brothers and she makes personal sacrifices.
What struck me about this 1913 novel, is that pieces of this story could have been today - love lost due to family commitments, star-crossed lovers, family jealousy. And I was impressed that the main character is a strong woman, not dependent on men.
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