My Antonia
Ratings6
Average rating3.7
From A to Z, the Penguin Drop Caps series collects 26 unique hardcovers—featuring cover art by type superstar Jessica Hische It all begins with a letter. Fall in love with Penguin Drop Caps, a new series of twenty-six collectible and gift-worthy hardcover editions, each with a type cover showcasing a gorgeously illustrated letter of the alphabet by superstar type designer Jessica Hische, whose work has appeared everywhere from Tiffany & Co. to Wes Anderson's film Moonrise Kingdom to Penguin's own bestsellers Committed and Rules of Civility. A collaboration between Jessica Hische and Penguin Art Director Paul Buckley, the series design encompasses foil-stamped paper-over-board cases in a rainbow-hued spectrum across all twenty-six book spines and a dacorative stain on all three paper edges. Penguin Drop Caps debuts with an “A” for Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice, a “B” for Charlotte Brontë’s Jane Eyre, and a “C” for Willa Cather’s My Ántonia, and continues with more classics from Penguin. C is for Cather. My Ántonia is considered one of the most significant American novels of the twentieth century. Set during the great migration west to settle the plains of the North American continent, the narrative follows Antonia Shimerda, a pioneer who comes to Nebraska as a child and grows with the country, inspiring a childhood friend, Jim Burden, to write her life story. The novel is important both for its literary aesthetic and as a portrayal of important aspects of American social ideals and history, particularly the centrality of migration to American culture.
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Truly an American classic. There is somehow an enjoyable melancholy that Cather seem to be able to draw out of ones chest. A nostalgia for a time and place one has never occupied. It reminds one of the humble satisfaction that though life my not end up the way one envisions, it can still be something beautiful and worth reminiscing.
In an effort to read more classics this year, especially by female authors, I decided to tackle Willa Cather because I have never read any of her works before. Now, I went in armed with the knowledge that Cather was not going to address the fact that the lands she writes so lovingly about were stolen from American Indians. I read no other background on Cather beforehand. I like to experience the art first before what I learn about the author taints the work.
I am on a personal quest to define simple living for myself.
Now, I found a lot to like here. I loved how Jim's grandparents helped the Shimerdas without expecting to be repaid in any way (even with gratitude). I loved the descriptions of how the hired girls from town were thought of versus the “ladies” of the town and all of them rose up and became amazingly successful! I loved the part when the dancing tent came to town. And the details about the land...there is one bit about how one's shadow stretches out in the grass next to the road while one is walking....gorgeous. It makes me want to grow things.
I especially loved that Antonia found herself in a situation that could have ruined her for life, and she was able to not only overcome it but to really create a wonderful life for herself.
There is some major girl-power in this book.
Did I want to vomit during the part where Jim attends a concert by Samson the pianist? Yes.
Do I wish that there was a spin-off written about Tiny Soderball's adventures in the Klondike? Oh, yes, please. Lena was also amazing.
I ended up really enjoying this. One just needs to keep a 2020 lens on while reading.
