Als Agnes Morley Cleaveland 1874 auf einer Viehranch in New Mexico geboren wurde, war der Begriff "Wilder Westen" eine Realität und kein Klischee. In jenen Tagen wussten Cowboys nicht, dass sie malerisch waren, Pferdediebe wurden nach eigenem Ermessen behandelt, und junge Damen scheuten sich nicht, Kühe zu treiben und Grizzlys zwischen den Schulferien zu jagen.

David Porter, a professor of classics, English, and music from 1962 to 2013, also served as president of Carleton College (1986–87) and Skidmore College (1987–99). He is the author of On the Divide: The Many Lives of Willa Cather (Nebraska, 2008) and coauthor of Seeking Life Whole: Willa Cather and the Brewsters. Kari A. Ronning is a research associate professor of English and textual editor of the Willa Cather Scholarly Editions, most recently The Song of the Lark (Nebraska, 2012). She worked on the historical editing of A Lost Lady (Nebraska, 1997) and Obscure Destinies (Nebraska, 1998). Frederick M. Link (1930–2011); professor emeritus of English at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln; is the textual editor of Cather’s Obscure Destinies (Nebraska, 1998), The Professor’s House (Nebraska, 2002), and Shadows on the Rock (Nebraska, 2006). ¿

David Porter, a professor of classics, English, and music from 1962 to 2013, also served as president of Carleton College (1986–87) and Skidmore College (1987–99). He is the author of On the Divide: The Many Lives of Willa Cather (Nebraska, 2008) and coauthor of Seeking Life Whole: Willa Cather and the Brewsters. Kari A. Ronning is a research associate professor of English and textual editor of the Willa Cather Scholarly Editions, most recently The Song of the Lark (Nebraska, 2012). She worked on the historical editing of A Lost Lady (Nebraska, 1997) and Obscure Destinies (Nebraska, 1998). Frederick M. Link (1930–2011); professor emeritus of English at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln; is the textual editor of Cather’s Obscure Destinies (Nebraska, 1998), The Professor’s House (Nebraska, 2002), and Shadows on the Rock (Nebraska, 2006). ¿

"Hold fast to your dreams, Abbie. They will give you strength when the world is hard." Published in 1928, Beth Streeter Aldrich's A Lantern in Her Hand tells the story of Abbie and Will Deal—pioneers who left everything behind for a new life on America's frontier. Abbie grows up dreaming of becoming a fine lady like her grandmother, of a life filled with music, beauty, and art. But when she marries the steadfast Will Deal and follows him west to the vast Nebraska prairie, she discovers that her path will be shaped not by grand adventures, but by endurance, sacrifice, and the fierce love she pours into her family. Through droughts, hardships, and the relentless demands of pioneer life, Abbie holds fast to the inner light of her aspirations. Though many of her own hopes must be set aside, she passes her courage, imagination, and resilience to the next generation, becoming the quiet foundation upon which their futures are built. Born in Iowa and later settling in Nebraska, Beth Streeter Aldrich (1881—1954) was an American author who drew heavily on the stories of early settlers and her own family's experiences on the prairie. Aldrich published more than 200 short stories and several beloved novels, and is celebrated for her gentle realism and her tribute to the quiet heroism of everyday women. A Lantern in Her Hand remains her most enduring work.