A Lost Lady (AmazonClassics Edition)

By: Willa Cather

Narrated by: Stephen Dexter

Marian Forrester arrives in Sweet Water as the treasured bride of a retired builder. To her husband she embodies the idealism of this railroad town on the Western plains. And to Niel Herbert, a smitten young local boy, she’s so perfect as to belong to a different world. But as Niel comes of age, the fortunes of Sweet Water decline, and as the promise of the frontier fades, his perception of the fallible woman he has idolized since boyhood is shattered.

Sketched against the sunset of American pioneer life, A Lost Lady is an indelible portrait of a woman who reflects, and defies, the conventions of her era.

Revised edition: Previously published as A Lost Lady, this edition of A Lost Lady (AmazonClassics Edition) includes editorial revisions.

Public Domain (P)2019 Brilliance Publishing, Inc., all rights reserved.

Another wonderful Willa Cather Masterpiece

I had never heard of this small novel by Willa Cather. I enjoyed it thoroughly. she created several other unforgettable characters.

A Classic Wonderfully Performed!!

I am very glad I listened to a dear friend who suggested I listen to A LOST LADY narrated by Stephen Dexter. I was told the story was beautifully written. Indeed it was and I will add that the narration was wonderfully splendid as well.

This was a well written story told through the eyes of Niel Herbert, a young boy who lived in the same small town a Mrs. Forrester. We get to see the different stage of "admiration" Niel has for Mr. Forrester, from the time he is a young boy to a young man. This story is a lesson about how there is more than meets the eye when it comes to not only relationships but also what we are lead to believe are the important thing in life. A traditional theme during this time period is the upper class having to struggle and acclimate to their new monetary standards and the struggles they face to get accustom to it.

Stephen Dexter does a great job performing the story with a wonderful southern accent and individual voices/tones for each character. It sort of felt like he was sitting in the room with you reading the story while you went on about your day. The pace was perfect and you felt relaxed and at ease.

Inspiring

I’ve read that this novel inspired Fitzgerald to write The Great Gatsby. And yes one can see similar themes. Cather deserves great credit for another thoughtful, lyrical work. She knows people and the landscape so well.

Nice listen/read

Pleasant to listen to, very real seeming characters dignified and less so. Funny and ironic human experiences well captured and entertaining.
I think most could relate to in some form or another in familiar relationships as they change through struggle, time and circumstance.