My Ántonia by Willa Cather

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Willa Cather drew heavily from her own personal experience of immigrating to the American West to write My Ántonia, her masterpiece centered on the lives of early pioneers to the plains of Nebraska.

An orphaned boy named Jim is sent to live with his grandparents in Nebraska. Along the way, he is introduced to the Shimerda family, who become the nearest neighbors to his grandparents' house. Ántonia, the Shimerda's eldest daughter, befriends the boy and his grandparents, and the lives of the two families become closely intertwined during the harsh Nebraska winter.

Through the myriad adventures, tragedy, and trials, the bond between the children deepens, and their bond proves to be a lifeline in a troublesome world.