Western: A Saga of the Great Plains

by Frank Yerby

Harvard-educated Massachusetts Yankee Ethan Lovejoy, haunted by the brother he killed in the Civil War, travels west to Kansas, marries Anne Jeffreys along the way, and builds one of the Great Plains's largest homesteads

Genres: Fiction, Historical Fiction

437 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1982

About the author

Born in Augusta, Georgia to Rufus Garvin Yerby, an African American, and Wilhelmina Smythe, who was caucasian. He graduated from Haines Normal Institute in Augusta and graduated from Paine College in 1937. Thereafter, Yerby enrolled in Fisk University where he received his Master's degree in 1938. In 1939, Yerby entered the University of Chicago to work toward his doctorate but later left the university. Yerby taught briefly at Florida A&M University and at Southern University in Baton Rouge.

Frank Yerby rose to fame as a writer of popular fiction tinged with a distinctive southern flavor. In 1946 he became the first African-American to publish a best-seller with The Foxes of Harrow. That same year he also became the first African-American to have a book purchased for screen adaptation by a Hollywood studio, when 20th Century Fox optioned Foxes. Ultimately the book became a 1947 Oscar-nominated film starring Rex Harrison and Maureen O'Hara. Yerby was originally noted for writing romance novels set in the Antebellum South. In mid-century he embarked on a series of best-selling novels ranging from the Athens of Pericles to Europe in the Dark Ages. Yerby took considerable pains in research, and often footnoted his historical novels. In all he wrote 33 novels.

Reviews

[Jon Hollihan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Soap Opera set in Kansas. Troubled, yet intelligent and mechanically-adept young man heads west to establish himself. Yerby's most tortured protagonist - Ethan Lovejoy. Ironic surname. Indians, Irishmen, cowboys, hateful housewives and the environment inflict wounds onto Ethan and everyone he cares about and knows. My least favorite novel from this author, as Yerby has him suffer endlessly. Strong sexual references, violence and racist language (appropriate for the time) made me happy to finish this book. As always, well researched with lots of insightful and historical information about prairie living, modes of transportation and the impact of railroad expansion.

[Jeff Dickison · Rating 3 out of 5]

An epic story of Kansas, this tale is nothing more than a long soap opera. A lot of talking, a lot of swearing love forever, then betrayal. Yerby would never use two words when he could find twenty to fill in and repeat over and over and over. Only recommended to romance lovers. I love romance, but I don't love romance books.

[Gerry · Rating 1 out of 5]

For all the sameness in Frank Yerby's novels (protagonist of extraordinary ability but lack of convention, romantic triangle, "she wailed," "he whispered"), I forgave them because of the rollicking good history in them. Not here: by the time I reached page 150, I had had enough. It was just too boring. Like Kansas, I suppose (apologies to Kansans everywhere).

[Cws]

W Yer