Tacey Cromwell

by Conrad Richter

Book by Richter, Conrad

208 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1974

About the author

Conrad Michael Richter (October 13, 1890 – October 30, 1968) was an American novelist whose lyrical work is concerned largely with life on the American frontier in various periods. His novel The Town (1950), the last story of his trilogy The Awakening Land about the Ohio frontier, won the 1951 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction.[1] His novel The Waters of Kronos won the 1961 National Book Award for Fiction.[2] Two collections of short stories were published posthumously during the 20th century, and several of his novels have been reissued during the 21st century by academic presses. (wikipedia.org)

Reviews

[Mr. Kovach · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a writer I greatly admire, and there is much writing here that is as good as his famous trilogy (that trilogy is the basis for my belief that Richter is today one of the most overlooked writers of the 20th century), but Tacey Cromwell goes strangely off the rails right after they break up Tacey's family. My displeasure in a book is almost never related to the story line (and almost always about the writing), but this story so disappointed me that it definitely affected my review this time. Nugget is the narrator and I'm good with that, but after the family breakup Tacey is no longer the protagonist, and this is a character so strongly developed that she deserved better than to be just the suffering and noble stoic for the rest of the way. That being said, this is a worthy read for the many flashes of writing brilliance that appear even more regularly in the trilogy (PLEASE read that!). Tacey Cromwell in substance is an interesting mix of Huck Finn, Winesburg Ohio, and Kate Chopin's work (another writer whose wonderful prose, like Richter's, is vastly and inexplicably ignored). I've read The Light in the Forest (which is wonderful) and intend on reading the rest of Richter over time. I can't recommend enough trying him out, starting with The Trees.

[Sharon Eastvold · Rating 5 out of 5]

The memory of this book has haunted me for years. I'd forgotten the name of it but remembered the story. I came across it on my book shelves and have enjoyed re-reading it. It is the story of a woman who is more than a prostitute in the beginning and becomes more than a pillar of the community by the end. She survives poverty, persecution, being ostracised and the brunt of small town gossip. The becomes the only woman who can turn the life of a wild girl around and keep this young woman from making the same mistakes Tacey had made. It's a fast and compelling read. Enjoy!

[Maria · Rating 5 out of 5]

So far I've really appreciated everything I've read from Richter. His books won't "wow" you or satisfy any girlish fantasies. So don't look to him for any sort of entertainment. But he always, always, always makes you think and question and go back to re-read places to see what he's really saying between the lines. He is an author that never ever spells it out for you. He weaves a story and lets you glean from it what you will. I love that about his books! Love it!

This book, in particular, is really engaging and deals with some enduring issues like equality between the sexes, society's ability to accept an individual's reform, and challenges our ideas of "correct" or socially acceptable parenting.

I would suggest reading this book with someone else so you can discuss it. Ryan and I read it together and learned so much more from being able to hear each other's insights than if I had just read it alone. I don't think all books benefit so much from discussion, but like I said, Richter doesn't always connect the dots for you, so it's nice to have someone to bounce ideas around with.

[Steve Iman · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book and the character development. Richter writes in ways that put you into a very early time with it's language and controlling social norms.

[Steve Gray · Rating 4 out of 5]

Purchased this used at a neat little bookstore in Canyon Texas. I was there to hike Palo Duro and Cap Rock Canyon state parks - which are really great by the way - along with the great little restaurants in Canyon (and all the nice people). Anyway - driving there down Route 66 you pass lots of little towns that were created in the late 1800's and thrived for a while until the interstate bypassed them, their mines or economic engines or populations died out - which made this book even more interesting because it's set (mostly) in Bisbee Arizona. Bisbee is a mining town but eventually the copper and silver mines went away. Bisbee, however, survived and survives to this day as the result of it's rather charming collection of turn of the century houses and buildings and it's unusual layout - built as it was on the side of the mountains. The book, as an additional bonus, is a first edition and was owned previously by the Deaf Smith County Library in Hereford Texas. "Deaf" being pronounced 'deef' - charming. Deaf Smith was a famous cowboy - google it.

Anyway-the story is rather well reviewed by Kirkus Reviews - "Personally, I don't think it is as fine a piece of writing; its subtleties are more obvious, its characterizations somewhat more traditional. But it is a good story, supremely well told, and the implicit weighing of values, as the 'good women' of a mushroom mining town blast the chances of a new life when they decide that a woman once of a 'sporting house' is not fit protector and guardian of youth, is a commentary on traditional values of right and wrong."
So - there's the story - a version of which has been used by a million books and movies with - think "Pretty Woman" for instance. But what's nice about this one is the setting in Bisbee - circa 1900 - and the details of the town, the people and what life was like. Not only does he provide fairly well fleshed out main characters - there are quite a few other characters that have at least some details about their lives and lifestyles in the book. I also like the way he ends the story - in almost a surprise ending. It's an easy read and a nice break from the more modern fiction and historical non-fiction books I read generally - and I'm sure others will find that true for them as well. I find myself looking for books written from the 1890's to the 1940's lately - as an antidote to the current times perhaps.

[Susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Not what I expected from Mr. Richter! Set in Bisbee, Arizona in the early years of the 20th century, a vivid portrait of this very real mining town and the diverse characters who people it.

[Leslie Reiber · Rating 4 out of 5]

An underappreciated American author. Published 1942