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Friend of my springtime: A classic story of friendship
Used Book in Good Condition
- GenresFriendship
44 pages, Hardcover
Published January 1, 1974
1 person is currently reading
18 people want to read
About the author
Willa Cather
597 books2,825 followersWilella Sibert Cather was born in Back Creek Valley (Gore), Virginia, in December 7, 1873.
She grew up in Virginia and Nebraska. She then attended the University of Nebraska, initially planning to become a physician, but after writing an article for the Nebraska State Journal, she became a regular contributor to this journal. Because of this, she changed her major and graduated with a bachelor's degree in English.
After graduation in 1894, she worked in Pittsburgh as writer for various publications and as a school teacher for approximately 13 years, thereafter moving to New York City for the remainder of her life.
Her novels on frontier life brought her to national recognition. In 1923 she was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for her novel, 'One of Ours' (1922), set during World War I. She travelled widely and often spent summers in New Brunswick, Canada. In later life, she experienced much negative criticism for her conservative politics and became reclusive, burning some of her letters and personal papers, including her last manuscript.
She was elected a Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences in 1943. In 1944, Cather received the gold medal for fiction from the National Institute of Arts and Letters, an award given once a decade for an author's total accomplishments.
She died of a cerebral haemorrhage at the age of 73 in New York City.
She grew up in Virginia and Nebraska. She then attended the University of Nebraska, initially planning to become a physician, but after writing an article for the Nebraska State Journal, she became a regular contributor to this journal. Because of this, she changed her major and graduated with a bachelor's degree in English.
After graduation in 1894, she worked in Pittsburgh as writer for various publications and as a school teacher for approximately 13 years, thereafter moving to New York City for the remainder of her life.
Her novels on frontier life brought her to national recognition. In 1923 she was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for her novel, 'One of Ours' (1922), set during World War I. She travelled widely and often spent summers in New Brunswick, Canada. In later life, she experienced much negative criticism for her conservative politics and became reclusive, burning some of her letters and personal papers, including her last manuscript.
She was elected a Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences in 1943. In 1944, Cather received the gold medal for fiction from the National Institute of Arts and Letters, an award given once a decade for an author's total accomplishments.
She died of a cerebral haemorrhage at the age of 73 in New York City.
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
February 22, 2019
I love Willa Cather, but this is a ridiculous little short story published as a book. Classic story of friendship? Ha! Little kid befriends lonely old people. Yes, that's charming and sweet. Then tragedy strikes, leaving me wondering why I read this.
It was published in 1974 and reminds me of all those gloomy movies from the 1970s when people all die in the end, just because life is dark.
It was published in 1974 and reminds me of all those gloomy movies from the 1970s when people all die in the end, just because life is dark.
August 22, 2021
I had it about the house. It’s a short story about an apt house with various people in it and the young boy who makes their life better. There are tragic events? It’s published by Hallmark in the 1970s and it seriously has that vibe. It reminds of a mix of Separate Tables, the movie and a Little House on the Prairie episode. It’s about a cherubic boy who inspires people in an apt house in the 1900s. There’s a classics professor, a music teacher and a woman with a dark, but vague past. There are some good descriptions about them.
It’s got some great descriptions. I haven’t been able to verify that Cather wrote it or not. It seems like her writing, but I’ve never heard about it before. It seriously has the vibe of you need a gift for your maiden aunt for Easter. You know if your maiden aunt doesn’t like Mercedes Lackey books or books about Jack the Ripper or you know anything fun. It’s very heavy handed and unsubtle. Freaking scarlet fever, man. The pictures are too trippy and ‘70s. They are soo Hallmark. It would be one of those treacly things they would show on Easter weekend or at Thanksgiving. I loved Paul’s Case more and her other stories. This one is just meh.
3 stars. Rating inflated due to liking Cather generally.
November 8, 2024
Subtitle: A Classic Story of Friendship
This is a short story that I found when cleaning out my basement. Apparently, I bought it when I was shortly out of college and my mother had it in a box of stuff with my name on it, I never went through. I wonder if I gave it to her, thinking she would enjoy it, but I doubt it. It’s not the kind of work she’d like. I wonder if someone gave it to me and I just left it at my parents’ house. I’ll never know.
It's a lovely little story, but not particularly memorable. A mature woman writes about the residents of their “terrace,” particularly the Professor and the Woman Nobody Called On. They are all somewhat dismayed to notice a hobby horse coming off the moving van when new tenants move in. They aren’t particularly fond of children. But Jack-A-Boy, with his gentle sweetness and genuine concern for everyone wins them over.
It's rather sweet but predictable. Not her best effort.
This is a short story that I found when cleaning out my basement. Apparently, I bought it when I was shortly out of college and my mother had it in a box of stuff with my name on it, I never went through. I wonder if I gave it to her, thinking she would enjoy it, but I doubt it. It’s not the kind of work she’d like. I wonder if someone gave it to me and I just left it at my parents’ house. I’ll never know.
It's a lovely little story, but not particularly memorable. A mature woman writes about the residents of their “terrace,” particularly the Professor and the Woman Nobody Called On. They are all somewhat dismayed to notice a hobby horse coming off the moving van when new tenants move in. They aren’t particularly fond of children. But Jack-A-Boy, with his gentle sweetness and genuine concern for everyone wins them over.
It's rather sweet but predictable. Not her best effort.
August 18, 2024
Beautiful illustrations, simple, universal story!
September 16, 2024
A wonderful short heartfelt story. I hope to read more of her short stories. This one is a story friendship.
August 21, 2011
Cute book about a sweet little boy and the adults he enamored. Quick read.
April 17, 2017
This tender story was perfect for Easter weekend. Cather has such a way with her words and descriptions. I became attached to that little boy, just as everyone else did. I even cried a bit. Sweet story!
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews