Dust

by Mr & Mrs Haldeman-Julius, Anna Marcet Haldeman

E. Haldeman-Julius (né Emanuel Julius) (1889 -1951) was an American social reformer and publisher. Anna Marcet Haldeman (1887-1941) was an American feminist, playwright, editor, author, and bank president. She was the wife of activist E. Haldeman-Julius. After their marriage both partners adopted the name Haldeman-Julius. Dust is a novel of domestic life. An excerpt reads, "DUST was piled in thick, velvety folds on the weeds and grass of the open Kansas prairie; it lay, a thin veil on the scrawny black horses and the sharp-boned cow picketed near a covered wagon; it showered to the ground in little clouds as Mrs. Wade, a tall, spare woman, moved about a camp-fire, preparing supper in a sizzling skillet, huge iron kettle and blackened coffee-pot. Her husband, pale and gaunt, the shadow of death in his weary face and the droop of his body, sat leaning against one of the wagon wheels trying to quiet a wailing, emaciated year-old baby while little tow-headed Nellie, a vigorous child of seven, frolicked undaunted by the August heat."

130 pages, Paperback

First published March 27, 2004

Reviews

[Teressa · Rating 4 out of 5]

The opening line did it again. Knowing what this story was about and hearing the title of the first chapter “The Dust is Stirred” was intriguing to me as it takes place on the Kansas Prairie where the tallgrass grows.

Three generations survive and thrive on their farm through the ages. This story was somewhat of a surprise with an unexpected twist of fate with Martin and Rose. I would like to think that the earlier pioneers would have been in more of a state of content than the story portrays, although I know times were hard. The story was somewhat sad but worth a listen.

My curiosity lead me to look up the authors of this book and I found their story to be really neat as well. I found them listed in the Kansas Historical Society.

About the narrator: Lee Ann Howlett told this story the way it was meant to be. The times were hard and people were haggard and worn. She portrayed this perfectly. She added the element that portrayed the lives of the early pioneers as they moved west. Great work!

Audiobook gifted in exchange for review

[Betsie Bush · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dust is an overlooked classic that, while published in 1921, remains relevant to the 21st century reader. The essence of the relationship between the main characters, Rose and Martin, is not unlike that of modern couples who seek to fill the emptiness in their relationships by working harder. A melancholy tale, indeed, but this is a story that needs to be told to remind us of our humanity. Lee Ann Howlett's smooth narration, with an edge of the sardonic, perfectly matches the tone of the story and allows the listener to feel the pain and loneliness of the characters.

[Bob Rivera · Rating 3 out of 5]

A depressing story of a successful life of a farmer that had no feelings of love for anyone in his life. It tragically lays out a story of an successful, yet very unhappy marriage, the loss of children, and ultimately the meaninglessness of success for successes sake. It ultimately makes the point that love is the only thing that truly matters in life and the lack of it brings disappointment, pain and tragedy.

Read as part of "The Second Western Megapack: 25 Classic Western Stories".