About this title: Although the origins of the western are as old as colonial westward expansion, it was Owen Wister's novel The Virginian, published in 1902, that established most of the now-familiar conventions of the genre. On the heels of the classic western's centennial, this collection of essays both re-examines the text of The Virginian and uses Wister's novel as a lens for studying what the next century of western writing and reading will bring. The contributors address Wister's life and travels, the novel's influence on and handling of gender and race issues, and its illustrations and various ...
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Note: This is a general synopsis. Each listing is described below.
Binding: Cloth
Publisher: Macmillan and Co., London
Date published: 1913
Description: Fair-Poor. No Jacket. 12mo-over 6¾"-7¾" tall. Pale blue cloth with gilt titles to spine. Cloth faded and damp stained. Edge wear. Both free end papers missing-which has weakened the binding. Pages slightly age toned and have occasional fingermarks. Occasional spots of foxing to pages, near to spine. Pencil scribbles to rear paste down. Occasional pencil marks in text. 316pp. read more
Binding: Paperback
Publisher: University of Nebraska Press
Date published: 1992
ISBN-13:9780803297364ISBN:080329736X
Description: Good. Good, clean condition book. Official Supporter of the British Heart Foundation. Most items will be dispatched the same or the next working day. read more
Binding: Paperback
Publisher: Oxford University Press
Date published: 2009
ISBN-13:9780199554102ISBN:0199554102
Description: BRAND NEW PAPERBACK. 196x129 mm. (400) first published in 1902, the virginian is the influential tale of cowpunchers of the wyoming cattle country during the exciting 1870s and '80s. rich in atmosphere and vernacular humour, the story is dominated by the romance between a handsome, heroic `virginian' and molly wood, a pretty schoolteacher from vermont. this edition includes wister's neglected essay, `the evolution of the cow-puncher' (1895), a revealing companion to a novel that has disturbing ... read more
Binding: Paperback
Publisher: The Echo Library
Date published: 2006
ISBN-13:9781846374203ISBN:1846374200
Description: New. BRAND NEW and ready for dispatch. Delivery normally within 4/7 days. Our reputation is built on our Speedy Delivery Service and our Customer Service Team. read more
Edition: Reprint.
Binding: Hardcover
Publisher: MacMillan, London
Date published: 1913
Description: Fair hardback in decorated red cloth with gilt. Illus by Arthur I. Keller. Hinges cracked but tight; some scattered light foxing; board corners worn; spine faded; with wear to cloth; edges of back board faded. Trade cloth, with illustration of girl in Edwardian dress. read more
Binding: Paperback
Publisher: Citadel Press
Date published: 1984
ISBN-13:9780806509235ISBN:0806509236
Description: New. BRAND NEW and ready for dispatch. Delivery normally within 4/7 days. Our reputation is built on our Speedy Delivery Service and our Customer Service Team. read more
Binding: HARDCOVER
Publisher: The Macmillan Company
Date published: 1930
Description: Fair. Hardcover, no dust jacket as published, a good reading copy. Your book will be securely packed and promptly dispatched from our UK warehouse. read more
Binding: Paperback
Publisher: University of Nebraska Press
Date published: 1992
ISBN-13:9780803297364ISBN:080329736X
Description: New. BRAND NEW and ready for dispatch. Delivery normally within 4/7 days. Our reputation is built on our Speedy Delivery Service and our Customer Service Team. read more
Binding: Paperback
Publisher: BiblioBazaar, LLC
Date published: 2007
ISBN-13:9781434614940ISBN:1434614948
Description: New. BRAND NEW and ready for dispatch. Delivery normally within 4/7 days. Our reputation is built on our Speedy Delivery Service and our Customer Service Team. read more
Edition: Large type / large print.
Binding: Paperback
Publisher: BiblioBazaar, LLC
Date published: 2007
ISBN-13:9781434615886ISBN:143461588X
Description: New. BRAND NEW and ready for dispatch. Delivery normally within 4/7 days. Our reputation is built on our Speedy Delivery Service and our Customer Service Team. read more
Binding: Hardcover
Publisher: Bastian Books
Date published: 2008
ISBN-13:9780554359403ISBN:0554359405
Description: New. BRAND NEW and ready for dispatch. Delivery normally within 4/7 days. Our reputation is built on our Speedy Delivery Service and our Customer Service Team. read more
Edition: Large type / large print.
Binding: Hardcover
Publisher: Bastian Books
Date published: 2008
ISBN-13:9780554266374ISBN:0554266377
Description: New. BRAND NEW and ready for dispatch. Delivery normally within 4/7 days. Our reputation is built on our Speedy Delivery Service and our Customer Service Team. read more
Edition: Heritage Press Edition.
Binding: Hardcover
Publisher: The Heritage Press, New York
Date published: 1951
Description: Subjects: Cattle stealing-Fiction. Vigilantes-Fiction. Cowboys-Fiction. Near fine copy in the original gilt-blocked cloth, with pictorial to front panel. Slightest suggestion only of dust-dulling. Complete with good, stiff-card slipcase. Remains particularly well-preserved overall; tight, bright, clean and strong. 1. pp. 437. read more
Binding: Paperback
Publisher: Penguin Books Ltd
Date published: 1988
ISBN-13:9780140390650ISBN:0140390650
Description: Good. We use Alibris to support work that we do in Africa and our UK team comprises long term unemployed and prisoners coming to the end of sentences. We will despatch your goods within two working days. read more
"I was excited to read this book after reading the foreword which explained this is the original country western portraying the cowboy as a heroic figure and that many typical western movie and book themes originate with this book, but I was disappointed because I found the style of writing hard to read. However, there were parts I really enjoyed and by the end I couldn't wait to find out what happened. There were a lot of parts that were hard for me to get through, but maybe I was just being impatient."
"Apparently I'm not much of a Western reader--I love Cormac McCarthy's All the Pretty Horses, but this was a snooze for me. I appreciated certain aspects of the love story that built up suspense, but I was annoyed by the obnoxious, wimpy narrator who kept me waiting for the next episode by interrupting with details that I didn't care about.
Also, the macho-macho attitude of the cowboys was irritating, as was the author's assumption that the women "belonged" to the men just like their horses did. Of course, that was part of the time period in which this book was written, but by then other authors like Kate Chopin were already protesting this attitude, so perhaps I have a slight excuse to be impatient. I did have fun laughing at this line the cowboy wrote to the schoolmarm's family because I imagined what my mother would have said if my husband had sent her this note: "When she is mine, she will teach school no more." Gag! Get with the times, Owen!"
"When we chose a Western for book club, I was pretty confidant that I wouldn't enjoy it. BUT, I was pleasantly surprised. The Virginian can be hard to understand because of the writing style and the conversational text ("hyeh" = here!), but many of the scenes had me laughing out loud. So, although it started off slow for me, by the end I couldn't wait to finish.
Favorite quotes:
Molly: I don't think I like you. Virginian: That's all square enough. You're goin' to love me before we get through.
Mr and Mrs. Henry, after she helped the Virginian write love letters: "I shall presently be in love with him myself," she told the Judge. "And it's time for you to become anxious." "I am perfectly safe," he retorted. "There's only one woman for him anymore."
"I read somewhere that this book has sold record numbers of copies. It should. There was never written a better Western romance or any other kind of romance.Fooey on Camelot and those posturing Round Table guys with their plumes and flashy scabbords. The Virginian makes them look like woosies.
I fell in love with the Virginian and Molly, the New England school ma'arm whom he courts for three years before she will marry him because she does not want to disgrace her old-line family. Molly is adorable despite her family pride.l
Everything is in here: the cowboys, the roundups, the barbeques with whole steers roasted, the hanging, the shoot-out, the judge and his wonderfyully aristocratic wife, both of whom see how terrific a man the Virginaian is. Mrs. Judges says, "He's too good for her, but he doesn't know it." The judge's wife is right. No woman is good enough for the Virginian. I
read that this book is the model for all Western romances that came afterward. As far as I can tell, this is Owen Wister's only book, cobbled from a series of short cowboy tales that he had written and then patched together to make this one wonderful story.
I have read it twice, and I am going to read it
again."
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