Author(s): Willa Cather

Classics

Two priests are despatched from Rome to New Mexico to reinvigorate Catholicism among the locals, knowing little of the challenges that await them. They face a journey characterised by drudgery, danger and a vast, unending, often barren landscape. Over almost four decades they encounter a rich variety of people, from rebellious Mexican priests to steadfast Native Americans uninterested in changing their longstanding customs. Ultimately the pair must grapple with the near impossibility of spreading their faith in an ancient land built on its own traditions. This is a work of simplicity and beauty, and a portrait of a steadfast friendship, from one of America?s most celebrated novelists. 'Quite simply a masterpiece? Daily Telegraph