First published 1985
This collection brings together Harold L. Davis's short fiction and essays written over his long career. Davis draws from his deep knowledge of the Pacific Northwest, particularly Oregon, where he spent much of his life. The stories capture the lives of settlers, ranchers, and small town residents navigating the challenges of rural American life in the early to mid-twentieth century. His characters face drought, economic hardship, and the clash between old ways and modern pressures. Davis writes with the eye of someone who knew this landscape intimately, having worked as a surveyor and lived among the people he portrays. The essays reflect on the region's history and the author's own experiences. Together, these pieces reveal Davis's commitment to documenting a vanishing way of life in the American West with honesty and attention to detail.
Genres: short-stories, essays, american-fiction, historical-fiction, 20th-century, american
Vibes: atmospheric, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: character-driven, historical-setting, slice-of-life
Setting: Oregon, Pacific Northwest
Period: Early 20th Century, Mid 20th Century
366 pages · Paperback · Idaho Research Foundation