by Keith Miles
First published 2023
Edward Marston arrives at a working cattle ranch in the American West, trading his familiar English classroom for the rugged frontier. The educated visitor must adapt to the physical demands of ranch work while navigating an unfamiliar culture. Marston observes the daily rhythms of cattle herding, the harsh realities of western life, and the characters who call this remote landscape home. His outsider status creates both comedic moments and genuine insights as he struggles to find his place in this demanding environment. Through encounters with ranch hands, cattle drives, and the unforgiving landscape of the Rockies, Marston discovers unexpected lessons about American frontier society. The summer transforms his understanding of both himself and the broader implications of western expansion, revealing how the frontier shapes the people who inhabit it.
Genres: american-fiction, historical-fiction, 20th-century, american, adventure, 19th-century
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: fish-out-of-water, outsider-perspective
Setting: American West, Rockies
Period: 19th Century
240 pages · Hardcover · Legare Street Press