The Homesman

A Novel

By: Glendon Swarthout

Narrated by: Candace Thaxton

Length: 7 hrs and 54 mins

Publisher's summary

In pioneer Nebraska, a woman leads where no man will go.

Soon to be a major motion picture directed by Tommy Lee Jones, The Homesman is a devastating story of early pioneers in 1850s American West. It celebrates the ones we hear nothing of: the brave women whose hearts and minds were broken by a life of bitter hardship. A "homesman" must be found to escort a handful of them back East to a sanitarium. When none of the county’s men steps up, the job falls to Mary Bee Cuddy - ex-teacher, spinster, indomitable and resourceful. Brave as she is, Mary Bee knows she cannot succeed alone. The only companion she can find is the low-life claim jumper George Briggs. Thus begins a trek east, against the tide of colonization, against hardship, Indian attacks, ice storms, and loneliness - a timeless classic told in a series of tough, fast-paced adventures.

In an unprecedented sweep, Glendon Swarthout’s novel won both the Western Writers of America’s Spur Award and the Western Heritage Wrangler Award. A new afterword by the author’s son Miles Swarthout tells of his parents Glendon and Kathryn’s discovery of and research into the lives of the oft-forgotten frontier women who make The Homesman as moving and believable as it is unforgettable.

©2014 Glendon Swarthout (P)2013 Simon & Schuster

Why did anyone want to be a pioneer?

Would you say that listening to this book was time well-spent? Why or why not?

Yes, for most of the book The story held my attention,although at times I felt is was repetitive. Towards the end of the book I was looking forward to the end to come sooner than later.

What was your reaction to the ending? (No spoilers please!)

I was disappointed, not the outcome I expected or closure, I was left scratching my head.

What aspect of Candace Thaxton’s performance would you have changed?

Very good narration, pleasant voice and ability to change characters in a pleasing manor.

Do you think The Homesman needs a follow-up book? Why or why not?

A follow up book is not necessary the story fell flat, I would have liked to know how the families back home survived and how they moved on with out the woman the lost tier minds. Also would like to know if the woman ever recovered.

Any additional comments?

Not an uplifting story but found it educational from a historical perspective.

Excellent!

I had seen the movie, but of course the book tells more. The narrator did a wonderful job.

Disappointing ending

While I really enjoyed the book, I am sadly disappointed with the ending. For being such a smart guy, Briggs did a stupid thing in showing all of his money and believing the bank notes were worthless. Other than that one major mistake, I thought Briggs turned out to be an honorable man.

Absorbing Listen

For the merits of the book, read the print reviews...(count me as one who liked the ending) As for the Audible version, Candace Thaxton's narration is flawless--to the point that I forgot that Mary Bee and Briggs were being read by the same person.

Heartbreaking story

This is a different type of western tale. The story deals with the problems of mental illness in the western frontier of the 1870’s. Mental illness and severe depression was a major problem on the prairies in the 1800s much of it was blamed on the isolation suffered by the women for long periods of time.

In this story the author tells the tale of women living in sod huts during a severe winter with brutish husbands who treat them like beasts of burden, with children who die wholesale from diphtheria and other infectious diseases and going through childbirth alone. Swarthout tells of Mary Bee Cuddy a 30ish spinster, tough as nails, who has a nice homestead near Loup, in the Nebraska Territory. Cuddy will take four insane women to a town at the Iowa-Nebraska border where a minister’s wife will see they go back to their families or to an asylum. Mary B takes along “Cull” to help her on the trip, after she saved him from a lynching.

Homespun was first printed in 1988 and rereleased in 2014. Swarthout characters are heart-wrenchingly believable because they are drawn from true-life pioneer experiences. The author‘s prose flows smoothly, but with a dangerous undercurrent. I understand this book was made into a movie, first in 1988 starring Paul Newman and again in 2014. The current movie stars Tommy Lee Jones and Hilary Swank. The woman who takes the ill women is played by Meryl Streep. Four other Swarthout books have been made into movies by John Wayne. Swarthout writes across a number of genres but it is his western that were made into movies. Swarthout died in 1992. Candace Thaxton did an excellent job narrating the book.

Great book - bad ending

If you could sum up The Homesman in three words, what would they be?

Horrible washout ending

Which character – as performed by Candace Thaxton – was your favorite?

Mary Bee Cuddy

If you could take any character from The Homesman out to dinner, who would it be and why?

Mary Bee Cuddy. Love her indominable spirit - would like to tell her how amazing she is.

Any additional comments?

LOVED most of this book, the history, setting, characters. Was so sad when it ended the way it did - felt cheated to the point that it ruined the book.

Started off well, then crashed and burned for me

Is there anything you would change about this book?

Yeah, about the last ¼ of it.

If this book were a movie would you go see it?

Absolutely not.

Any additional comments?

This book really grabbed me at first. I knew nothing about "prairie fever" before reading it. The author, however, made it appear as though this type of mental breakdown was a "female ailment" and that's not accurate at all.

I enjoyed that we were presented with a strong, self-sufficient female character making her own way in the west in spite of the hardships. Then, the author let us know what he really thought of "strong women".

The book took a turn that left me completely disgusted, and that's why I would not recommend this book (though I give props to the narrator, who did a very good job).

What the heck?

Any additional comments?

I was really enjoying this book when it totally derailed and went to hell. I guess the author wanted to be shocking . . . or something. But what happened was so out of the character of the protagonist that I simply couldn't understand what the point was. Basically I hated almost all of the ending. So totally unsatisfying. No way I'm going to see this when it becomes a movie. (And Tommy Lee Jones??? He's like 30 years older than this part calls for. Do we really need him playing yet another curmudgeon?)

Also the narrator is kind of annoying. She sounds like a newscaster reading a grocery list.

Engaging and Entertaining

Such a unique story. While painful and sobering, I enjoyed the twists and turns and the details of pioneering, homesteading and the Wild West. The text grabs you and takes you there.

Interesting topic, great for discussion

I read this book a year ago and it was suggested for my book club. I didnt want to read it again so I listened the second time around. I enjoyed the audio better than the hard copy. It's an interesting story about a topic I didn't think much about before - women on the prairie who had mental breakdowns. I found it to be a fascinating subject. It was a great bookclub choice and generated excellent discussion. I was looking forward to seeing the movie, but it never seemed to make it to the movie theatres. This story makes you very thankful for living in modern times!