We are currently making improvements to the Audible site. In an effort to enhance the accessibility experience for our customers, we have created a page to more easily navigate the new experience, available at the web address www.audible.com/access.
O Pioneers! | [Willa Cather]
Play O Pioneers!

O Pioneers!

  • UNABRIDGED
  • by Willa Cather
  • Narrated by Barbara McCulloh
  • Whispersync for Voice-ready
  • Your Likes make Audible better!

    'Likes' are shared on Facebook and Audible.com. We use your 'likes' to improve Audible.com for all our listeners.

    You can turn off Audible.com sharing from your Account Details page.

    OK
  • Regular Price :$23.07
  • Whispersync for Voice

    Listen to O Pioneers!, then pick up right where you left off with the Kindle book. Learn more

Two ways to buy!

What's Trending in Classics:

  • Average Customer Rating
  • Overall
    (37)
    Performance
    (10)
    Story
    (10)
 
  • LENGTH
    6 hrs and 54 mins
  • RELEASE DATE
    12-16-99
  • AUDIO FORMATS
    About Audio Formats
    2 3 4 Enhanced Audio
 

People who bought this also bought...

Publisher's Summary

Life was hard on the Nebraska prairie, but for Alexandra Bergson, daughter of a Swedish immigrant family, her love of the land gave her courage and strength. When Alexandra's father dies, she takes over the care of her family and management of the farm, so that the Bergsons can stay in the place they've chosen for their home. O Pioneers! tells the story of a remarkable heroine, and draws on Cather's own experience growing up on the lonely and wild American prairies.

(P)1989 by Recorded Books, Inc.; Cover Art ©1988 by Wendell Minor

What the Critics Say

"A direct, human tale of love and struggle and attainment, a tale that is American in the best sense of the word." (The New York Times)
"Barbara McCulloh's voice and quiet tone match the flow of this American classic." (Omnibus)

What Members Say

Average Customer Rating

3.5 (37 ratings)
5 star
 (7)
4 star
 (14)
3 star
 (10)
2 star
 (4)
1 star
 (2)
Overall
4.1 (10 ratings)
5 star
 (4)
4 star
 (3)
3 star
 (3)
2 star
 (0)
1 star
 (0)
Story
4.1 (10 ratings)
5 star
 (4)
4 star
 (3)
3 star
 (3)
2 star
 (0)
1 star
 (0)
Performance
  •  
    Darwin8u Mesa, AZ, United States 03-24-13
    Darwin8u Mesa, AZ, United States 03-24-13 Member Since 2011

    A part-time buffoon and ersatz scholar specializing in BS, pedantry, schmaltz and cultural coprophagia.

    HELPFUL VOTES
    3225
    ratings
    REVIEWS
    228
    224
    FOLLOWERS
    FOLLOWING
    545
    11
    Overall
    Performance
    Story
    "Lifted and carried lightly by some one very strong"

    I love Willa Cather's soothing love of the land, of people, and nature. Her prose ripples and rolls like fields ready to harvest. Cather is elegant in her prose, but she doesn't hold back in her stories. O Pioneers! is a simple and passionate tale of life, struggles, tragedy and love. It is epic and simple both.

    It is clear that Cather loved those immigrants who came from Europe (whether Swedes, Bohemians, or French) to carve their piece out of the American West. Her writing is full of the economical (yet hard) memory of the land, the circadian rhythms of nature and life, and the soft beauty and brutal tragedy of love.

    She is one of those writers you either get and love, or just never quite connect to. For me, her prose is like a quickening. It makes me slow down, but also become more aware, more tolerant, more accepting of my own fragile place in this world.

    12 of 13 people found this review helpful
  •  
    Heather Chicago, IL, USA 05-07-07
    Heather Chicago, IL, USA 05-07-07
    HELPFUL VOTES
    3
    ratings
    REVIEWS
    4
    2
    FOLLOWERS
    FOLLOWING
    0
    0
    Overall
    Performance
    Story
    "Ok, but sound quality not great"

    Overall, the reading of the book is good - the narrator has a nice voice. However, the highest format the book is available in is Format 2, and it shows - the sound quality of the recording sounds muffled, and not as sharp as books you can get in Format 2. I recommend, if you want to get this book on Audible, find a version recorded in Format 4.

    2 of 2 people found this review helpful
  •  
    Ellen San Francisco, CA, USA 04-23-03
    Ellen San Francisco, CA, USA 04-23-03
    HELPFUL VOTES
    137
    ratings
    REVIEWS
    118
    24
    FOLLOWERS
    FOLLOWING
    2
    0
    Overall
    Performance
    Story
    "Slow-moving"

    I've enjoyed listening to other Willa Cather novels (My Antonia and The Song of the Lark) but found this too slow-moving to keep my interest and gave up after an hour. If you enjoy long descriptive passages, you may like this more than I did.

    5 of 6 people found this review helpful
  •  
    sPeeDeeBee Racine, WI United States 11-29-08
    sPeeDeeBee Racine, WI United States 11-29-08 Listener Since 2003

    -pdb

    ratings
    REVIEWS
    155
    2
    Overall
    Performance
    Story
    "Narration leaves much to be desired"

    I enjoyed the text of this book, but the reader all but kept me from getting through it. She speaks so slowly and deliberately that I found myself anticipating the dialog for her. Even when she emphasizes words to emote feeling, it's so little that one has to decide oneself whether the characters are, themselves, boring monotones or in fact come to life at all. I'd recommend getting a hard copy of this one or find a version with a different narrator.

    0 of 0 people found this review helpful
  •  
    Jan Murfreesboro, TN, United States 09-13-08
    Jan Murfreesboro, TN, United States 09-13-08 Member Since 2006
    ratings
    REVIEWS
    1
    1
    Overall
    Performance
    Story
    "Nice story Bad reading"

    The sound quality was not very good and reader used expression and rhythm as if she were reading a fairy tale to preschoolers. Can't recommend it.

    0 of 0 people found this review helpful
  •  
    Nan Memphis, TN, United States 06-12-08
    Nan Memphis, TN, United States 06-12-08 Member Since 2005
    HELPFUL VOTES
    25
    ratings
    REVIEWS
    35
    14
    FOLLOWERS
    FOLLOWING
    0
    0
    Overall
    Performance
    Story
    "O Pioneers!"

    I admire Willa Catha's writing but why is this book listed in the Gay and Lesbian Category? There are no gay or lesbian characters.

    Hope other Gays and Lesbians complain too.

    3 of 6 people found this review helpful
  •  
    Douglas Glenwood, IA, United States 10-22-07
    Douglas Glenwood, IA, United States 10-22-07 Member Since 2006
    HELPFUL VOTES
    16
    ratings
    REVIEWS
    50
    21
    FOLLOWERS
    FOLLOWING
    0
    0
    Overall
    Performance
    Story
    "Great book, but ..."

    Awesome book! Really gives a good, in-depth picture of life on the frontier in vivid, beautiful, penetrating and challenging language.

    BUT, the recording was terrible. It was a recording from a tape (the "turn over tape" instructions were left on at one point in the download). I had to turn my ipod up nearly all the way in order to hear the reading.

    I hope that audible or someone can procure a better reading.

    I love this site! Thanks for offering good books!

    Doug

    0 of 0 people found this review helpful
  •  
    Allison East Palo Alto, CA, United States 09-21-07
    Allison East Palo Alto, CA, United States 09-21-07 Member Since 2006
    HELPFUL VOTES
    40
    ratings
    REVIEWS
    102
    7
    FOLLOWERS
    FOLLOWING
    0
    0
    Overall
    Performance
    Story
    "Good book, bad recording"

    Unfortunately the sound quality for this recording is bad, it sounds like you are listening to an old wind-up phonograph. The story itself is good but not quite as engaging as My Antonia by the same author.

    0 of 0 people found this review helpful
  • Showing: 1-8 of 8 results

Report Inappropriate Content

If you find this review inappropriate and think it should be removed from our site, let us know. This report will be reviewed by Audible and we will take appropriate action.

CANCEL

Thank You

Your report has been received. It will be reviewed by Audible and we will take appropriate action.