My Antonia, Willa Cather (Houghton Miflin, 1918 ) ***

This novel is based on her memories of growing up with her childhood friends on the post-frontier prairie--her best novel, in my opinion, even though Death Comes for the Archbishop is more widely read.  It's 'Little House on the Prairie' with a bit more realism.  Character driven, the setting also plays a powerful role in the course of this story.