I just finished Willa Cather's
Sapphira and the Slave Girl and recognized every place referenced in the book. This book takes place in the exact location of a favorite breakfast restaurant my extended family enjoys. Many local places were mentioned by name in the book including the Episcopal church which still is thriving. The reason is, that the author, Willa Cather grew up very nearby.
This is Willow Shade, her childhood home, which is almost 250 years old and is privately owned.
I really enjoy the novels of Willa Cather. I have read quite a few including
My Antonia, O' Pioneers, Shadows on the Rock, Death Comes for the Archbishop, A Lost Lady, Lucy Gayheart and the book mentioned above. I highly recommend her as each book is uniquely different. She has a strong sense of "place" in her novels; her geographic settings play a significant role in the stories. That is why it was so meaningful to read about and actually see the house in which she grew up.
