The Homesman - Paperback
Pay over time for orders over $35.00 with
Offers & Perks
Earn 13 points with this purchase
Added to your rewards balance after checkout.
100 points welcome bonus
Create an account and start with extra points.
The Homesman - Classic Western Novel
Glendon Swarthout's The Homesman stands as a powerful testament to the forgotten women of the American frontier. Set in 1850s Nebraska, this award-winning Western novel tells the story of Mary Bee Cuddy, a former teacher and spinster who volunteers for a task no man will accept: escorting four mentally ill women back East to a sanitarium.
Film Adaptation
Directed by and starring Tommy Lee Jones, with performances by Meryl Streep, Hilary Swank, and John Lithgow, this novel has been adapted into a major motion picture that brings Swarthout's vision to the screen.
Plot and Characters
When the county's men refuse to serve as "homesman," Mary Bee Cuddy steps forward. Unable to make the dangerous journey alone, she recruits George Briggs, a low-life claim jumper, as her only companion. Their trek eastward—against the tide of westward colonization—becomes a series of harrowing adventures involving Indian attacks, ice storms, and profound loneliness.
The novel captures the devastating realities of pioneer life through the eyes of women whose hearts and minds were broken by frontier hardships. Swarthout brings to light the stories of those who history often overlooked: the brave women who paid the ultimate price for westward expansion.
Awards and Recognition
In an unprecedented achievement, The Homesman won both the Western Writers of America's Spur Award and the Western Heritage Wrangler Award. This dual recognition speaks to the novel's authentic portrayal of frontier life and its literary merit within the Western genre.
About Glendon Swarthout
Glendon Swarthout authored sixteen novels throughout his career, many becoming bestsellers and film adaptations. His works include Seventh Cavalry, They Came to Cordura, Where the Boys Are, and Bless the Beasts & Children. Twice nominated for the Pulitzer Prize in fiction, Swarthout received the Western Writers Award for Lifetime Achievement. His son Miles Swarthout provides a new afterword detailing his parents' research into the lives of frontier women who inspired this moving and unforgettable novel.
Publication Details
Published by Simon & Schuster in paperback format, this edition includes extensive research and historical context about the often-forgotten women of the American frontier.
Contributor(s)
Author
Free shipping on orders over $75. Standard shipping takes 3-7 business days. Eligible items may be returned within 30 days of delivery. Conditions apply.