Description
Book SynopsisConveys the irrepressible spirit of a man whose passion would give us a firsthand look at the men and women who settled the Great Plains
Trade Review"Plain has again taken a subject, explored it deeply, and expressed the nuances of the story in a way that both educates and entertains. . . . This is a book that belongs in every Nebraska school, and the homes of anyone who wants to understand our western homestead legacy and Great Plains history better."—Candy Moulton,
Fence Post"The images in this collection are stunning. Farmers posed in front of sod houses, tracklayers working on the Union Pacific Railroad, corn harvesting, and even the sadness of a family gathered around a lonely grave, all iconic views reflecting the irrepressible spirit of the Nebraska pioneers who made this inhospitable region their home."—Larry Cox,
Tucson Citizen"Superbly reproducing sixty-two of Butcher's iconic photographs depicting life and times in frontier Nebraska,
Light on the Prairie features an informed and informative commentary making it a very highly recommended and unique addition to personal, community, and academic library American History and American Photography reference collections and supplemental reading lists."—James A Cox,
Midwest Book Review"Nancy Plain's
Light on the Prairie . . . places Butcher's work in its historical and sociological context, and provides a well-chosen sampling of his photographs."—Benjamin Schwarz,
Atlantic"
Light on the Prairie serves as a model of how a book for young readers can educate as well as delight."—Kate Elliot,
Annals of Iowa"Plain has an enviable gift for storytelling."—M. Melissa Wolfe,
Great Plains QuarterlyTable of ContentsAcknowledgments
Introduction: A Tenderfoot Goes West
A Note on TerminologyThe "Great American Desert"Solomon Butcher, Sodbuster"Eureka!"Attack of the GrasshoppersDesperadoesYears of Trial, Years of Change
Pioneer History of Custer CountySweet Nebraska Land
Where to Find Solomon Butcher's Photographs
Notes
Bibliography
