Death Comes For The Archbishop

Death Comes For The Archbishop, by Willa Cather

Considered one of the best southwestern historical novels of all time I was encouraged to read it in order to flesh out the feeling of the country in the 19^th century, not just the dates of what happened in it.  Cather follows carefully, but with a great novelists enhancements, the historical lives of the two most important catholic leaders of the time. 

 

Her characters, Bishop Jean Latour, the newly appointed bishop of  New Mexico  and his Vicar General Father Valliant (later made Bishop of Colorado) are taken closely from the French-American priests Jean-Baptiste Lamy and Joseph Projectus Machbeouf. The official histories of these men are factual enough, but Willa’s story binds them to the land and their people.

 

But while this tale is about Christian faith and Catholic missionary work, it is most about the southwest and the Mexicans and Indians who inhabited it before these priests arrive.

 

The landscapes, the weather, the hardships, dangers, and joys of wilderness life are all so well portrayed by Willa Cather that you will only want to head west yourself to experience this country before what is left of it departs for good.

 

So that’s where we are going as soon as we can make it across the gulf states without the furnace on every day!

-*****

Ken