Death Comes for the Archbishop (1927)

A pair of French priests, one having been in Ohio and the other in Michigan, are assigned to work in New Mexico in the early 1850s. Father Latour becomes the bishop; Father Vaillant is his right-hand man as they attempt to reestablish proper church practices in a land which had been allowed to lapse under Mexican clergy. Latour eventually becomes the Archbishop. This is a well-written historical novel that has held up well over the years since it was first written. The reader is drawn into the setting by the vivid descriptions. One is also able to see the changes that took place over time as roads and railroads came into place. The reader appreciates the dedication to God that Latour and Vaillant demonstrated in their lives. This is truly a masterpiece that I wish I had read years ago. ( )

After I finished [b:O Pioneers!|140963|O Pioneers! |Willa Cather|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1333578870s/140963.jpg|467254] a few months ago, I put a hold on this book at the library; I had no other information about it except that it was another of Willa Cather's classics, one of her best known. I didn't even know it took place in New Mexico, though I wasn't many pages into the novel before I remembered I'd seen it prominently featured among the regional classics when I lived in Tucson. And even though it's clear that the Archbishop of the title will be the central character, I quickly realized that, in contrast to many novels with less-bald titles, the Catholic religion itself would play a minor role.

What I read, rather than a religious treatise, was a classic and spare character study—and a very direct presentation of the idea that our relation to our natural environment, and to our fellow men and women, is greater and deeper than any religious doctrine. In the novel, Cather's Father (Bishop, then Archbishop) Jean Latour never preaches; he simply acts, and we see the good of his actions. A really beautiful novel, no longer than it needs to be—nor is it overwritten and stuffed with flashy effects which fall short.

Willa Cather is 2-for-2 in my book. I'll read more soon. ( )

Death Comes for the Archbishop doesn't have the traditional story arc, but instead is a collection of vignettes. Cather, with her quiet style, paints stunning pictures of the southwestern landscape and way of life in the 19th century. Not a page turner, but well worth the effort.

May 2007 COTC Book Club selection. ( )

[Death Comes for the Archbishop] is the classic novel about the frontier days of the West and New Mexico. Following French Bishop Jean Marie Latour and FrenchVicar Joseph Vaillant on their journey to take over a new Catholic diocese in New Mexico, the story uses the real history of the dusty, sunbaked territory.

Cather magnificently captures the diversity of culture in the frontier, managing to balance the tension between the different races and ethnicities trying to carve civilization out of the harsh territory and the beauty of each of those cultures. There are few who have been able to adequately capture the charm and unusual splendor of the desert southwest. Cather paved the way for artists like O’Keefe and authors like Stegner, McMurtry, and McCarthy.

Bottom Line: Beautiful history of the West and New Mexico.

5 bones!!!!!
A Favorite of All Time ( )

I wish this book had a different name. I spent a good portion of it thinking every event was going to..you know..bring the death. What? The Archbishop is drinking wine? Is he going to choke? He's planting a peach tree? Is it going to fall over on him? He's traveling 4,000 miles to Baltimore? Well something death-tastic must happen! (spoiler) Le no. A big clue should've been how he's called BISHOP for the whole book, until about the last 20 pages. When he's old. All of that to say- don't spend 300 pages waiting for death to come for the archbishop around every corner. Death's busy. Death's playing poker in his basement with his buddies. He's drinking a 40 and watching Jerry Springer.

MOVING ON.

My feelings about Willa Cather have been mixed. My Antonia? No me likey-d. O, Pioneers! - me uber-likey-d. So, of course, I'm sort of meh about Death Comes for the Archbishop.

Like all her other books that I've read so far, this one is like a landscape painting. The characters take a backseat to the countryside. I've never read an author as skilled at talking about trees and shrubs and rocks without being boring. I mean, you CARE about the shrubs. You want to know more about its shrubby-ness. The characters are just a side note, passing through the field of your peripheral vision while you stare at the shrub.

The book is about two Catholic missionary priests who leave Ohio to take over the church's biz-nass in New Mexico in the mid-1800's. There is a plethora of Catholic-speak that left me sorta confused a large portion of the time. What's a diocese? Sounds like a cheese. Also: the only reason I know what a Vicar is is because of Eddie Izzard stand up. See also: cassock, breviary, and any reference to the Catholic church's hierarchy. I got the general gist, as I'm sure most readers would, but an appendix would be helpful. Anywoot, the two priests go to New Mexico and get about aforementioned biz-nass, which mostly consists of marrying folks, blessing babies (whose running for governor?), hearing confessions and...gardening.

This had the potential to be massively boring. Luckily, it was only mildly boring. The two priests are well-drawn characters instead of religious stereotypes. Cather does an uber happy job of balancing her obsession with shrubbery and her telling of the story. It's rather non-linear, with the plot development consisting mostly of flashbacks interspersed with scenes of priests buying mules. Or riding mules. Or talking about the mules.

It's not the best Cather I've ever read, but it's not the worst. It's just nice. It's atmospheric and calm. I didn't love it with the fire of a thousand burning suns, but I'm not planning to use my copy for target practice.

Three stars out of your mom. ( )