The Way West facts for kids
First edition
|
|
| Author | A. B. Guthrie, Jr. |
|---|---|
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Genre | Western fiction |
| Publisher | William Sloane Associates |
|
Publication date
|
1949 |
| Media type | Print (Hardback & Paperback) |
| Preceded by | The Big Sky |
| Followed by | These Thousand Hills |
The Way West is an exciting western novel written by A. B. Guthrie, Jr. in 1949. A western novel tells stories about the American West, often featuring cowboys, pioneers, and adventures. This book won a big award called the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction in 1950.
Later, The Way West was made into a movie. Famous actors like Kirk Douglas, Robert Mitchum, and Richard Widmark starred in the film. The story is about a group of people traveling west in the 1800s.
About the Story
The Way West is part of a series of six books by A. B. Guthrie, Jr. These books tell the story of the Oregon Trail. They also show how the state of Montana grew from 1830 to the late 1800s. This period included the time of the mountain men and the "cattle empire."
The first book in the series was The Big Sky. Then came The Way West, followed by These Thousand Hills. Later books were Arfive (1971), The Last Valley (1975), and Fair Land, Fair Land.
The first three books, The Big Sky, The Way West, and Fair Land, Fair Land, form a complete set. They start in 1830 with a character named Boone Caudill. He leaves Kentucky to become a mountain man. The story ends in the 1870s with the deaths of Boone Caudill and another character, Dick Summers.
The Journey West
The main story of The Way West follows a wagon train heading to Oregon. A former senator named William Tadlock leads this group of pioneers. They start their long journey from Missouri.
A skilled guide named Dick Summers helps them find their way. The journey is very dangerous, and some people get hurt or even die. Because of these accidents, the settlers start to lose trust in Senator Tadlock.
Soon, another leader named Lije Evans takes over. As they continue their trek, different groups of people form within the wagon train. They all try their best to survive the difficult trip to Oregon.
