Youth and the Bright Medusa

Youth and the Bright Medusa is a collection of short stories by Willa Cather, first published in 1920. The book consists of eight stories that explore the theme of artistic growth and the struggle to reconcile artistic ambition with the realities of life. The first story, ""Coming, Aphrodite!"", follows a sculptor named Don Hedger as he tries to balance his passion for his art with his love for a young woman named Eden Bower. In ""The Diamond Mine"", a young man named Paul tries to make a living as a writer in New York City, but finds himself disillusioned by the commercialization of the publishing industry. Other stories in the collection include ""A Gold Slipper"", which follows a young woman named Alice as she tries to break free from her stifling small-town life and pursue her dreams of becoming a dancer; ""Scandal"", which tells the story of a talented musician named Henry who is forced to confront his own limitations; and ""The Sculptor's Funeral"", which explores the tension between artistic ambition and social convention in a small town in Kansas.Throughout the book, Cather's prose is characteristically vivid and evocative, capturing the inner lives of her characters with a keen eye for detail and a deep understanding of the human condition. Youth and the Bright Medusa is a powerful exploration of the joys and struggles of the artistic life, and a testament to Cather's enduring talent as a storyteller.1920. In her later years, Cather's fascination with the American Southwest, early Canada and Catholicism reflects her search for alternatives to the greedy civilization she felt was replacing the spirit of the early pioneers. This short story collection contains: Coming, Aphrodite!; The Diamond Mine; A Gold Slipper; Scandal; Paul's Case; A Wagner Matinee; The Sculptor's Funeral; and A Death in the Desert. See other titles by this author available from Kessinger Publishing.This scarce antiquarian book is a facsimile reprint of the old original and may contain some imperfections such as library marks and notations. Because we believe this work is culturally important, we have made it available as part of our commitment for protecting, preserving, and promoting the world's literature in affordable, high quality, modern editions, that are true to their original work.