The Pulitzer Prize–winning masterwork from one of the twentieth century’s most accomplished and admired writers, Edna Ferber’s So Big is the unforgettable story of one woman’s struggle to stay afloat and maintain her dignity in the face of monumental challenges.
Set in Chicago at the turn of the twentieth century, So Big tells the story of Selina Peake, orphaned at nineteen after her father is shot and killed in a gambling house. Alone and resolved to make something of her life, Selina gets a job as a schoolteacher in a farming community outside Chicago and falls in love with a kind but struggling farmer. She soon leaves the schoolhouse for long grueling days in the fields and gives birth to a son, Dirk, nicknamed “So Big.” When she finds herself unexpectedly widowed, she takes the reins of the farm, defying convention and all those around her, determined to give Dirk every opportunity to follow his dreams.
A powerful story and stirring portrait of one of the most memorable women in American literature,
So Big still resonates today with its unflinching views of poverty, sexism, and the drive for success.
Series
Language
Place of publication
Publishing group
HarperCollins Publishers Inc
Product notice
Paperback (trade)
Unsewn / adhesive bound
Dimensions
Height: 203 mm
Width: 133 mm
Thickness: 18 mm
Weight
ISBN-13
978-0-06-185998-4 (9780061859984)
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Schweitzer Classification
Edna Ferber (1885-1968) was one of the most celebrated voices in American literature, renowned for her powerful historical novels that captured the ambition, contradictions, and spirit of the United States in moments of profound change. A master of classic American fiction, Ferber wrote with sweeping vision and emotional depth, bringing the American frontier, industrial expansion, and social transformation vividly to life.Her novel Cimarron, which won the Pulitzer Prize, stands as a landmark of American historical fiction, chronicling the Oklahoma Land Rush and the settlement of the American West through richly drawn characters and meticulous historical detail. Ferber was especially admired for her portrayal of strong, complex women navigating male-dominated worlds-an approach that made her work both groundbreaking in its time and enduringly relevant today.Throughout her career, Edna Ferber was a bestselling and critically acclaimed author, with numerous works adapted into major Hollywood films and stage productions. Her novels-including So Big, Show Boat, and Giant-remain essential reading for those drawn to classic novels, women's fiction, and the grand narratives that define American history and identity.Bold, expansive, and deeply human, Ferber's writing continues to resonate with modern readers seeking timeless storytelling, literary excellence, and a vivid portrait of the forces that shaped America.
