These Is My Words: The Diary of Sarah Agnes Prine, 1881-1901 Arizona Territories - Softcover

Turner, Nancy E.

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0060987510 ISBN 13: 9780060987510

Publisher: Regan Books, 1999

Synopsis

In a compelling fiction debut, Nancy E. Turner's unforgettable These Is My Words melds the sweeping adventures and dramatic landscapes of Lonesome Dove with the heartfelt emotional saga of Oldest Living Confederate Widow Tells All.

Inspired by the author's original family memoirs, this absorbing story introduces us to the questing, indomitable Sarah Prine, one of the most memorable women ever to survive and prevail in the Arizona Territory of the late 1800s. As a child, a fiery young woman, and finally a caring mother, Sarah forges a life as full and as fascinating as our deepest needs, our most secret hopes and our grandest dreams. She rides Indian-style and shoots with deadly aim, greedily devours a treasure trove of leatherbound books, downs fire, flood, Comanche raids and other mortal perils with the unique courage that forged the character of the American West.

Rich in authentic details of daily life and etched with striking character portraits of very different pioneer families, this action-packed novel is also the story of a powerful, enduring love between Sarah and the dashing cavalry officer Captain Jack Elliot. Neither the vast distances traveled nor the harsh and killing terrains could quench the passion between them, and the loss and loneliness both suffer only strengthen their need for each other.

While their love grows, the heartbreak and wonder of the frontier experience unfold in scene after scene: a wagon-train Sunday spent roasting quail on spits as Indians close in to attack; Sarah's silent encounter with an Indian brave, in which he shows her his way of respect; a dreadful discovery by a stream that changes Sarah forever; the hazards of a visit to Phoenix, a town as hot as the devil's frying pan; Sarah's joy in building a real home, sketching out rooms and wraparound porches.

Sarah's incredible story leads us into a vanished world that comes vividly to life again, while her struggles with work and home, love and responsibility resonate with those every woman faces today. These Is My Words is a passionate celebration of a remarkable life, exhilarating and gripping from the first page to the last.

About this title

Review:

Inspired by stories of her great-grandmother, who retired from running a cattle ranch at the age of 85, Nancy Turner's debut novel tells the story of Sarah Prine, pioneer woman and settler of America's western frontier. Sarah begins her diary in 1881, when at the age of 18, her family begins their arduous journey from the dry, dusty heat of Arizona to the greener pastures of Texas. The wagon trail meets danger at every step; rattlesnakes and Indian attacks rip out the heart of Sarah's world. Yet she proves herself strong and faithful, and in times of greatest trouble her family turn to her for support--both physical and emotional.

A woman for our times, Sarah learns to live her own life, loved and respected as rancher, mother and free spirit. These Is My Words captures the harsh, unforgiving landscape of the American West at one of the most devastating periods in that country's history. Mixing politics and social commentary with the compelling tale of a feisty young woman and her desire for knowledge, fairness and grand passion, Nancy Turner has written an outstanding debut novel that is sure to become a 20th-century classic. --Carey Green

Review:

'Fragmented and disjointed in its early chapters, with poor spelling and grammar, Sarah's journal gradually gains in clarity and eloquence as she matures. While this device may frustrate some readers at first, Taylor's deft progression produces the intended reward: she not only tells of her heroine's growth, but she shows it through Sarah's writing and insights. The result is a compelling portrait of an enduring love, the rough old West and a memorable pioneer' - Publishers Weekly

I read it with great delight, and I really do feel like sticking my neck out and saying it is a great book. For me, it says more about American than Gone with the Wind, and I'd put it up there with To Kill a Mockingbird. It is moving, funny and rings very true... (Mary Stewart)

'A convivial period tale of adventure, love and marriage, featuring a spunky gun-toting heroine and the brave-hearted soldier she comes to love . . . A lushly satisfying romance, period-authentic, with true-grit pioneering' - Kirkus Reviews

This enlightening and voyeuristic novel is hard to put down (Lancashire Evening Post)

'Incredibly vivid and real and almost as though everything had been found, complete in a box somewhere. How clever writers are to go back into the past and to recreate a time so accurately. And I liked the character of the girl, because she was so matter of fact about all the traumas of her adventures, but I suppose one had to be, faced with Indians and all the other problems' - Rosamunde Pilcher

'The author is in control of her material and writes in clear, at times lyrical prose... The strongest image that lingers is that of Sarah on horseback, engaged with the land and with her life. Hers is a spirit that will remain long after the story fades' - Washington Post

'Mix Gone with the Wind with a handful of your favourite Westerns, sieve out the schmaltz, and you end up with a sort of pioneer jam, the frontier spirit on toast . . . Eighteen-year-old Sarah narrates the journey through diary entries, detailing heart-stopping episodes of illness, death and hardship with simplicity and spirit. Nancy Turner has created a fascinating portrait of true grit - without a swaggering John Wayne figure in sight - which will appeal to everyone who has mused over the fallen leaves from the family tree' - Scotland on Sunday

'Truly original, absorbing and a joy to read . . . one of those extraordinary stories that jump out of the page. . . Achingly moving story of one woman's life and loves, with a leading character who is strong-willed, hungry for life and has an inspiring vitality and intelligence. A novel you should rush out and buy. Right now' - Woman's Realm

'A sweeping saga of struggle, endurance, tragedy and passion . . . a love story with enough oomph to shake Gone with the Wind right off its pedestal . . . The ending will break your heart' - Resident

'These is my Words is the best book I've read since GONE WITH THE WIND. I laughed, cried, got angry, cried some more, literally lived through what Sarah Prine was living through and then cried so much I couldn't read any more - EVERYONE should read this book - IT'S BRILLIANT' - Flora Woods - Waterstones at Harrods

About this edition

• Publisher: Regan Books
• Publication date: 1999
• ISBN 10: 0060987510
• ISBN 13: 9780060987510
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 384