West by Carys Davies

West by Carys Davies – 149 p.

  In this brief yet eloquent novel, Davies conveys the harsh reality of survival faced by early 19^th century American settlers, even those in the more civilized eastern areas, and the pursuit of dreams that has always driven explorers and adventurers. Upon reading a brief newspaper item about giant fossil bones, widower Cy imagines finding the great creatures alive in the West. The dream haunts him until he leaves his young daughter Bess and their Pennsylvania homestead in the care of his hard-nosed sister and less than wholesome neighbor. He acquires “an ill-favored, narrow-shouldered Shawnee boy” to assist him in his quest. While they never share a common language, the boy plays a surprisingly pivotal role in the fate of the new Americans.