3 Review(s)

The novel is set in the American West, particularly in the arid landscapes of the West, and explores themes related to the challenges of pioneer life, the contrast between the desert and the cultivated lands, and the conflicts between different cultures and ways of life.Mary Hallock Foote was known for her detailed descriptions and illustrations of the American West, drawing from her own experiences living in mining communities and ranches. "The Desert and the Sown" likely reflects her observations of the hardships and struggles faced by settlers in the Western frontier during that period.The novel is praised for its vivid portrayal of the rugged landscapes, the clash between wilderness and civilization, and the human struggles and triumphs amidst the challenges of pioneering life in the American West. Foote's work often provided insight into the social and cultural dynamics of the changing Western frontier in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.