The Bright Edges of the World

“In the valley between major biographies, we often get more personal, soft-focus ones, which centre on smaller, more manageable aspects of the life and work… [Peck] delights in relating lesser-known details of Cather’s six journeys to the Southwest: the dates, the itineraries, the discoveries; the historical figures and episodes on which she based characters and events; the fact that she liked to stay at Harvey Girls hotels.” – Patricia Lockwood * London Review of Books *
“Author and historian Garrett Peck, who leads the Willa Cather Santa Fe tour, does a folksy, thorough job of taking us through the story of how her ‘Archbishop,’ as she called this work — based on the life of Jean-Baptiste Lamy (Jean Marie Latour in her novel) — came to be.” * Taos News *
“The Bright Edges of the World: Willa Cather and Her Archbishop is both a deep dive into one of Cather’s most beloved classics and also an exhilarating guided trek through a rugged slice of Southwestern literary history.” – Kali Fajardo-Anstine, author of Woman of Light: A Novel
“A well-researched and timely synopsis of the genesis of Cather’s Archbishop. The contextualization of her ‘best book’ through historical analysis and biography is refreshing. Peck thoughtfully traverses the captivating landscape and diverse cultures of the Southwest alongside Willa Cather, her partner, and an assemblage of real and fictionalized characters.” – Ashley Olson, executive director of the National Willa Cather Center
“An entertaining and informative popular history of New Mexico as well as a strong work of literary scholarship.” – Gary Scharnhorst, author of Bret Harte: Opening the American Literary West

Garrett Peck is an author, historian, and tour guide in Santa Fe, New Mexico. He is the author of nine books focusing on American history. He leads the Willa Cather’s Santa Fe tour and many other excursions around New Mexico.

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