Our story this month for the Willa Cather Short Story Project is “Eric Hermannson’s Soul.” It was published in the April 1900 issue of The Cosmopolitan. The full text is available on The Willa Cather Archive.

Have you read this one before? I have not. I dipped into James Woodress’s biography of Cather to see what he had to say about “Eric Hermannson’s Soul.” He praises the story, calling it a “very competent piece of fiction and marks a clear advance in her narrative skill” (144-45). Apparently, Cather revisits some of the content from “On The Divide,” which we read last September, but handles it with more authority and nuance.

What’s next?

Read “Eric Hermannson’s Soul” and come back to discuss it on the response post I’ll share on October 26th, the fourth Wednesday of the month. Or, feel free to read it now and comment here if you can’t wait until then!

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New to this blog? Learn more about the Willa Cather Short Story Project here. In a nutshell, we read one Cather short story a month. I remind everyone of what story we’re reading on the second Wednesday of the month and then share a response on the fourth Wednesday of the month. Jump in anytime!

Announcement: Research Assistantship in Willa Cather Studies

Are you or someone you know interested in pursuing graduate studies in English? The University of Nebraska-Lincoln offers a two-year funded research assistantship in Willa Cather studies for those seeking to earn an M.A. Applications are due December 1st. Learn more here.