Lucy Gayheart is a young woman living in a small Nebraska town in the early 1900s. She is a talented musician and has dreams of becoming a professional singer. However, her dreams are put on hold when she falls in love with a married man, Harry Gordon. Despite warnings from her friends and family, Lucy continues to pursue her relationship with Harry, and eventually moves to Chicago to be with him. Once in Chicago, Lucy finds herself in a difficult situation. Harry is unable to provide for her, and she is forced to take a job as a music teacher. Despite her struggles, Lucy remains devoted to Harry and continues to hope for a better future. Meanwhile, back in Nebraska, a young man named Clement Sebastian is in love with Lucy. He follows her to Chicago and tries to win her heart, but Lucy is too devoted to Harry to consider Clement's advances. The novel follows Lucy as she navigates her complicated love life and struggles to make a living in Chicago. In the end, Lucy must make a difficult decision between the two men in her life.
By Willa Cather · First published 1935 · Genre: Romance, Realism, Regionalism · 36 chapters