Death Comes for the Archbishop

Willa Cather's "Death Comes for the Archbishop" is a historical novel set in New Mexico in the mid-19th century. The book follows the missionary life of the first Catholic bishop of the new American territory of New Mexico. His vast diocese is almost completely unknown to Europe and the United States. But the wonders of the geography and the attraction of its peoples are gradually opened up to the appreciation of the new bishop. The author marvelously conveys her love for the beautiful land and its variety of people. The book is mainly a series of stories about the characters of the Navahos, Pueblos, Mexicans, Americans, and a fellow French missionary, whose lives intersect with the bishop's life. - Summary by Carol Pelster