The Thresher

By Herbert Krause

Book Overview

For Johnny Black, the young man we meet in Herbert Krause's classic Minnesota farm novel The Thresher, his dream of becoming a member of a steam-powered threshing crew has come true. As fireman, he builds the fire that generates the steam and blows the whistle to wake up the rest of the crew.

As writer Patrick Hicks explains in his introduction, commissioned especially for this edition, Johnny's ambitions far exceed mastering this new technology, and what he is willing to sacrifice to achieve them is the driving force of the novel.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0931170893
• ISBN13: 9780931170898
• Release Date: September 2017
• Publisher: Center for Western Studies
• Length: 489 Pages
• Weight: 1.79 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.2" x 5.3" x 9.6"

Customer Reviews

A true look at the struggle to make a living on the prairie.

These days many people idolize the life on the prairie as "life in the slow lane" The Thresher shows the determination and brutality of purpose that it takes to make a living on the prairie. It shows the struggle to adapt to changing technology as horses were replaced with steam powered threshers at the turn of the century. This book also tells of the dangers of farm work and the effect of the fear of injury has on women. My only reservation about the book is the over use of forshadowing.