Sweet Promised Land - Tapa dura

"An American story in the best tradition." "It is a tribute to a sturdy, kindly man--a man worth knowing." " T his book deserves universal regard as a classic of Americana." "A fond and tender picture of a sterling old man, who will immensely gladden your heart." " This book has a depth and an emotional impact out of all proportion to its modest length." "A warm picture of change and character, this 'return of the native' has a shining human appeal." "One of the most distinguished books of the year and one no Western reader should miss reading cover to cover." "If you want to be a fine writer, do not emulate me on television, but go to the mountain. When you reach the top of the mountain, Robert Laxalt will be there for you." -- Charles Kuralt "Laxalt speaks not only for the Basques, but for the Italians and Yugoslavs, for the Swedes and the Irish, the Portuguese and the Greeks--all our second-generation citizens. Rarely have they had a more eloquent spokesman."

Dominique Laxalt was sixteen when he left the French Pyrenees for America. He became a sheepherder in the Nevada desert and nearby hills of the Sierra. Like all his fellow Basque immigrants, Dominique dreamed of someday returning to the land of his beginnings. Most Basques never made the journey back, but Dominique finally did return for a visit with family and friends. "Sweet Promised Land" is the story of that trip, told by his son Robert, who accompanied him to the pastoral mountain village in France. Dominique came home victorious, the adventurer who had conquered the unknown and found his fortune in the New World. He walked the paths of his youth and again experienced the traditions of his Basque heritage. He told of his life in America, the hardships and challenges, and began to realize that he had changed since his departure from the village of Tardets. By the end of the visit, he knew with certainty where he belonged. "Sweet Promised Land" was first published in 1957 by Harper & Row During the past fifty years, the book has become a classic in Western American literature, still beloved by the Basque-American community and widely used in undergraduate classes. In celebration of the fiftieth anniversary of the book's publication, western literature scholar Ann Ronald has written a new foreword, discussing the book in the context of American and Nevada literature.