Literary Award Winners Fiction Book Club discussion

Please comment here on 'The Travels of Jaimie McPheeters' by Robert Lewis Taylor, the 1959 Pulitzer Prize winner for fiction

An interesting, historical fiction novel about Jaimie McPheeters, a thirteen year old, and his father Dr. Sardius McPheeters. The two head westward in search of gold in 1849 - 50. Dr. McPheeters is fleeing Louisville because of debts and due to being fed up with being a doctor. They head west, joining a small party, guided by Coulter. Their adventures include experiencing Native Indian savagery, attack, and some companionship with some Native Indians. They spend a winter with Mormons in Salt Lake City, finally arriving in California and taking up and working their gold mining land claims.

An enjoyable read with good plot momentum and interesting characters. I liked the narration of two very different perspectives. An old experienced doctor and a young lad, coming of age.

Finished. I don't think this would win the Pulitzer today. The underlying assumption of white male superiority was off-putting. The morality was a bit simplistic. If an adult Jaimie was narrating his sections, he showed little maturity regarding his perception of what took place. I think I would have enjoyed it more had I read it as a 13 year old.