In the aftermath of the Mexican-American War, two French Jesuit priests travel to the American Southwest to establish a new Roman Catholic diocese. Upon arrival, Father Jean Marie Latour and Father Joseph Vaillant encounter a diverse population in an unforgiving landscape, the entrenched customs and beliefs of the inhabitants, and corrupt Spanish priests. Written by Pulitzer Prize-winning American author Willa Cather and published in 1927, the novel follows the two priests' adventures, friendship, and spiritual journey as they struggle to fulfill their mission.
