America Fever: A Swede in the West, 1914-1923

He was 19 when he left Sweden for the Wild West of Buffalo Bill. On his arrival in America in 1913, the author headed for a Nebraska ranch where his cousin worked and where he learned how to handle horse teams, herd cattle, mend fences. In this engaging bit of Western Americana, he recalls the practical jokes inflicted on greenhorns and his struggles with the language: in winter, Youngquist studied the Sears, Roebuck catalogue to improve his English. After a year, he left Nebraska to wander through Wyoming, Utah, Oregon, Idaho, picking up seasonal work. He enlisted in the Army in WW I and, later, homesteaded in Montana. Youngquist gives us a firsthand glimpse of life on the range as seen by an optimistic, romantic youth. Photos. (Mar.)