A Deal in Wheat and Other Stories of the New and Old West

** "A Deal in Wheat and Other Stories of the New and Old West" by Frank Norris is a selection of short stories set around the turn of the 20th century which presents the challenges and victories of people living in the American West, portraying past and present conflicts in a quickly changing world, especially focusing on farming, business, and the strength of the human spirit. These stories explore the lives of farmers and merchants, like Sam Lewiston, as they deal with the tough realities of changing markets and control by heartless economic forces. The book starts by introducing Sam Lewiston and his wife, Emma, struggling with falling wheat prices that threaten their Kansas farm. As Lewiston goes to town to sell their wheat, they think about their problems and what the future might hold. Lewiston learns that the wheat market is run by strong people like Truslow, a bear broker, and he understands that they will soon be broke. The beginning points out the serious problems of the rural American farmer as this time and hints at the larger societal effects of these money problems, preparing readers for the related stories that follow. **