The Westerners

"The Westerners" by Stewart Edward White is a historical fiction story about the rough times of the American West during the gold rush. The story is set in Three Rivers, a busy town in the 1870s. It focuses on Michaïl Lafond, a young man of mixed heritage, who hopes to be part of a journey into the unknown frontier. The novel probably looks at what it means to find yourself, deal with racism, and the tough lives of both settlers and native people as the West changes. The reader sees the busy and wild life in Three Rivers where people are trying to get to the gold fields of the Black Hills. Michaïl Lafond feels stuck and upset while waiting but is determined. He learns about the area and meets people who will affect his life as he waits for a real trip to start. The beginning shows the problems and difficulties Lafond will face as he looks for a place and an adventure in this frontier town with its different and often unfriendly people.