Youth and the Bright Medusa

"Youth and the Bright Medusa" by Willa Cather is a grouping of short tales from the early 1900s. It looks at being young, wanting success, and the tricky bonds found in the arts, mainly focusing on people dealing with tough situations in the art scene back then. The collection starts with "Coming, Aphrodite!" which tells about Don Hedger, an artist having a hard time in New York. His lonely life is shaken up by Eden Bower, a new neighbor who wants to be a singer. Don likes her beauty and energy but feels bad about his own struggles as an artist. As he deals with his feelings and who he is as an artist, his first meeting with Eden shows a difference between their worlds and dreams, creating the start of their changing relationship. This beginning sets up a good base to look at wanting things, aiming high, and the often hard path to finding oneself in art and strong feelings.