内容简介
提起美国，我们头脑中闪现的众多形象中必然有西部牛仔。欧文·威斯特的代表作《弗吉尼亚人》开创了美国西部牛仔小说的先河，小说中塑造了一个全新而典型的牛仔形象。威斯特笔下的弗吉尼亚人自立、冒险、乐观、正义，他不仅具有男子汉气概，而且有绅士风度，身上体现着美国人所珍视的边疆精神，在面对严苛的自然时能够把握机会实现自己的梦想。
如果您想了解真正的牛仔生活，更好地解读美国的牛仔小说，揭开牛仔备受美国人崇拜的原因，深入理解美国的牛仔文化，一起到《弗吉尼亚人》的世界中来探索真相吧。
精彩书摘
Hm！ well， it don‘t seem to be。 She come here with that reputation。But there’s been general disappointment。“ “Then she ain‘t lacked suitors any？” “Lacked！ Are you acquainted with cow-boys？” “And she disappointed ’em？ Maybe she likes her husband？” “Hm！ well， how are you to tell about them silent kind？” “Talking of conductors，” began the drummer。 And we listened to hisanecdote。 It was successful with his audience； but when he launchedfluently upon a second I strolled out。 There was not enough wit in thisnarrator to relieve his indecency， and I felt shame at having beensurprised into laughing with him。 I left that company growing confidential over their leering stories， andI sought the saloon， It was very quiet and orderly。 Beer in quart bottles ata dollar I had never met before； but saving its price， I found no complaintto make of it。 Through folding doors I passed from the bar proper with itsbottles and elk head back to the hall with its various tables。 I saw a mansliding cards from a case， and across the table from him another manlaying counters down。 Near by was a second dealer pulling cards fromthe bottom of a pack， and opposite him a solemn old rustic piling andchanging coins upon the cards which lay already exposed。 But now I heard a voice that drew my eyes to the far comer of theroom。 “Why didn‘t you stay in Arizona？” Harmless looking words as I write them down here。 Yet at the sound ofthem I noticed the eyes of the others directed to that corner。 What answerwas given to them I did not hear， nor did I see who spoke。 Then cameanother remark。 “Well， Arizona’s no place for amatures。” This time the two card dealers that I stood near began to give a part oftheir attention to the group that sat in the comer。 There was in me a desireto leave this room。 So far my hours at Medicine Bow had seemed to glidebeneath a sunshine of merriment， of easy-going jocularity。 This wassuddenly gone， like the wind changing to north in the middle of a warmday。 But I stayed， being ashamed to go。 Five or six players sat over in the corner at a round table wherecounters were piled。 Their eyes were close upon their cards， and oneseemed to be dealing a card at a time to each， with pauses and bettingbetween。 Steve was there and the Virginian； the others were new faces。 “No place for amatures，” repeated the voice； and now I saw that it wasthe dealer‘s。 There was in his countenance the same ugliness that hiswords conveyed。 “Who’s that talkin‘？” said one of the men near me， in a low voice。 “Trampas。” “What’s he？”
“Cow-puncher， bronco-buster， tin-horn， most anything。” “Who‘s he talkin’ at？” “Think it‘s the black-headed guy he’s talking at。” “That ain‘t supposed to be safe， is it？” “Guess we’re all goin‘ to find out in a few minutes。” “Been trouble between ’em？”
“They‘ve not met before。 Trampas don’t enjoy losin‘ to a stranger。” “FeUo’s from Arizona， yu‘ say？” “No。 Virginia。 He’s recently back from havin‘ a look at Arizona。 Wentdown there last year for a change。 Works for the Sunk Creek outfit。” Andthen the dealer lowered his voice still further and said something in theother man’s ear， causing him to grin。 After which both of them looked atme。 There had been silence over in the corner； but now the man Trampasspoke again。
……
目录
To Theodore Roosevelt
To the Reader
1. Enter the Man
2. “WhenYou Call Me That， Smile！”.
3. Steve Treats
4. Deep into Cattle Land
5. Enter the Woman
6. Emly
7. Through Two Snows “
8. The Sincere Spinster
9. The Spinster Meets the Uuknown
10. Where Fancy Was Bred
11. “You Re Going to Love Me BeforeWe Get Through”.
12. Quality and Equality
13. The Game and the Nation - Act First
14. Between the Acts
15. The Game and the Nation -Act Second
16. The Game and the Nation - Last Act
17. Scipio Moralizes
18. “WouldYou Be a Parson？”.
19. Dr. Macbride Begs Pardon
20. The Judge Ignores Particulars
21. In a State of Sin
22. “What Is a Rustler？”.
23. Various Points
24. A Letter with a Moral
25. Progress of the Lost Dog
26. Balaam and Pedro
27. Grandmother Stark
28. No Dream toWake From
29. Word to Bennington
30. A Stable onthe Flat
31. The Cottonwoods
32. Superstition Trail
33. The Spinster Loses Some Sleep
34. To Fit Her Finger
35. With Malice Aforethought
36. At Dunbarton
试读
Hm！ well， it don‘t seem to be。 She come here with that reputation。But there’s been general disappointment。“ “Then she ain‘t lacked suitors any？” “Lacked！ Are you acquainted with cow-boys？” “And she disappointed ’em？ Maybe she likes her husband？” “Hm！ well， how are you to tell about them silent kind？” “Talking of conductors，” began the drummer。 And we listened to hisanecdote。 It was successful with his audience； but when he launchedfluently upon a second I strolled out。 There was not enough wit in thisnarrator to relieve his indecency， and I felt shame at having beensurprised into laughing with him。 I left that company growing confidential over their leering stories， andI sought the saloon， It was very quiet and orderly。 Beer in quart bottles ata dollar I had never met before； but saving its price， I found no complaintto make of it。 Through folding doors I passed from the bar proper with itsbottles and elk head back to the hall with its various tables。 I saw a mansliding cards from a case， and across the table from him another manlaying counters down。 Near by was a second dealer pulling cards fromthe bottom of a pack， and opposite him a solemn old rustic piling andchanging coins upon the cards which lay already exposed。 But now I heard a voice that drew my eyes to the far comer of theroom。 “Why didn‘t you stay in Arizona？” Harmless looking words as I write them down here。 Yet at the sound ofthem I noticed the eyes of the others directed to that corner。 What answerwas given to them I did not hear， nor did I see who spoke。 Then cameanother remark。 “Well， Arizona’s no place for amatures。” This time the two card dealers that I stood near began to give a part oftheir attention to the group that sat in the comer。 There was in me a desireto leave this room。 So far my hours at Medicine Bow had seemed to glidebeneath a sunshine of merriment， of easy-going jocularity。 This wassuddenly gone， like the wind changing to north in the middle of a warmday。 But I stayed， being ashamed to go。 Five or six players sat over in the corner at a round table wherecounters were piled。 Their eyes were close upon their cards， and oneseemed to be dealing a card at a time to each， with pauses and bettingbetween。 Steve was there and the Virginian； the others were new faces。 “No place for amatures，” repeated the voice； and now I saw that it wasthe dealer‘s。 There was in his countenance the same ugliness that hiswords conveyed。 “Who’s that talkin‘？” said one of the men near me， in a low voice。 “Trampas。” “What’s he？”
“Cow-puncher， bronco-buster， tin-horn， most anything。” “Who‘s he talkin’ at？” “Think it‘s the black-headed guy he’s talking at。” “That ain‘t supposed to be safe， is it？” “Guess we’re all goin‘ to find out in a few minutes。” “Been trouble between ’em？”
“They‘ve not met before。 Trampas don’t enjoy losin‘ to a stranger。” “FeUo’s from Arizona， yu‘ say？” “No。 Virginia。 He’s recently back from havin‘ a look at Arizona。 Wentdown there last year for a change。 Works for the Sunk Creek outfit。” Andthen the dealer lowered his voice still further and said something in theother man’s ear， causing him to grin。 After which both of them looked atme。 There had been silence over in the corner； but now the man Trampasspoke again。
……
前言/序言
从1895年美国《书商》杂志开启"按销量排序的图书目录"，美国的"畅销书"至今已有百年发展史，其间荣登年度榜的图书达上千册。阅读这些畅销书，可以学习各时代美国最畅销图书中的语言，了解当时的阅读旨趣，领略当时的社会习俗和风土人情，何乐而不为？
不过，阅读畅销书也需精选。畅销书只是显现读者的阅读旨趣，并不区分它的高下，读者真实的阅读旨趣是雅俗共存的；登上畅销书排行榜的并不总经得起时间的冲刷，许多名噪一时的畅销书早己销声匿迹，尘封在历史的沟壑中。
然而畅销书中自然也有大量经典得以长久流传。我们今天重读美国百年畅销图书，有着以往不曾有的优势。一是，时间的冲刷保证了今日重读之畅销书的经典。能留存至今的多是能够让人细细品读出些许感悟的，而不仅是出于猎奇心理、名人效应。二是，时空的距离感让我们能更好地反思畅销书中所折射出的社会现象。多了一分思考的冷峻，少了一分身处当局的迷惑，我们能以一个旁观者的角色更加清醒地审视。
鉴于以上宗旨，本系列所选的畅销书都历经淘洗，至今光彩斐然，甚具代表性。成功类的书籍诸如《白手起家的商人给儿子的信》、《罗斯福总统给子女的信》和《如何度过一天的24小时》；文学类的书籍众多，包括赫赫有名的《马克·吐温自传》，开创了美国西部牛仔小说先河的《弗吉尼亚人》，反映纽约上层社会生活的《纯真年代》，表现女性自我探索的《满溢之杯》，讲述一战之后生死与重建的《贫穷的聪明人》，扣人心弦、探求正义的《公平与不公平》，文字优美、充满真挚情感的爱情小说《百分之一的机会》和表现纽约曼哈顿贫民区生活的《明确的目标：纽约爱情故事》等；此外还有文化类书籍--世界史研究界几乎无人不知的H.G.威尔斯的《历史的概要（世界史纲）》。每本读来都会有不一样的收获，可以满足读者对不同类型书籍的偏好。
阅读美国百年畅销图书，浸润美国最地道的语言，了解美国原汁原昧的文化。
