Robert Laxalts first novel A Man in the Wheatfield was published to criticalacclaim when it was released in 1964. Time magazine lauded it as afascinating ambigu... » 

Robert Laxalts first novel A Man in the Wheatfield was published to criticalacclaim when it was released in 1964. Time magazine lauded it as afascinating ambiguous allegory of mens various ways of confronting fear and The Cleveland Plain Dealer proclaimed it an emotional experience and amemorable one. Nearly four decades later Laxalts deeply moving story of asmall community in the high deserts of Nevada still resonates with readers.I realize now that while I was writing this book I was exploring for myselfthe meanings of such overused words as good envy ego hypocrisy innocencesymbol myth. We all know the meanings of these words. We learned the meaningsearly at home school church. They were taught to us by our culture. Andlike all the meanings of words describing the human condition we dont knowthem at all until we have to discover them all over again for ourselves said Robert Laxalt about his motivation for writing A Man in the Wheatfield.Laxalt relays his shocking story simply and concisely. Father Savio Lazzaroniis obsessed with a vision of evil. Mayor Manuel Cafferata is only concernedwith his own standing in a tiny village peopled with Italian immigrants. Intotheir isolated town comes Smale Calder the first outsider to set up businessin the tightly knit society.The events that befall these three men and the villagers reveal the chillingways in which people deal with fear and prejudice. When Calders secret passionfor rattlesnakes is discovered the lives of all involved are changed in adramatic sequence of emotions and events. Laxalts quiet build up of suspenseand violence will sneak up on the readers and leave themquestioning the meaningof good and innocence. «