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Overview
Jane Smiley’s A Thousand Acres, published in 1991, tells the story of the Cook family, who live on the largest farm in Zebulon County, Iowa
. It is 1979, and Larry Cook wants to deed his farm to his three daughters, only two of whom care about farming. As the narrative unfolds, dark secrets reveal the main characters, their strengths, and their weaknesses. Personal and legal battles ensue, and a once-admired family crumbles into chaos, anger, shame, and betrayal. Winner of the 1992 Pulitzer Prize and loosely based on the events and characters in Shakespeare’s King Lear, A Thousand Acres is a tragic tale lyrically told.
