The Shepherd of the Hills

"The Shepherd of the Hills" by Harold Bell Wright is a novel written during the early 20th century. The story unfolds in the Ozark hills and revolves around the lives of several characters, particularly focusing on the arrival of a mysterious stranger, Mr. Howitt, who seeks solace and perhaps redemption in the mountains after a life of sorrow and loss. The narrative introduces us to other key figures in the community, such as the strong and kind-hearted giant, Mr. Matthews, and his son Young Matt, a capable young man caught in a web of unrequited love and community expectations. At the start of the book, a weary stranger makes his way into the Mutton Hollow neighborhood during a steady rain, looking lost yet refined in contrast to the rugged landscape. He encounters a local boy, Jed Holland, who guides him to the Matthews' residence. The narrative paints a vivid picture of the stranger's intriguing demeanor, hinting at his troubled past, and introduces the stark contrast between him and the people of the hills. As the first chapter progresses, we learn about various relationships in the valley, notably between Young Matt and Sammy Lane, a beautiful young woman in the community who has plans to leave for the city soon, adding tension to the simple yet profound lives of these characters in the Ozarks. (This is an automatically generated summary.)

Harold Bell Wright was a best-selling American writer of fiction, essays, and nonfiction. Although mostly forgotten or ignored after the middle of the 20th century, he had a very successful career; he is said to have been the first American writer to sell a million copies of a novel and the first to make $1 million from writing fiction. Between 1902 and 1942 Wright wrote 19 books, several stage plays, and many magazine articles. More than 15 movies were made or claimed to be made from Wright's stories, including Gary Cooper's first major movie, The Winning of Barbara Worth (1926) and the John Wayne film The Shepherd of the Hills (1941).