From one of the greatest minds of twentieth-century American literature, Willa Cather's A Lost Lady follows the steady downfall of a popular socialite, mirroring the decline of the idealised pioneering era. Niel Herbert fell in love with Marion Forrester when he was just a young boy. The American socialite is married to a successful railroad pioneer, Captain Daniel Forrester, and she is the perfect woman. Marion's beauty is incomparable, and her charm and charisma liven the small town of Sweet Water. But as Niel discovers more about Marion, her glimmering facade is smashed and he begins to realise that the American Dream is not all that it seems. The novel carefully portrays the decline of the pioneering era and the diminishing essence of the Old West. First published in 1923, A Lost Lady had great impact on American literature, and Cather's character of Marion Forrester served as F. Scott Fitzgerald's inspiration for Daisy Buchanan in The Great Gatsby (1925). This new edition of A Lost Lady features an introductory essay by H. L. Mencken, and would make a wonderful read for fans of The Great Gatsby and collectors of Cather's work.