The Winning of Barbara Worth


Read by Bob R

(4.5 stars; 15 reviews)

This is a fairly substantial western, written in 1911 by Harold Bell Wright, then a major bestselling author. (His best-known novel is “The Shepherd of the Hills”) Strangely, the winning of Barbara Worth is a small part of the story, though she is one of the main characters. She was a foundling, discovered with her dying mother in the desert. She takes the name of her adopted father, Jefferson Worth. He is perhaps the main character; he is a capitalist, with very humanitarian qualities. He is pitted against other capitalists, ones with little concern for the good of the settlers attracted to the desert they are developing. The story concerns the efforts to reclaim the desert (Jaquinn Valley), by diverting waters of the Colorado River into canals that will make the land suitable for crops and cities. (Wright could not possibly have imagined the low water level of the Colorado River of today.)
Wright wrote about capitalism vs. labor in several of his novels, and he does here. He often showed biased support for labor; however, he also showed a real effort to understand the role of each. In his time there were almost no regulations on capitalists, and there was, in fact, great abuses by the barons. This conflict is the heart of the story. But it is also a story of the loyalty of several employees of Jefferson Worth–loyalty, and love toward Worth, and also toward his adopted daughter. (A silent film of the book was Gary Cooper’s first movie.). There are many exciting elements in the story: floods, betrayals, business chicanery, and romance. All things considered; the book holds up well.(Summary by Bob Rollins) (15 hr 20 min)

Chapters

Into the Infinite Long Ago 36:07 Read by Bob R
Jefferson Worth's Offering 45:06 Read by Bob R
Miss Barbara Worth 17:03 Read by Bob R
You'd Better Make It Ninety 41:58 Read by Bob R
What the Indian Told the Seer 33:38 Read by Bob R
The Standard of the West 27:13 Read by Bob R
Don't You Like My Desert, Mr. Holmes? 38:08 Read by Bob R
Why Willard Holmes Stayed 25:32 Read by Bob R
The Master Passion-"Good Business" 35:16 Read by Bob R
Barbara's Love for the Seer 16:24 Read by Bob R
Abe Lee Resigns 28:34 Read by Bob R
Signs of Conflict 18:59 Read by Bob R
Barbara's Call to Her Friends 21:29 Read by Bob R
Much Confusion and Happy Excitement 31:16 Read by Bob R
Barbara Comes Into Her Own 25:38 Read by Bob R
Jefferson Worth's Operations 25:53 Read by Bob R
James Greenfield Seeks An Advantage 20:00 Read by Bob R
The Game Progresses 15:05 Read by Bob R
Gathered at Barbar's Court 17:05 Read by Bob R
What the Stakes Revealed 21:11 Read by Bob R
Pablo Brings News to Barbara 25:09 Read by Bob R
Gathering of Ominous Forces 28:27 Read by Bob R
Exacting Royal Tribute 20:14 Read by Bob R
Jefferson Worth Goes for Help 28:06 Read by Bob R
Willard Holmes on Trial 15:18 Read by Bob R
Held in Suspense 10:15 Read by Bob R
Abe Lee's Ride to Save Jefferson Worth 27:42 Read by Bob R
What the Company Man Told the Mexicans 17:49 Read by Bob R
Tell Barbara I'm All Right 32:20 Read by Bob R
Manana! Manana! To-morrow! To-morrow! 30:19 Read by Bob R
Barbara's Waitin' Breakfast For You 6:17 Read by Bob R
Barbara Ministers to the Wounded 21:26 Read by Bob R
Willard Holmes Receives His Answer 17:25 Read by Bob R
Battling With the River 40:14 Read by Bob R
Nature and Human Nature 17:42 Read by Bob R
Out of the Hollow of God's Hand 14:39 Read by Bob R
Back to the Old San Felipe Trail 11:27 Read by Bob R
The Heritage of Barbara Worth 14:30 Read by Bob R

Reviews

EXCELLENT BOOK


(5 stars)

So worth reading ! !


(5 stars)

Very well read. Enjoyed hearing Pat😆