The Coffee Train, 1953 signed first edition by Margarethe Erdahl Shank.

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Written by Margarethe Erdahl Shank. Illustrated by Reisie Lonette. First edition, 1953. Doubleday & Company. Signed by author.

Chapter I
Evening

"The prevailing northwest wind, blowing fresh and eager from the plains Saskatchewan, was the voice of Dakota. Through long June days when twilight lingered like a fondling hand, it bent the wheat fields into shimmering ribbons of green and shadowed gray. During the clear golden days of Indian summer it rustled its warning in the cottonwoods, bare now except for a few wrinkled brown leaves hanging to stiff branches like forgotten sparrows."

The Coffee Train tells the story of life in North Dakota with Norwegian Lutherans in the days following World War I, through the eyes of little Mugs, a Norwegian-American girl. The title refers to the daily ritual of having afternoon coffee when the eastbound train whistles at the cemetery crossing. The book is a nostalgic and humorous portrait of a bygone era and a cultural heritage.

Margarethe Erdahl Shank (1910 - 2004) was an American author and professor of English born in Minnesota to Norwegian immigrants. She wrote novels, memoirs, short stories, and humor pieces, often drawing from her own experiences and heritage. Other works include Call Back the Years (1966), a memoir of her childhood and youth. She taught at Glendale Community College in Arizona until her retirement.

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Condition: Very Good/Fair. Dust jacket: On the front, open tear at top right corner, closed tear runs nearly the length of the leading edge of the front flap; on the back, very small closed tear at the lower edge, light tanning; spine is sunned, chipped at head and tail, creased down the middle, and has three small moisture stains at the tail. Red cloth cover boards: Back cover appears creased but without signs of folding or other damage. Inscribed by author on title page. Pages are clean, undamaged, and complete.

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