The Loom of the Desert

The Loom of the Desert is a novel about the life of ordinary Americans living on the territory of Nevada's deserts, where the author spent her childhood. It tells about the hard destinies of desert men and women, their life, joy, love, sorrow, sins, and death. The protagonists are emigrants, desperately seeking a better life, prospectors fruitlessly wandering to seek treasures, the life of Indians, unfairly treated by the whites. It is an excellent picture of the American Society in the Great Basin in the second time of the 19th century.

Idah Meacham Strobridge (1855 – 1932) was an American writer, primarily known for works about the Great Basin, which mix folktales, fiction, sketches, and nature writing. During her childhood in the deserted lands of Nevada, where her parents kept a hotel, Idah was exposed to people from different backgrounds who later influenced the characters in her writings. After graduating from college, Idah married and returned to Nevada to establish a ranch with her husband. A row of personal tragedies inclined her to the writing. First, three of her children died at a young age. Then, she lost her husband. Finally, she started running a ranch on herself. During this time in her life, she took up writing. After the first success, she moved to Los Angeles, where she opened a book-binding shop that became a popular place for writers, artists, and artisans.