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A Little House Sampler
Beloved by generations of readers for the books that inspired the popular television series Little House on the Prairie , Laura Ingalls Wilder was the mother of Rose Wilder Lane, famous in the 1920s and '30s and now being rediscovered as the author of such novels as Free Land and Old Home Town. It was Rose who encouraged Laura to begin her writing career when she was in her sixties. William T. Anderson has brought together dozens of their autobiographical writings from old newspapers and magazines, and has included some material never before published, in A Little House Sampler . Arranged chronologically, with introductions by Anderson, these articles, short stories, essays, and poems tell the story of Laura's life from her pioneer girlhood in Wisconsin to her old age, when admirers beat a path to the door of her Missouri farmhouse. Rose's life unfolds in these pages as she describes her early memories of Dakota Territory, her departure from the family farm in the Ozarks to pursue a big-city career, and her later literary use of the old home place. As the generations pass in the Sampler , the topics change from log cabins to English-style Ozark cottages, from covered wagons to Buicks, from feeding chickens to writing for the Country Gentleman — but always they reveal the individual viewpoints of two strong-minded, high-spirited women.
256 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1988
14 people are currently reading
2108 people want to read
About the author
Laura Ingalls Wilder
455 books5,411 followersIngalls wrote a series of historical fiction books for children based on her childhood growing up in a pioneer family. She also wrote a regular newspaper column and kept a diary as an adult moving from South Dakota to Missouri, the latter of which has been published as a book.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 88 reviews
November 12, 2014
In the South Dakotan room of the Huron Public Library, along with other 'Wilder' books, such as the novels of Laura's daughter, Rose. This is a great book for Laura fans like me! Full of essays/articles/speeches/short stories from these amazing pioneering women, Laura and Rose, who was a successful author (and feminist!) in the early 1900's, and also was the one to help and encourage her mother into writing.
As Laura said to her fans in Michigan (Oct. 16, 1937), "..I began to think what a wonderful childhood I had had. How I had seen the whole frontier, the woods, the Indian country of the great plains, the frontier towns, the building of railroads in wild, unsettled country, homesteading and farmers coming in to take possession. I realized that I had seen and lived it all - all the successive phases of the frontier; first the frontiersman, then the pioneer, then the farmers, and the towns. Then I understood that in my own life I represented a whole period of American History. That the frontier was gone and agricultural settlements had taken its place when I married a farmer. It seemed to me that my childhood had been much richer and more interesting than that of children today even with all the modern inventions and improvements." To think that this woman saw our country from horse and wagons and never seeing family again once you move, to being able to fly in an airplane near the end of her life to visit her daughter!
In the same speech, about Almanzo's name: "You may wonder that the name Almanzo, of Central-Asian origin as it is, should have been given to a Yankee farmer boy. The name Almanzo comes from El Mansur [Al-Mansour, "one of the most famous families in Saudi Arabia", according to the interwebs] and was brought into England from Asia during the crusades and from England to America by the Wilders when they came to Plymouth in 1631."
I learned that Pa's ancestors came over on the Mayflower! Ma (Caroline Quiner Ingalls) "was descended from Scotch nobility and had roots in New England". The pioneering Pilgrim ancestors would be proud of their descendants.
To her young fans, Laura also wrote, "But the real things haven't changed; they can never change. It is still best to be honest and truthful/ to make the most of what we have; to be happy with simple pleasures and to be cheerful and have courage when things go wrong." This, I think, sums up the Little House books.
Laura's life was truly the "American Dream" - rags to riches, hard work, all that. This book made me cry a bit at the end reading about all the deaths (although written matter-of-fact)... everyone in her family (except her daughter, thank goodness!) died before Laura. I can't imagine being married for 64 years and suddenly your spouse is just gone. And I'm sad that Rose didn't have children to pass on this amazing Wilder legacy. Can't wait to read more!
As Laura said to her fans in Michigan (Oct. 16, 1937), "..I began to think what a wonderful childhood I had had. How I had seen the whole frontier, the woods, the Indian country of the great plains, the frontier towns, the building of railroads in wild, unsettled country, homesteading and farmers coming in to take possession. I realized that I had seen and lived it all - all the successive phases of the frontier; first the frontiersman, then the pioneer, then the farmers, and the towns. Then I understood that in my own life I represented a whole period of American History. That the frontier was gone and agricultural settlements had taken its place when I married a farmer. It seemed to me that my childhood had been much richer and more interesting than that of children today even with all the modern inventions and improvements." To think that this woman saw our country from horse and wagons and never seeing family again once you move, to being able to fly in an airplane near the end of her life to visit her daughter!
In the same speech, about Almanzo's name: "You may wonder that the name Almanzo, of Central-Asian origin as it is, should have been given to a Yankee farmer boy. The name Almanzo comes from El Mansur [Al-Mansour, "one of the most famous families in Saudi Arabia", according to the interwebs] and was brought into England from Asia during the crusades and from England to America by the Wilders when they came to Plymouth in 1631."
I learned that Pa's ancestors came over on the Mayflower! Ma (Caroline Quiner Ingalls) "was descended from Scotch nobility and had roots in New England". The pioneering Pilgrim ancestors would be proud of their descendants.
To her young fans, Laura also wrote, "But the real things haven't changed; they can never change. It is still best to be honest and truthful/ to make the most of what we have; to be happy with simple pleasures and to be cheerful and have courage when things go wrong." This, I think, sums up the Little House books.
Laura's life was truly the "American Dream" - rags to riches, hard work, all that. This book made me cry a bit at the end reading about all the deaths (although written matter-of-fact)... everyone in her family (except her daughter, thank goodness!) died before Laura. I can't imagine being married for 64 years and suddenly your spouse is just gone. And I'm sad that Rose didn't have children to pass on this amazing Wilder legacy. Can't wait to read more!
July 21, 2021
There have been many books written about the life of Laura Ingalls Wilder and her daughter Rose Wilder Lane, but this book is unique. This book contains some of the actual writings of these two famous women, many of which had been published over the years in many newspapers and magazines. This book includes articles, short stories, speeches and photos from Laura and Rose, giving us more insight into their lives and relationships, with others and each other.
Some of the short stories I didn’t understand, or wasn’t able to follow, but the majority of the writings were easy to understand. I feel that I understand Laura better than ever before, and understand her husband Almanzo, the other Ingalls’, and Rose better as well.
There were funny stories, sad stories, inspiring stories, and stories full of advice for a wide variety of things. This book really made Laura come alive to me. She lived in a time long before mine and died long before me. My life is incredibly different from hers yet much of her advice is still applicable to my life today.
I was delighted to learn that Laura and Almanzo returned to De Smet in 1938 & 1939, and on their way home they visited her sisters Carrie and Grace. Rose also wrote in a letter to some children who were fans of her mother’s work, describing her memories of her grandmother and Aunt Mary before the Wilder’s left De Smet. It was very interesting to learn about what Ma, Mary and the rest of the family were like after the time of the Little House books.
I have also learned that Rose and Laura had a difficult time writing her books. Laura turned to her famous writer of a daughter for writing advice and editing, and many times had to fight to keep certain scenes and events in her stories. They had an interesting mother-daughter relationship.
Many of Laura’s speeches are included in this book, and I have discovered she was very good at speeches. During these speeches she explains part of the writing process, how much research she did to make sure she had her facts right, why she left out certain darker parts of her life story, and described the overwhelming response from children, parents and teachers who loved her books so much they kept begging for more stories.
One of my favourite stories from this book was the short story of Almanzo learning to drive the Wilder’s new Buick, Isabelle, with Rose. When there was a mix-up on the road Almanzo tried to get out of the way by bracing his foot down hard on the gas pedal and pulling on the wheel, just like he used to brace himself to pull on the reins of the horses! Rose was able to turn the wheel to miss the other cars but they ended up cleanly uprooting a young tree! This story made me laugh so hard!
“I thought it showed great intelligence in us, when the road got so dangerous with cars, to quietly leave it and climb a tree.” - Rose after the incident
Some of the short stories I didn’t understand, or wasn’t able to follow, but the majority of the writings were easy to understand. I feel that I understand Laura better than ever before, and understand her husband Almanzo, the other Ingalls’, and Rose better as well.
There were funny stories, sad stories, inspiring stories, and stories full of advice for a wide variety of things. This book really made Laura come alive to me. She lived in a time long before mine and died long before me. My life is incredibly different from hers yet much of her advice is still applicable to my life today.
I was delighted to learn that Laura and Almanzo returned to De Smet in 1938 & 1939, and on their way home they visited her sisters Carrie and Grace. Rose also wrote in a letter to some children who were fans of her mother’s work, describing her memories of her grandmother and Aunt Mary before the Wilder’s left De Smet. It was very interesting to learn about what Ma, Mary and the rest of the family were like after the time of the Little House books.
I have also learned that Rose and Laura had a difficult time writing her books. Laura turned to her famous writer of a daughter for writing advice and editing, and many times had to fight to keep certain scenes and events in her stories. They had an interesting mother-daughter relationship.
Many of Laura’s speeches are included in this book, and I have discovered she was very good at speeches. During these speeches she explains part of the writing process, how much research she did to make sure she had her facts right, why she left out certain darker parts of her life story, and described the overwhelming response from children, parents and teachers who loved her books so much they kept begging for more stories.
One of my favourite stories from this book was the short story of Almanzo learning to drive the Wilder’s new Buick, Isabelle, with Rose. When there was a mix-up on the road Almanzo tried to get out of the way by bracing his foot down hard on the gas pedal and pulling on the wheel, just like he used to brace himself to pull on the reins of the horses! Rose was able to turn the wheel to miss the other cars but they ended up cleanly uprooting a young tree! This story made me laugh so hard!
“I thought it showed great intelligence in us, when the road got so dangerous with cars, to quietly leave it and climb a tree.” - Rose after the incident
July 4, 2012
Intriguing non-fiction from both mother and daughter as well as a few short fictions (previously published in magazines) by Rose.
I found it fascinating to read of the early shared life and the subsequently dichotomous paths that lead to such similarities in mother and daughter.
I was amazed at what Laura did in the 50 years AFTER her 40th birthday.
Did you know the first of the "Little House" series wasn't published until she was over 60???
What did YOU do today to make a dream come true or change your journey?
I may coin a new mantra for my next five-plus decades: "I'm channeling my inner-Laura Wilder".
I have never read the entire series, if one can believe it, of "Little House books"; yet this is my second "non-little-house" non-fiction about and by the famous author in as many months' time. I am hooked, and seeking more.
I found it fascinating to read of the early shared life and the subsequently dichotomous paths that lead to such similarities in mother and daughter.
I was amazed at what Laura did in the 50 years AFTER her 40th birthday.
Did you know the first of the "Little House" series wasn't published until she was over 60???
What did YOU do today to make a dream come true or change your journey?
I may coin a new mantra for my next five-plus decades: "I'm channeling my inner-Laura Wilder".
I have never read the entire series, if one can believe it, of "Little House books"; yet this is my second "non-little-house" non-fiction about and by the famous author in as many months' time. I am hooked, and seeking more.
June 6, 2015
Skipped around and skimmed this one. The goal was to compare the differences in writing style between verified Laura writings and verified Rose writings. Rose wrote a short fictional story entitled "Innocence" in 1922 that was similar in tone to the Little House canon (but a LOT more unsettling; the uncle marries some crazy Seminole woman who tries to kill the little-girl protagonist).
Rose didn't know Pa very well; she didn't see him after she was 7 and he died not terribly long after that.
I also wondered (again) why are Rose's papers in the Hoover Presidential Library, of all places?
Rose didn't know Pa very well; she didn't see him after she was 7 and he died not terribly long after that.
I also wondered (again) why are Rose's papers in the Hoover Presidential Library, of all places?
September 25, 2017
A wonderful chance to read a more factual version of these famous authors lives. Some of these have been reprinted in other Forms, but this one seems to have had the most variety of writings. This is my favorite collection of their writings outside of the actual little house books. These two women have a marvelous voice and it's a shame more people don't think the way they did these days. If so, I think we would be more self sufficient and strong country. These are definitely worth a study.
July 18, 2012
Some of the stories and articles are very interesting but the writing for the most part was dry and repetitive. I know that Rose Wilder Lane wrote articles outside of those based on her life on the prairie as she was a world traveler. None of those articles are included and I think the book suffers from that exclusion.
August 6, 2015
Since this was a bunch of stories and essays written by two different people it was kinda hard to rate. Some of them were really good and others were really boring. It was nice to hear about Laura'a life outside the books though.
July 19, 2024
After reading the original nine Little House books, On the Way Home, and West From Home, I found myself still wanting more Little House world. Then I recalled I had book on my shelf that I bought at a sale and never really looked over much- it said A Little House Sampler, nuff said. Boy am I kicking myself for not giving it due notice until now because here was more Little House world from Laura and Rose edited into a neat chronological package by William Anderson.
So, A Little House Sampler is aptly named. This is a smattering of precious extras of letters, notes, diary entries, speeches, stories- published and not- and more. Each piece is preceded by background information provided by William Anderson so we get the why and when and who. He also organized it in chronological order with the first piece being Rose Wilder Lane's thoughts on moving from De Smet, South Dakota with her parents to Mansfield, Missouri. There are bits from both Rose and Laura's lives right up until their deaths. Filled in a great deal of Laura and Almanzo's later years for me.
Loved it and recommend it highly to other Little House fans as well as fans who want the real people and their lives beyond the Little House years.
So, A Little House Sampler is aptly named. This is a smattering of precious extras of letters, notes, diary entries, speeches, stories- published and not- and more. Each piece is preceded by background information provided by William Anderson so we get the why and when and who. He also organized it in chronological order with the first piece being Rose Wilder Lane's thoughts on moving from De Smet, South Dakota with her parents to Mansfield, Missouri. There are bits from both Rose and Laura's lives right up until their deaths. Filled in a great deal of Laura and Almanzo's later years for me.
Loved it and recommend it highly to other Little House fans as well as fans who want the real people and their lives beyond the Little House years.
April 30, 2011
This book was sooo wonderful, It gave me goosebumps. I loved the Little House Books by Laura Ingalls Wilder and so I loved reading more about them. You won't be sorry reading this, I guarentee! It is full of beautiful photographs of the Ingalls and Wilders and wonderful stories and writings by Laura and Rose. One of my favorites is "Faces in the Window", Rose's account of a chilling tale her odd friend Gladys tells her. It is truly a bizarre tale! Normally I don't care for ghost stories; they are such bunk, and I don't really care for Rose or her fictional writings, but this one had me spellbound! Also when Laura talks about some of the things that REALLY went on when the Ingalls lived in Indian Territory, stuff to grizzly to mention in a children's book like Little House on the Prairie. I am like, oh my word, they could have died!! This book is definately a keeper!
February 14, 2012
Found myself in the unthinkable position of finishing a library book and having nothing on deck. Pulled this off the shelf for a re-read and I'm spellbound. The stories are deeply affecting, Laura's spirit is inspiring. I'm savoring every page.
OK- amended from 5 to 4 stars. The first section of the book was the most compelling for me, the stories that parallel the "Little House" books. I drifted a bit during the later stories & Rose's work. However, the tale of Laura, Almanzo, and Rose's final night at "Ma & Pa's" before leaving for the Ozarks is a tearjerker for the ages.
OK- amended from 5 to 4 stars. The first section of the book was the most compelling for me, the stories that parallel the "Little House" books. I drifted a bit during the later stories & Rose's work. However, the tale of Laura, Almanzo, and Rose's final night at "Ma & Pa's" before leaving for the Ozarks is a tearjerker for the ages.
July 27, 2009
Pictures you've never seen before! More reasons to just not like Rose! Better feel for Laura's late-life growth as an author! A more clear idea of how to actually twist hay into knots for fuel!
[Hee, I hope I marked the right Shelley in the "who recommended this book" line--I have three GoodReads friends without last names included and the drop-down menu doesn't show the pix!:]
[Hee, I hope I marked the right Shelley in the "who recommended this book" line--I have three GoodReads friends without last names included and the drop-down menu doesn't show the pix!:]
October 12, 2011
I like the variety of pieces here from both Laura and Rose. I came away thinking that the "Ghost in the Little House" thought that Rose was a ghostwriter for Laura, isn't quite as solid when you read more of Laura's work.
January 11, 2020
I have an old audio copy of this on cassette that I have listened to multiple times. The story that stands out to me is a creepy story that was written by Rose. Every time I think of it, I get chills.
May 26, 2020
These are articles that Laura wrote for farm magazines, years before she started her "Little House" series. Her advice is practical, and always helpful. What an encouraging woman she must have been, such hard work done with such cheerful aplomb!
December 18, 2022
This has been on my shelf since my 22nd birthday, according to the inscription.
Learned a lot of Laura as an adult and a writer and about the helpfulness of her daughter, Rose.
Read this one story at a time.
Learned a lot of Laura as an adult and a writer and about the helpfulness of her daughter, Rose.
Read this one story at a time.
January 19, 2015
Good. Yet more information into the wonderful world of the wonderful Laura Ingalls Wilder!
September 26, 2023
I Really enjoyed this book. Man she went to some hard times.
May 20, 2013
I am currently reading this book and so far I'm loving it so much. It definitely adds to my thirst for more of Laura and her family. I love Laura's daughter Rose too. It just amazes me though that her book is not as available as Laura's are when she was a famous author before her mother was. As a matter of fact she was the one who persuaded and encouraged her mother to write. She was the one who said to her, "For goodness sake, write! There is no reason you should not be making more money!" I loved how Rose was not jealous in the least of her mother. She read and typed and edited her mother's Little House manuscript before it went to the publisher. This book gave me some understanding of the relationship they had. I can understand why Rose is the way she is, so independent and ambitious. Why if you were to read Laura's Little House books you can see right there Laura is the same thing! She wants to keep going west like Pa did. She was an adventurer herself. I don't blame Rose for wanting to travel and see the world. Her mother was one feisty woman. She had a strong will of her own. And if her daughter was worse, it's only because she's supposed to be better than her mother! And I feel in so many ways, she was! How wonderful of Rose to say that her mother was a remarkable woman. Rose knew her mother's worth and valued her.
And oh I love Rose's writing. They're so vivid and deep. They're not like Laura's writings of course. Though Laura can write pretty deep as well. But Rose knew how to paint pictures in words. I could feel the feelings she was feeling. Like the time she had witnessed her friend Paul being whipped by his father and it was because of "her" fault but the adults and even Laura won't hear of her reasoning that it's not Paul's fault at all. Ugh. The tension that was in the air; she described it so well. I feel like I was there. And another time she described witnessing her mother crying after crossing the terrible river to get to Nebraska. I felt like I was right there too. I can see exactly what was taking place. And her short essay on the "Innocence". I absolutely love! I read it twice. Ugh. It kept me awake for awhile. I wondered how much of it was true. No wonder it won an award. Love her more the more I read her work. Again I wish her books were more accessible and affordable. But even though some are in Amazon they're not very cheap.
And oh I love Rose's writing. They're so vivid and deep. They're not like Laura's writings of course. Though Laura can write pretty deep as well. But Rose knew how to paint pictures in words. I could feel the feelings she was feeling. Like the time she had witnessed her friend Paul being whipped by his father and it was because of "her" fault but the adults and even Laura won't hear of her reasoning that it's not Paul's fault at all. Ugh. The tension that was in the air; she described it so well. I feel like I was there. And another time she described witnessing her mother crying after crossing the terrible river to get to Nebraska. I felt like I was right there too. I can see exactly what was taking place. And her short essay on the "Innocence". I absolutely love! I read it twice. Ugh. It kept me awake for awhile. I wondered how much of it was true. No wonder it won an award. Love her more the more I read her work. Again I wish her books were more accessible and affordable. But even though some are in Amazon they're not very cheap.
August 18, 2008
I enjoyed reading more stories written by Laura Ingalls Wilder in this collection of her shorter writings, such as columns she wrote for farming newspapers, and also some of her daughter’s writings. One interesting part is where she tells a few stories that she did not include in Little House on the Prairie because they were not appropriate for children.
Here are 2 quotes I particularly liked:
“We are so inclined to take for granted the blessings we possess and to look for something peculiar, some special good luck for which to be thankful…We are nearly all afflicted with mental farsightedness and so easily overlook the thing which is obvious and near. There are our hands and feet, -- who ever thinks of giving thanks for them, until indeed they, or the use of them, are lost…Why! There is greater occasion for thankfulness just in the unimpaired possession of one of the five senses than there would be if some one left us a fortune. Indeed, how could the value of one be reckoned? When we have all five in good working condition we surely need not make a search for anything else in order to feel that we should give thanks to Whom thanks are due.” (p. 32)
“Why should be need extra time in which to enjoy ourselves? If we expect to enjoy our life we will have to learn to be joyful in all of it, not just at stated intervals, when we can get time, or when we have nothing else to do. It may well be that it is not our work that is so hard for us as the dread of it and our often expressed hatred of it. Perhaps it is our spirit and attitude toward life and its conditions that are giving us trouble, instead of a shortage of time. Surely the days and nights are as long as they ever were. A feeling of pleasure in a task seems to shorten it wonderfully and it makes a great difference with the day’s work if we get enjoyment from it instead of looking for all our pleasure altogether apart from it, as seems to be the habit of mind we are more growing into.” (p. 113)
Here are 2 quotes I particularly liked:
“We are so inclined to take for granted the blessings we possess and to look for something peculiar, some special good luck for which to be thankful…We are nearly all afflicted with mental farsightedness and so easily overlook the thing which is obvious and near. There are our hands and feet, -- who ever thinks of giving thanks for them, until indeed they, or the use of them, are lost…Why! There is greater occasion for thankfulness just in the unimpaired possession of one of the five senses than there would be if some one left us a fortune. Indeed, how could the value of one be reckoned? When we have all five in good working condition we surely need not make a search for anything else in order to feel that we should give thanks to Whom thanks are due.” (p. 32)
“Why should be need extra time in which to enjoy ourselves? If we expect to enjoy our life we will have to learn to be joyful in all of it, not just at stated intervals, when we can get time, or when we have nothing else to do. It may well be that it is not our work that is so hard for us as the dread of it and our often expressed hatred of it. Perhaps it is our spirit and attitude toward life and its conditions that are giving us trouble, instead of a shortage of time. Surely the days and nights are as long as they ever were. A feeling of pleasure in a task seems to shorten it wonderfully and it makes a great difference with the day’s work if we get enjoyment from it instead of looking for all our pleasure altogether apart from it, as seems to be the habit of mind we are more growing into.” (p. 113)
September 21, 2011
Der „Little House Sampler“ ist eine Sammlung von vergessenen Artikeln und Kurzgeschichten von Laura Ingalls Wilder und ihrer Tochter Rose Wilder Lane. Einige der Artikel erscheinen damals in Zeitschriften wie dem „Missouri Ruralist“ andere sind nur Entwürfe oder Notizen zu Reden, die im Nachlass von Rose Wilder Lane gefunden wurden.
Die Artikel sind nicht nach Erscheinungsdatum sortiert, sondern passend zu den Lebensabschnitten von Laura und Rose. Vor den Kurzgeschichten oder Artikeln gibt es eine kurze Einleitung, was damals geschah, was die Autorinnen erlebten, wo und wie sie lebten und in welchem Zusammenhang der Artikel oder die Geschichte geschrieben wurde.
Es handelt sich dabei um eine recht bunte Mischung von Haushaltstipps, allgemeinen Kurzgeschichte ohne Bezug zu den „Little House Books“, Reden und Interviews. Dazu passen wurden Bilder eingefügt, wenn sie in den Artikeln vorkamen, bzw zum Biographischen Teil passen.
Einige der Kurzgeschichten füllen Lücken in den Büchern von Laura Ingalls, teils erzählen sie über Erlebnisse, die als nicht kindgerecht genug angesehen wurde, um in die Bücher übernommen zu werden. Teilweise sind es aber dröge Haushaltskolumnen über eine perfekte Bauernhofküche oder wie man das Esszimmer eines Bauernhofs möglichst praktisch einrichtet oder eine Quelle verlegt.
Eine interessant gemachte Biographie über Mutter und Tochter, die zwei lebenslustige und fortschrittliche Frauen ihrer Zeit zeigt. Die Bilder sind aufgrund der eher mäßigen Papierqualität teilweise eher schlecht zu erkennen, da hätte man vielleicht auf Hochglanzpapier ausweichen sollen.
Die Artikel sind nicht nach Erscheinungsdatum sortiert, sondern passend zu den Lebensabschnitten von Laura und Rose. Vor den Kurzgeschichten oder Artikeln gibt es eine kurze Einleitung, was damals geschah, was die Autorinnen erlebten, wo und wie sie lebten und in welchem Zusammenhang der Artikel oder die Geschichte geschrieben wurde.
Es handelt sich dabei um eine recht bunte Mischung von Haushaltstipps, allgemeinen Kurzgeschichte ohne Bezug zu den „Little House Books“, Reden und Interviews. Dazu passen wurden Bilder eingefügt, wenn sie in den Artikeln vorkamen, bzw zum Biographischen Teil passen.
Einige der Kurzgeschichten füllen Lücken in den Büchern von Laura Ingalls, teils erzählen sie über Erlebnisse, die als nicht kindgerecht genug angesehen wurde, um in die Bücher übernommen zu werden. Teilweise sind es aber dröge Haushaltskolumnen über eine perfekte Bauernhofküche oder wie man das Esszimmer eines Bauernhofs möglichst praktisch einrichtet oder eine Quelle verlegt.
Eine interessant gemachte Biographie über Mutter und Tochter, die zwei lebenslustige und fortschrittliche Frauen ihrer Zeit zeigt. Die Bilder sind aufgrund der eher mäßigen Papierqualität teilweise eher schlecht zu erkennen, da hätte man vielleicht auf Hochglanzpapier ausweichen sollen.
August 12, 2013
This book was in the Biography section beside several other Wilder biographies. I'm lucky I chose this one. Not only did it give a timeline of events in Laura and her daughter, Rose's lives, but it also included their magazine articles, short stories, and speeches. Comparing the two women's' writing styles side-by-side was a treat. These two independent, strong women have incredibly different writing styles and any run of the mill biography would not have accurately portrayed this fact.
Quotes:
"Why should we need extra time in which to enjoy ourselves? If we expect to enjoy our life we will have to learn to be joyful in all of it, not just t stated intervals, when we can get time, or when we have nothing else to do.
It may well be thatat it is not our work that is so hard fo rus as the dread of it and our often expressed hatred of it. Perhaps it is our spirit and attitude toward life and its conditions that are giving us trouble, instead of a shortage of time...
A feeling of pleasure in a task seems to shorten it wonderfully and makes a real difference with he day's work if we get enjoyment fro it instead of looking for all our pleasure altogether apart from it." pg113
"When we remember that our hardest times would have een easy times for our forefathers it should help us to be of good courage, as they were, even if things are not all as we would like them to be." p180
Quotes:
"Why should we need extra time in which to enjoy ourselves? If we expect to enjoy our life we will have to learn to be joyful in all of it, not just t stated intervals, when we can get time, or when we have nothing else to do.
It may well be thatat it is not our work that is so hard fo rus as the dread of it and our often expressed hatred of it. Perhaps it is our spirit and attitude toward life and its conditions that are giving us trouble, instead of a shortage of time...
A feeling of pleasure in a task seems to shorten it wonderfully and makes a real difference with he day's work if we get enjoyment fro it instead of looking for all our pleasure altogether apart from it." pg113
"When we remember that our hardest times would have een easy times for our forefathers it should help us to be of good courage, as they were, even if things are not all as we would like them to be." p180
May 12, 2019
This is a fascinating compilation of articles, talks, and letters that were not published before 1988 and mostly haven't made their way into other works since. It's mostly chronological by date of events, not publication. Thus, Anderson has created a near-seamless chain of events that string Laura's pioneer days with Rose's city adventures. So it is very interesting to see just how life, particularly in the country, changed.
REALLY changed, not just through the eyes of fiction, but through the women's.
I love seeing the joy Laura had in and of life.
I love the detail as to how Laura and Almanzo influenced farming in the Ozark area.
There are great pieces of information that remind the reader that our experiences of life are the same. Maybe not the same in form, but the same in human experience. For example:
- Even in the early 1900s, Laura felt like she had "no time" to fully relax.
- There was a string of child suicides in the early 1920s which is so very sad.
There are more of Rose's writings than I've previously seen & read, which is great.
In an interview between Rose and Almanzo, we see how succinct the latter was. It's quite humorous. "What were saloons like?" "saloons." He also had a great memory for prices from the 1870s and 80s, even 60 years later.
But it's also very heartbreaking that he stated that his life was full of mostly disappointments.
In Laura's Book Fair Speech, she explains the origins of Almanzo's name, which is cool.
REALLY changed, not just through the eyes of fiction, but through the women's.
I love seeing the joy Laura had in and of life.
I love the detail as to how Laura and Almanzo influenced farming in the Ozark area.
There are great pieces of information that remind the reader that our experiences of life are the same. Maybe not the same in form, but the same in human experience. For example:
- Even in the early 1900s, Laura felt like she had "no time" to fully relax.
- There was a string of child suicides in the early 1920s which is so very sad.
There are more of Rose's writings than I've previously seen & read, which is great.
In an interview between Rose and Almanzo, we see how succinct the latter was. It's quite humorous. "What were saloons like?" "saloons." He also had a great memory for prices from the 1870s and 80s, even 60 years later.
But it's also very heartbreaking that he stated that his life was full of mostly disappointments.
In Laura's Book Fair Speech, she explains the origins of Almanzo's name, which is cool.
July 7, 2009
A recent trip found me at Wall Drugs in South Dakota, an interesting shop with a surprisingly (to me) amazing and impressive book selection. While there I picked up A Little House Sampler by Laura Ingalls Wilder and Rose Wilder Lane. I wasn't planning on buying any books over this short break, but this one just begged me to take it home (it was on sale and that small fact broke my resolve). It turned into perfect vacation reading. It is a selection of early stories and articles by both Laura and Rose and while we were only in Western Nebraska and South Dakota it was amazing to really see the land and make a little more sense of what Laura encountered growing up. It's been years since I've been in Minnesota or Iowa, and then I spent my time in (mostly) urban areas.
The collection goes back and forth between Laura and Rose and I re-learned a good deal about the real family I had forgotten over the years. I enjoyed reading Laura's writings for the Missouri Ruralist as they are a completely different sort from the Little House series.
Overall I think that Anderson did a nice job editing the collection together and I enjoyed reading it.
The collection goes back and forth between Laura and Rose and I re-learned a good deal about the real family I had forgotten over the years. I enjoyed reading Laura's writings for the Missouri Ruralist as they are a completely different sort from the Little House series.
Overall I think that Anderson did a nice job editing the collection together and I enjoyed reading it.
July 20, 2009
This was really fun and interesting. My favorite parts were the bits that augment what we learned in the books - chapters and stories she didn't tell because they weren't as kid friendly, for example, or the picture of a twist of hay from The Long Winter. I also loved Rose's recollections of their time in DeSmet, since she spent her days with Ma and the girls while Laura worked. So interesting, especially learning that Ma and Pa had the most ambitions for Mary of all their children, and were never the same after those hopes were dashed with her blindness. Also loved her interview with Almanzo that she used for writing Young Pioneers - he had amazing memory of prices and slang and life before he and Laura married, even in the 1930s. (Saddest bit was when Rose asked about the most satisfying moments, and he recalled their first crop but finished by saying that his life had mostly been disappointments. Ouch.) I wish more had been about Laura and her family and less Rose; I just don't like her as much.
December 18, 2011
Rereading the Little House series with Z, N and M right now, and enjoying it so much -- every bit as much as I did when I was 8 -- that I decided to pick this up to do some backfilling -- to get even more. Just as the books themselves manage with great simplicity and directness to impress themselves upon the heart, so do these short excerpts from things Laura wrote for her local newspaper; speeches she gave; diaries she kept; and notes and stories Rose wrote based on stories Laura told her. (Interesting that the excerpts of things written by Rose do not have the same power, though her writing was praised highly when she was alive -- what is it that makes writing endure across time?) A few of the images that stick in my mind: Pa telling Laura he is leaving his fiddle to her as she leaves De Smet, knowing she is seeing Pa and Ma for the last time; the stories Laura tells at a book signing of family experiences that did not make it into the book)
November 28, 2016
A surprisingly enjoyable collection of paired Laura Ingalls Wilder's and Rose Wilder Lane's short works, letters and notes, with introductions and annotations by William Anderson. The book is very respectful of both of them, soft-pedalling the known conflicts between mother and daughter, and Rose's claims that she did a great deal of the work on the books (probably because the finished pieces show that Laura was a good writer in her own right), and also not referencing Wilder Lane's strong Libertarianism.
Some of Wilder Lane's fiction is here, but I like best Laura Ingalls Wilder's paean to her kitchen and dining rooms, as well as her thoughts on the life of the farm woman.
Certainly, this shows a softer side of the family relations, and a number of stories that fill in the details in Ingalls' and Wilders' lives. Not likely to upset anyone; if The First Four Years left you in despair and the Roger MacBride 'sequels' are not to your taste, you'll find this a palate cleanser.
Some of Wilder Lane's fiction is here, but I like best Laura Ingalls Wilder's paean to her kitchen and dining rooms, as well as her thoughts on the life of the farm woman.
Certainly, this shows a softer side of the family relations, and a number of stories that fill in the details in Ingalls' and Wilders' lives. Not likely to upset anyone; if The First Four Years left you in despair and the Roger MacBride 'sequels' are not to your taste, you'll find this a palate cleanser.
October 10, 2014
When I was growing up, I loved the Little House series. Now I'm taking a class about the Writing Life of Laura Ingalls Wilder. It is an amazing peek back with great affection at the impact her books had on my childhood. At the same time, it sorts out the "true" facts and what was "true" to share what life was like so that readers could be in the moment as well. "A Little House Sampler" is just that. There are bits and pieces that Laura and her daughter wrote over the years. Photographs are tucked here and there. It is a time capsule, a scrapbook, a treasure for anyone who has a writer's heart and who wanted to be Laura when she was a girl. It allows the "grown up girl" reader a chance to see what happened to Laura after she became a wife, a mother, a Missouri farmer away from her family. I'm glad that it took me to my own middle age to find this book.
April 17, 2008
Anyone who liked the Little House books should enjoy this collection of writings by Laura Ingalls Wilder and her daughter, Rose Wilder Lane. Interestingly, during their lifetimes, Rose was the much more well known of the two and her writing is the much better. One story in particular, Innocence, is just wonderful--complex, compelling, and more than a little scary.
Rose's memories of her early years, with Ma and Pa and the aunts around, is bittersweet. After Laura and Almanzo left DeSmet when Rose was around six or seven, they saw little of the other family members. That seems so sad. But Rose's writing throughout captures her era beautifully. Currently, she is an underrated writer who deserves a second look, were any of her works available in print.
Rose's memories of her early years, with Ma and Pa and the aunts around, is bittersweet. After Laura and Almanzo left DeSmet when Rose was around six or seven, they saw little of the other family members. That seems so sad. But Rose's writing throughout captures her era beautifully. Currently, she is an underrated writer who deserves a second look, were any of her works available in print.
October 1, 2019
When my daughter was a child, we read the entire Little House series together. This book tells the rest of the story. The biographical material about Laura Ingalls Wilder, Almanzo, and their daughter Rose, is expertly interwoven with excellent writings by both Laura and Rose, who became a nationally recognized writer. After reading "Object, Matrimony", Rose's short story included in this book, I can't wait to get my hands on "Free Land", Rose's 1938 best seller. I would also love to visit her museum in DeSmet, South Dakota and her Rocky Ridge farm in the Ozarks of Missouri.
May 18, 2011
This little gem gives a nice history of Laura and Rose, beyond what you already know from the Little House books. Using writings from both authoresses, you are taken back to the well loved sites from the Little House books to the home on Rocky Ridge. You get to see a bit of Rose's spice and more of Laura's warmth.
I loved this book. It opened up more of a person I have already loved from her children's series (which I have owned and loved since a girl and am now reading to my children) and allowed me to see the person she became.
Highly recommended.
I loved this book. It opened up more of a person I have already loved from her children's series (which I have owned and loved since a girl and am now reading to my children) and allowed me to see the person she became.
Highly recommended.
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