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Song of Years
The state of Iowa was still young and wild when Wayne Lockwood came to it from New England in 1851. He claimed a quarter-section about a hundred miles west of Dubuque and quickly came to appreciate widely scattered neighbors like Jeremiah Martin, whose seven daughters would have chased the gloom from any bachelor's heart. Sabina, Emily, Celia, Melinda, Phoebe Lou, Jeanie, and Suzanne are timeless in their appeal—too spirited to be preoccupied with sermons, sickness, and sudden death. However, the feasts, weddings, and holiday celebrations in Song of Years are shadowed by all the rigors and perils of frontier living. Bess Streeter Aldrich's novel, originally published in 1939, captures the period in Iowa of Indian scares and county-seat wars, as well as the political climate preceding the Civil War.
405 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1939
90 people are currently reading
800 people want to read
About the author
Bess Streeter Aldrich
38 books146 followersBess Genevra Streeter Aldrich was one of Nebraska's most widely read and enjoyed authors. Her writing career spanned forty-some years, during which she published over 100 short stories and articles, nine novels, one novella, two books of short stories, and one omnibus. In her work, she emphasized family values and recorded accurately Midwest pioneering history.
One of her books, Miss Bishop, was made into the movie, Cheers for Miss Bishop, and her short story, The Silent Stars Go By became the television show, The Gift of Love.
Bess graduated in 1901 from Iowa State Normal School, now known as the University of Northern Iowa, and taught for four years. She returned to Cedar Falls and worked as Assistant Supervisor at her alma mater, receiving an advanced degree in 1906. She married Charles Sweetzer Aldrich the following year.
In 1909 the Aldriches and Bess's sister and brother-in-law, Clara and John Cobb, bought the American Exchange Bank in Elmwood, Nebraska, and moved there with the Aldrich's two-month old daughter, Bess's widowed mother, and the Cobbs. Elmwood would become the locale, by whatever name she called it, of her many short stories, and it would also be the setting for some of her books.
Aldrich had won her first writing prize at fourteen and another at seventeen, having been writing stories since childhood. However, for two years after the family moved to Elmwood, Aldrich was too busy with local activities to write. Then in 1911 she saw a fiction contest announcement in the Ladies Home Journal and wrote a story in a few afternoons while the baby napped. Her story was one of six chosen from among some 2,000 entries. From that time on, Aldrich wrote whenever she could find a moment between caring for her growing family and her household chores. Indeed, she commented that, in the early days, many a story was liberally sprinkled with dishwater as she jotted down words or ideas while she worked. Aldrich's first book, Mother Mason, a compilation of short stories, was published in 1924.
In May 1925, shortly before her second book, Rim of the Prairie was published, Charles Aldrich died of a cerebral hemorrhage, leaving Bess a widow with four children ranging from four to sixteen. Her writing now became the means of family support; with her pen she put all the children through college.
Aldrich's short stories were as eagerly sought and read as her novels, and she became one of the best paid magazine writers of the time. Her work appeared in such magazines as The American, Saturday Evening Post, Ladies Home Journal, Collier's, Cosmopolitan, and McCall's. Aldrich also wrote several pieces on the art of writing, and these were published in The Writer.
In 1934, Aldrich was awarded an Honorary Doctor of Letters from the University of Nebraska, and in 1949 she received the Iowa Authors Outstanding Contributions to Literature Award. She was posthumously inducted into the Nebraska Hall of Fame in 1973.
One of her books, Miss Bishop, was made into the movie, Cheers for Miss Bishop, and her short story, The Silent Stars Go By became the television show, The Gift of Love.
Bess graduated in 1901 from Iowa State Normal School, now known as the University of Northern Iowa, and taught for four years. She returned to Cedar Falls and worked as Assistant Supervisor at her alma mater, receiving an advanced degree in 1906. She married Charles Sweetzer Aldrich the following year.
In 1909 the Aldriches and Bess's sister and brother-in-law, Clara and John Cobb, bought the American Exchange Bank in Elmwood, Nebraska, and moved there with the Aldrich's two-month old daughter, Bess's widowed mother, and the Cobbs. Elmwood would become the locale, by whatever name she called it, of her many short stories, and it would also be the setting for some of her books.
Aldrich had won her first writing prize at fourteen and another at seventeen, having been writing stories since childhood. However, for two years after the family moved to Elmwood, Aldrich was too busy with local activities to write. Then in 1911 she saw a fiction contest announcement in the Ladies Home Journal and wrote a story in a few afternoons while the baby napped. Her story was one of six chosen from among some 2,000 entries. From that time on, Aldrich wrote whenever she could find a moment between caring for her growing family and her household chores. Indeed, she commented that, in the early days, many a story was liberally sprinkled with dishwater as she jotted down words or ideas while she worked. Aldrich's first book, Mother Mason, a compilation of short stories, was published in 1924.
In May 1925, shortly before her second book, Rim of the Prairie was published, Charles Aldrich died of a cerebral hemorrhage, leaving Bess a widow with four children ranging from four to sixteen. Her writing now became the means of family support; with her pen she put all the children through college.
Aldrich's short stories were as eagerly sought and read as her novels, and she became one of the best paid magazine writers of the time. Her work appeared in such magazines as The American, Saturday Evening Post, Ladies Home Journal, Collier's, Cosmopolitan, and McCall's. Aldrich also wrote several pieces on the art of writing, and these were published in The Writer.
In 1934, Aldrich was awarded an Honorary Doctor of Letters from the University of Nebraska, and in 1949 she received the Iowa Authors Outstanding Contributions to Literature Award. She was posthumously inducted into the Nebraska Hall of Fame in 1973.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 75 reviews
July 13, 2015
A wonderful old-fashioned novel that appealed to my pioneer tale fanaticism. The history of 2 neighboring towns in Iowa in the mid 1800's and the settlers who helped them grow, in particular the Martin family with 2 sons and 7 daughters, a big, rambunctious, loving family who were always ready to laugh and joke. A family saga with all the usual; births, deaths, marriages, disappointments, crop failure, bad weather, and yes, even the Civil War thrown in for good measure. At first I thought I would get tired of the corny humor and idiosyncrasies of some of the characters, but as the years passed I grew to love them. The Midwest setting and the time period were lovingly portrayed, and I'm going to miss the prairies with their wheat and corn crops. (There's also something very satisfying about reading about blizzards and sub-zero temperatures when the temperature outside is 97°.)
The people in this novel were hardy, hard-working, reliable, common sense people, who did what it took to survive and prosper, and gave help to neighbors when needed. Without sounding trite, it reminded me of an adult version of Laura Ingalls Wilding's "Little House" books.
Teresa, a GR friend, told me of another book by this author that was a favorite of hers, "A Lantern in her hand". I have it here to be read soon. "Song of Years" is a library book and must be returned, but I'll be looking for a copy for my shelves. It's a book I'll read again.
The people in this novel were hardy, hard-working, reliable, common sense people, who did what it took to survive and prosper, and gave help to neighbors when needed. Without sounding trite, it reminded me of an adult version of Laura Ingalls Wilding's "Little House" books.
Teresa, a GR friend, told me of another book by this author that was a favorite of hers, "A Lantern in her hand". I have it here to be read soon. "Song of Years" is a library book and must be returned, but I'll be looking for a copy for my shelves. It's a book I'll read again.
August 23, 2024
I loved Song of Years. It was such a refreshing read! Unusually for an older book like this, I couldn't put it down. Bess Streeter Aldrich's descriptions are so gorgeous, particularly the beautiful similes and metaphors scattered throughout the novel.
In my opinion, this one is just as good as A Lantern in Her Hand. The characters and setting are just as vivid and beautiful, and the romance is just as well done.
The characters were so, so well done. Jeremiah Martin's view of politics was honest and simple, very refreshing in this turbulent time. Suzanne is now on the list of my favorite female historical main characters, and I loved reading about the Martin's family dynamic. The one word I keep coming back to is 'refreshing', because that is this book to its core.
I heartily enjoyed reading it — and update, still do! I return to this book fairly often but 2024 was my first full reread.
A true beauty.
In my opinion, this one is just as good as A Lantern in Her Hand. The characters and setting are just as vivid and beautiful, and the romance is just as well done.
The characters were so, so well done. Jeremiah Martin's view of politics was honest and simple, very refreshing in this turbulent time. Suzanne is now on the list of my favorite female historical main characters, and I loved reading about the Martin's family dynamic. The one word I keep coming back to is 'refreshing', because that is this book to its core.
I heartily enjoyed reading it — and update, still do! I return to this book fairly often but 2024 was my first full reread.
A true beauty.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 14, 2025
This was my mother's favorite book as a girl, and she introduced it to me for the first time when I was fourteen. The rugged romance of the unbroken prairie life captivated me from the first page. I was enamored by the hopes and dreams of the Martin family set against the emotional backdrop of the Civil War and learned to love them as dear friends. Suzanne, the heroine of the story, was truly a kindred spirit! Over the years, I have read this at least four times, and as I mature, so does my understanding and appreciation for the depth of the characters and my loyalty to them. I don't remember crying when I first heard Henry's speech out in the fields, but I do now--every time.
There is something special about your first favorite novel and your first love, and for me, this was both. No other book has ever been able to take its place. It is now out of print, and my sad-looking, second-hand store copy, which was a Christmas gift from my mother a few years ago, is among my most prized temporal possessions. I have now passed the legacy down to my oldest daughter, who loved it and will encourage my next daughter to read it this year. Though it is definitely a "girl" book, my husband finally picked it up unsolicited, because it is such a part of me, and read it to see if it would help him figure out a woman's heart. :) He rarely reads novels, but he was also taken by this one, and Jeremiah Martin has become a dear friend to him as well--one whom I have caught him trying to introduce to our sons numerous times.
There is something special about your first favorite novel and your first love, and for me, this was both. No other book has ever been able to take its place. It is now out of print, and my sad-looking, second-hand store copy, which was a Christmas gift from my mother a few years ago, is among my most prized temporal possessions. I have now passed the legacy down to my oldest daughter, who loved it and will encourage my next daughter to read it this year. Though it is definitely a "girl" book, my husband finally picked it up unsolicited, because it is such a part of me, and read it to see if it would help him figure out a woman's heart. :) He rarely reads novels, but he was also taken by this one, and Jeremiah Martin has become a dear friend to him as well--one whom I have caught him trying to introduce to our sons numerous times.
March 23, 2017
I read this a number of years ago and for some reason never reviewed it. I've reread the ending several times! It's a family drama set in Iowa territory, ending years later toward the end of the Civil War era. The characters are some of the most memorable I've encountered.
February 3, 2025
please read this book. my heart broke & rejoiced & shattered & delighted & I finished it with tears running down my face. I dont know how I got so attached to Suzanne, but she seemed so relatable. & Wayne such a humble gentleman. I have this deep longing to read it on & on for the rest of my life.
February 14, 2008
I think it must have been a day after school during 8th grade. We were at the bookstore and allowed to buy one book. I remember when I chose it from the bottom shelf. I had no idea it was written during the late 19th century until much later. I loved it so much that I wrote a term paper on it later in high school. That was a long time ago. Each time I pick it up I rediscover every description of the prairie, every breathless detail. It is amazing how she writes such timeless words that touch your heart and senses. It still remains my favorite book of all time. I was so endeared to the author that I plan to read every work by Bess Streeter Aldrich. I recently acquired an edition signed by the author from ebay. Who knew?!
October 27, 2019
I brought this book to the gym with me the other day and an acquaintance asked if it "was a love story?" I got a little self-conscious and said "no" but I've rethought that answer and would now have to say yes. It is Aldrich's story of her love of the Midwest, her pioneer forebearers, and family.
It chronicles the history of the American Midwest through the Martin family (parents, 2 boys, 7 girls) and their neighbors. No one escapes tragedy. But neither is it bereft of joy and humor. The author, through her characters, offers up wise thoughts on community, death, grief, war, love, historical giants like Lincoln, and duty. You can't help but want the best for this goodnatured family which, I understand, was largely based on Aldrich's grandparents.
Aldrich is often overlooked and unknown. But this is one of the underrecognized gems of any library and I'm glad it made its way to mine.
There are some issues with race (there are a couple of potential Native American scares and references to African slaves) that could be cleaned up if you're touchy about that sort of thing. I am but I take umbrage more at the Scotts for their errors than I do the Martins.
It chronicles the history of the American Midwest through the Martin family (parents, 2 boys, 7 girls) and their neighbors. No one escapes tragedy. But neither is it bereft of joy and humor. The author, through her characters, offers up wise thoughts on community, death, grief, war, love, historical giants like Lincoln, and duty. You can't help but want the best for this goodnatured family which, I understand, was largely based on Aldrich's grandparents.
Aldrich is often overlooked and unknown. But this is one of the underrecognized gems of any library and I'm glad it made its way to mine.
There are some issues with race (there are a couple of potential Native American scares and references to African slaves) that could be cleaned up if you're touchy about that sort of thing. I am but I take umbrage more at the Scotts for their errors than I do the Martins.
January 8, 2025
I wish I had read this book much sooner, as it is a really a pioneer story of the history of Cedar Falls and Waterloo, Iowa. The book starts in 1854 and goes up to just after the Civil War in 1865. I loved reading about the main character, Jeremiah Martin, who is actually Bess Streeter's grandfather, Zimri Streeter, who was one of the founders of Cedar Falls, Iowa, and was active in founding the Republican Party and took part in the Iowa Legislature, and rode to Georgia during the Civil War to bring back the ballots of the soldiers. Other characters are also based on actual people living in Cedar Falls, during that time. It's too bad that it is out of print, but I found it on Amazon Kindle.
I just reread this for a book club and thoroughly enjoyed reading it again. I loved all the Cedar Falls, Iowa history. January 7, 2025
I just reread this for a book club and thoroughly enjoyed reading it again. I loved all the Cedar Falls, Iowa history. January 7, 2025
June 17, 2010
I first read this book about 40 years ago and I can't believe I've found it again after all these years! It was one of my favorite books in the high school library and have wanted to reread it to see if it was as wonderful a story as I remembered. I've ordered it online and look forward to seeing "an old friend".
June 15, 2021
I read the book “Song of Years,” by Bess Streeter Aldrich, many years ago, probably when I was in middle school. It was one of my dad’s favorites. He loved pioneer stories, and especially loved this one because it is set in the county we lived in and is somewhat based on real-life people. He often recounted the story of Wayne Lockwood’s fast walk from the Cedar Valley to Dubuque, as if it had actually happened. I liked the book and read other Bess Streeter Aldrich books around the same time (my favorite, of the ones I’ve read, is “The Rim of the Prairie.”)
Fast forward many years to the present. I moved to the East Coast, Dad passed away a number of years ago, and now I live in a smallish town in Virginia. My children love to go to thrift shops and antique stores, and one day we were browsing our favorite antique store in town. I happened on a shelf of old books and looking through the titles spotted “Song of Years.” It only took a moment for the memory of the book to come rushing back. I immediately grabbed this blue, 1943 edition and bought it, feeling like I’d been sent a little gift from my dad.
It’s not my favorite Aldrich book, but I really love the descriptions of the Iowa prairies and the pioneers who tried to settle them. The Martins are presented as a group of lively, loving and very human people. At the end of the story I felt sad, wishing I could know more about what happened in their lives. I would have like to have read more of Suzanne and Wayne’s story. If I have a problem with the book, it’s that it sometimes feels like Aldrich couldn’t decide which story to tell – of Jeremiah Martin and his achievements, of the history of Black Hawk County, or the history of the growing, expanding United States. She obviously wanted to tell all those stories, and this one book isn’t big enough for all that. Overall, though, this story draws you in and makes you want to be a part of this close-knit community. It’s a worthy escape to a simpler time.
Fast forward many years to the present. I moved to the East Coast, Dad passed away a number of years ago, and now I live in a smallish town in Virginia. My children love to go to thrift shops and antique stores, and one day we were browsing our favorite antique store in town. I happened on a shelf of old books and looking through the titles spotted “Song of Years.” It only took a moment for the memory of the book to come rushing back. I immediately grabbed this blue, 1943 edition and bought it, feeling like I’d been sent a little gift from my dad.
It’s not my favorite Aldrich book, but I really love the descriptions of the Iowa prairies and the pioneers who tried to settle them. The Martins are presented as a group of lively, loving and very human people. At the end of the story I felt sad, wishing I could know more about what happened in their lives. I would have like to have read more of Suzanne and Wayne’s story. If I have a problem with the book, it’s that it sometimes feels like Aldrich couldn’t decide which story to tell – of Jeremiah Martin and his achievements, of the history of Black Hawk County, or the history of the growing, expanding United States. She obviously wanted to tell all those stories, and this one book isn’t big enough for all that. Overall, though, this story draws you in and makes you want to be a part of this close-knit community. It’s a worthy escape to a simpler time.
June 22, 2010
It wasn't until page 380 or so that I realized I had read this before. I had to laugh. The characters were so different to me this time around that I really hadn't recognized them (or the setting, for that matter.)
I really enjoyed getting to know the mom and other sisters this time around, the dad too. Aldrich did a great job of representing the real toils of everyday life and the timeline of marriage and family. The war really takes a toll on relationships (civil war). I got a small peak at what it must be like to be a parent of grown children and how the parenting job never really ends but is magnified in different ways.
I had to laugh at the mother's griping about her lack of stairs in her home. Little snippets like that really gave the book life.
This book is such a good love story. That part lacked a little bit of realism in some instances, but who cares :). It's such a good story. It had plenty of reality in other parts. I was surprised by the main character's dialogue in the very last scene. It wasn't what I would have imagined (her being so demure and quiet), so maybe I didn't really get the full picture of the character like I thought I had. I would have imagined her being much more open and emotionally honest. The softspoken reply to his questions is what I mean by the flowery lack of realism, I guess. Maybe Aldrich wanted to stay true to the maiden in distress and the knight in shining armor.' If she would have altered the dialogue, maybe it would have made the ending too modern and forthright.
I'd read the book again, hands down. I love the descriptions of the prairie and wildflowers, the adventures of the sisters, the drama of the prairie town. It's a keeper, definitely.
I really enjoyed getting to know the mom and other sisters this time around, the dad too. Aldrich did a great job of representing the real toils of everyday life and the timeline of marriage and family. The war really takes a toll on relationships (civil war). I got a small peak at what it must be like to be a parent of grown children and how the parenting job never really ends but is magnified in different ways.
I had to laugh at the mother's griping about her lack of stairs in her home. Little snippets like that really gave the book life.
This book is such a good love story. That part lacked a little bit of realism in some instances, but who cares :). It's such a good story. It had plenty of reality in other parts. I was surprised by the main character's dialogue in the very last scene. It wasn't what I would have imagined (her being so demure and quiet), so maybe I didn't really get the full picture of the character like I thought I had. I would have imagined her being much more open and emotionally honest. The softspoken reply to his questions is what I mean by the flowery lack of realism, I guess. Maybe Aldrich wanted to stay true to the maiden in distress and the knight in shining armor.' If she would have altered the dialogue, maybe it would have made the ending too modern and forthright.
I'd read the book again, hands down. I love the descriptions of the prairie and wildflowers, the adventures of the sisters, the drama of the prairie town. It's a keeper, definitely.
August 9, 2010
Written in 1938, Song of Years is a historical fiction that follows the historical development of Iowa from 1854-1862 with the railroads, elections, the Civil War, and Abraham Lincoln. The fictional part follows the Martin Family as an integral pioneer family with 7 girls and 2 boys -their lives and loves on the small town rural frontier.
This book is not a rip-roaring, thrill-around-every-page book. It meanders along like the Red Cedar River where the towns are situated. However, it is charming with characters I would have liked to be friends with and a family I would have enjoyed belonging to. I loved the way the author would occasionally allude to future events throughout the book. By the time I got to the last fourth of the book, I had to keep reading - I was so caught up in their lives.
This book is not a rip-roaring, thrill-around-every-page book. It meanders along like the Red Cedar River where the towns are situated. However, it is charming with characters I would have liked to be friends with and a family I would have enjoyed belonging to. I loved the way the author would occasionally allude to future events throughout the book. By the time I got to the last fourth of the book, I had to keep reading - I was so caught up in their lives.
April 30, 2021
Going by Goodreads reviews, everyone loves this book. Except me, apparently. So the problem is probably me. But the things working against the book (fixation on politics, lack of characterization, lack of believability to the love story, period-typical racism, a flatness to the majority of the prose that kept my eyes skimming over it rather than diving in) outweighed the good (a plot that could have been delightful, moments of really lovely language, an interesting setting).
It is telling, perhaps, that the line in the book I loved most was about some people who were pelted with eggs and retreated, "oozing wrath and albumen."
This is my second of Aldrich's books, and both have been misses. If I hadn't heard so much gushing praise for a third that I already have sitting on my TBR shelf (Lantern in Her Hand) I would give up on her entirely. As it is, she only gets one more chance.
It is telling, perhaps, that the line in the book I loved most was about some people who were pelted with eggs and retreated, "oozing wrath and albumen."
This is my second of Aldrich's books, and both have been misses. If I hadn't heard so much gushing praise for a third that I already have sitting on my TBR shelf (Lantern in Her Hand) I would give up on her entirely. As it is, she only gets one more chance.
November 4, 2018
I love how the story starts and ends – with the introduction of a stone in an old pioneer’s graveyard “Suzanne beloved wife of” and the conclusion at the end of the story whose beloved she was. It’s the story about Suzanne Martin and her one true love but it also portraits the Martin family with their 7 daughters and 2 sons, their friends and neighbors and how they all form a tight knit community that faces not only immediate family and first settler’s events and tragedies but also the horrors of the Civil War.
February 17, 2011
I don't think I can write a review that does this book justice. Fabulous! A portrait of an American family in the early days of the westward movement, and what happens as the nine children grow up, marry, and follow their destiny. Compelling storyline, coupled with Mrs. Aldrich's masterly writing, makes this book a gem. Don't miss it.
February 8, 2019
Originally published in 1938, you could say this is an old book. It took me a while to get through this book because it’s not fast-paced. However, I loved this book! It’s rich in details and history! I especially loved it because I’m form the Midwest, so the book was basically takes place in my back yard! All you Iowa people need to read this.
September 13, 2017
An excellent classic saga. I enjoyed every minute of it...even though it was 490 pages.
January 14, 2020
I have a favorite quote that I recently realized was from this book so I found a copy to read. I had never read any of Bess Streeter Aldrich's books before. She creates wonderful visual images with her writing; I could almost tell you the layout of the farmland in the area with its mercurial river, the two small towns in this book and how to traverse between them. This is an early pioneering family story set in central Iowa from its earliest settlement times when still a Territory with Native Americans living in the area and carrying the story of the family members through the Civil War era from a Midwestern perspective and late into the 19th century. It gives a realistic picture of a large, boisterous pioneer family as they lived, worked, socialized, were injured, married and died so that you obtain a real sense of how life might have played out for you if you had lived then. This is a very heart-touching book true to the cultural time period it is written in with its view points of place in society filled by men, women, children, other races, the wealthy and the poor. I feel like I took a trip back in time.
November 5, 2022
One of the BEST books I've ever read. Stayed up late last night finishing it, then couldn't sleep for a while for thinking about it, then woke up this morning thinking about it more, and today I'm in mourning for having finished it. Throughout this book, I laughed and I cried and felt like I was right in the middle of it. This should have been a Pulitzer winner in my opinion. It's as good as any Pulitzer I've read, and I've read a good number of them. However, it would have been in competition with "The Grapes of Wrath," so I understand. I much preferred SOY to GOW, but not my call. Beautiful story about the early years of Iowa in a decade that included the Civil War. Lots of history, politics, family, love, war and other civil disagreements, but the best part was the characters who brought it all to life with love and laughter, disappointment and heartache, and relatable human reactions to the good and the bad. So well written. Today's "best sellers" don't even come close.
May 19, 2021
“Little House” but for adult readers
These books all remind me of Laura Ingalls Wilder’s beloved books, but instead of children, the audience is adults. As with most books written before the Civil Rights movement, there is a lot of questionable language about race, so be warned. But at the heart of it all is the story of settlers moving west and “pulling through”.
These books all remind me of Laura Ingalls Wilder’s beloved books, but instead of children, the audience is adults. As with most books written before the Civil Rights movement, there is a lot of questionable language about race, so be warned. But at the heart of it all is the story of settlers moving west and “pulling through”.
October 25, 2021
Well, my dear friend Jessie told me I would love this book, and she was right. Bess Aldrich is quickly becoming a "I want to read everything she wrote" kind of author. This story held my attention the entire time, and I loved the story of this family of 9 living through the Civil War. It definitely brought it to life in a new way to me. Excited for Jessie to tell me the next title I need to read!!
March 2, 2013
I loved this book - even though parts of it repeated and drug on - I was hooked and was saddened by its ending, like I had to say goodbye to this awesome family I grew to love and understand. I'm especially bummed by the fact that the book is no longer in print - so I'll be scouring antique shops, half-priced book stores, library sales, etc until I find a copy for my very own. This is definitely one I plan to read again and again.
I picked this book up after doing a search of my library's catalog for books and materials for research for a novel I'm writing. And I'm so glad I did. Bess Streeter Aldrich quickly became my new favorite author - and I'm so excited that I live so close to her home and I plan to do a tour this summer :-)
I highly recommend this book. It touched me deeply, and I know it'll stay with me for a long time. Because I had family that came from the same region as where the story took place, I was definitely able to relate to all the characters - even stuck in the mud Ambrose.
Loved loved loved this book - I hope her others can match this one! :-)
I picked this book up after doing a search of my library's catalog for books and materials for research for a novel I'm writing. And I'm so glad I did. Bess Streeter Aldrich quickly became my new favorite author - and I'm so excited that I live so close to her home and I plan to do a tour this summer :-)
I highly recommend this book. It touched me deeply, and I know it'll stay with me for a long time. Because I had family that came from the same region as where the story took place, I was definitely able to relate to all the characters - even stuck in the mud Ambrose.
Loved loved loved this book - I hope her others can match this one! :-)
March 19, 2010
Wow!
I picked up this book quite a while ago and lost interest after a few chapters. I guess I'd been in the mood for something more fast paced. But I'd heard so many good things about it (and it's my mother-in-law's favorite book) so I tried it again. This time I wondered why I'd ever put it down. It was amazing and had me completely re-captured from the first chapter.
It's not fast paced. It's slow and steady. But so good. The setting is the 1850's in the prairies of Iowa. Interesting to read about that time period from some early settlers' point of view.
I can see now why so many people who talk about it speak of it as an old friend. Aldrich does a remarkable job of developing the characters so that you come to know and love each one of them. Her writing is beautiful. Her descriptions beautiful.
This book is out of print now and copies are hard to come by but if you ever do get one, hang on to it. It's a treasure!
I picked up this book quite a while ago and lost interest after a few chapters. I guess I'd been in the mood for something more fast paced. But I'd heard so many good things about it (and it's my mother-in-law's favorite book) so I tried it again. This time I wondered why I'd ever put it down. It was amazing and had me completely re-captured from the first chapter.
It's not fast paced. It's slow and steady. But so good. The setting is the 1850's in the prairies of Iowa. Interesting to read about that time period from some early settlers' point of view.
I can see now why so many people who talk about it speak of it as an old friend. Aldrich does a remarkable job of developing the characters so that you come to know and love each one of them. Her writing is beautiful. Her descriptions beautiful.
This book is out of print now and copies are hard to come by but if you ever do get one, hang on to it. It's a treasure!
May 4, 2011
So, I was not so very impressed. First, the whole thing took too long because it was BEFORE the couple hooked up, and really I just was waiting for that to happen. (As opposed to A Lantern in Her Hand, which is wonderful because it continues on AFTER they get married, which to me is interesting.) Also, there were some good characters- like all the sisters, but you don't REALLY get to know them very well. And I wish we could have really gotten to know them. Also, the guy- Wayne- is hardly in the book at all, really. And, because of those other things I said, it was a bit slow and I found myself skimming. Too bad. I did condense the story down and told my family about it at dinner time, because it did have its interesting bits. A Lantern in Her Hand is 50 times better than this one.
November 13, 2009
Bess Streeter Aldrich is probably the queen of prairie books. I read "A Lantern in her Hand" when I was twelve, and thought it was great. After that, I tried to read all of her books. As for the story--the hero and the heroine are kept apart for way too long--until the last page. I hate that. I stayed up late at night reading, to make sure the hero would show up at the last minute to save the heroine from marrying the bad guy. Aside from that, the writing is beautiful and poetic, and the descriptions of the prairie make you feel that you're there.
November 14, 2017
Impossible to give an unbiased review since I originally read this, one of my mother's favorite stories, as a child in a first edition my mother owned. Plus, my mother gave me a middle name that is that of the lead female in this romance, Suzanne.
A sweeping story that doesn't get blinkered on just a romantic pair. Details are given to the historic time, many characters, the environment. One is transported to the prairie. To this day when I pass a graveyard I see more than just the stones.
A sweeping story that doesn't get blinkered on just a romantic pair. Details are given to the historic time, many characters, the environment. One is transported to the prairie. To this day when I pass a graveyard I see more than just the stones.
October 26, 2008
This is one of those old, sometimes hard-to-find books, but such a gem! I finally bought it used and it has been one of my favorites. I love all the books I've read by Bess Streeter Aldrich and would recommend any of them.
November 10, 2011
A little old-fashioned in writing style, but a wonderful story with characters you can't help but root for, a lovely romance, and a pioneer setting that makes you feel you are there. One of my all-time favorites!
October 26, 2013
I'm going to have to try this book again at another time. This book moved a little too slow for me. I kept waiting for the story to get to the climax but it never did. I gave up and just skipped ahead to find out what happened between the young couple.
September 12, 2015
I immense
Y enjoyed this adult pioneer era read. There were lots of details and the story at times seems to move slowly, however, the sweetness and family ties transcend. I love that the author develops several characters and shows us their development rather than telling us.
Y enjoyed this adult pioneer era read. There were lots of details and the story at times seems to move slowly, however, the sweetness and family ties transcend. I love that the author develops several characters and shows us their development rather than telling us.
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