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The Biography of a Prairie Girl
Eleanor Gates (1875-1951) was born in Shakopee, Minnesota. She attended both the University of California and Stanford University. Her first husband was Richard Walton Tully and later she married Frederick Ferdinand Moore. Her works, both novels and plays, include: The Biography of a Prairie Girl (1902), The Plow Woman (1907), Good Night (1907), Cupid: The Cow Punch (1907), The Poor Little Rich Girl (1912), "Swat the fly ": A One-Act Fantasy (1915), Apron Strings (1917), Piggie (1919) and The Rich Little Poor Boy (1922).
320 pages, ebook
First published January 1, 1902
191 people are currently reading
155 people want to read
About the author
Eleanor Gates
53 books2 followersEleanor Gates was an American playwright who created seven plays that were staged on Broadway. Her best known work was the play The Poor Little Rich Girl, which was produced by her husband in 1913 and went on to be made as films for Mary Pickford in 1917 and for Shirley Temple in 1936.
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
January 20, 2019
One of my personal reading lists from last year that I have had to carry over and hope to finish up this year is called Spinners' Wheel, a collection of works by various authors that contributed pieces to a book I read a couple of years ago called The Spinners Book Of Fiction. It was a fund raiser from a group of California authors and i enjoyed it all enough to make my Spinners' Wheel list to sample more of their work.
Eleanor Gates was born in 1874 in Minnesota. According to wiki, this novel describes her early life. The book starts with the arrival of a baby girl on Christmas in a blizzard. Her arrival coincides with the death of her father, who had apparently tried to go for the doctor. Right from the first sentence, I was transfixed, completely caught up is the story, and still feel as though I am out on the prairie with the little girl, her mother and the three brothers who argued for so long over what to name the baby that she was nearly three before she was ever baptized. And in the entire book, we only know her as the little girl, even in the final chapter when she was fifteen or sixteen.
I think our little girl was wonderful and I very much enjoyed every adventure she managed to get herself into and out of (although sometimes she needed help for that part). I could see her world through her eyes, and I still feel that I am out on the prairie with her. It was a privilege to watch her grow up. She lived a busy, physical life, but she also had a deep (if slightly naive) side:
The little girl had often complained of the stork's bringing her at Christmas-time, and had been promised by the biggest brother that, when they should all agree that she was very good and deserving—because she had cheerfully done everything she had been told—she should have her birthday changed to June! But so far the promise had never been fulfilled, for the little girl did not hold, as they did, that the compact included the washing of potatoes or the scraping of the mush-kettle. Now, June was almost at hand again, and, as she waited on the bluff for the cow-horn to sound the call for dinner, she wondered if the treasured change in dates would ever be made.
There are five other titles by Gates at Gutenberg and they have gone onto a certain list I keep for Someday reading. I can't wait to find out if they are anywhere near as captivating as this book was!
Eleanor Gates was born in 1874 in Minnesota. According to wiki, this novel describes her early life. The book starts with the arrival of a baby girl on Christmas in a blizzard. Her arrival coincides with the death of her father, who had apparently tried to go for the doctor. Right from the first sentence, I was transfixed, completely caught up is the story, and still feel as though I am out on the prairie with the little girl, her mother and the three brothers who argued for so long over what to name the baby that she was nearly three before she was ever baptized. And in the entire book, we only know her as the little girl, even in the final chapter when she was fifteen or sixteen.
I think our little girl was wonderful and I very much enjoyed every adventure she managed to get herself into and out of (although sometimes she needed help for that part). I could see her world through her eyes, and I still feel that I am out on the prairie with her. It was a privilege to watch her grow up. She lived a busy, physical life, but she also had a deep (if slightly naive) side:
The little girl had often complained of the stork's bringing her at Christmas-time, and had been promised by the biggest brother that, when they should all agree that she was very good and deserving—because she had cheerfully done everything she had been told—she should have her birthday changed to June! But so far the promise had never been fulfilled, for the little girl did not hold, as they did, that the compact included the washing of potatoes or the scraping of the mush-kettle. Now, June was almost at hand again, and, as she waited on the bluff for the cow-horn to sound the call for dinner, she wondered if the treasured change in dates would ever be made.
There are five other titles by Gates at Gutenberg and they have gone onto a certain list I keep for Someday reading. I can't wait to find out if they are anywhere near as captivating as this book was!
March 7, 2014
This autobiographical novel begins with one of the finest pieces of writing I’ve found in more than 100 books of early frontier fiction. Eleanor Gates begins her story with the birth of her central character on a remote Dakota homestead during a raging blizzard. The family waits with growing dread the return of the newborn girl’s father, who has ventured into the storm for help.
The man’s remains are not found until the spring thaw, only a short distance from the family’s cabin. Told from the distance of a few childhood years, the girl thinks of her birth as the time she was brought by the stork—which chose the same day to take away her father. The raw realities of frontier life are thus embedded early on in a story of growing up on the prairie...
Read my review at my blog.
The man’s remains are not found until the spring thaw, only a short distance from the family’s cabin. Told from the distance of a few childhood years, the girl thinks of her birth as the time she was brought by the stork—which chose the same day to take away her father. The raw realities of frontier life are thus embedded early on in a story of growing up on the prairie...
Read my review at my blog.
June 19, 2018
Officially a novel, this story--or rather, this series of chronological incidents--is based on the author's own upbringing on a prairie farm in the late-Nineteenth Century. It's a look at frontier life through the eyes of a child who was far less sheltered than, say, Laura Ingalls (The Ingalls parents would never have sent one of their daughters out to herd cattle at the tender age of four!).
To a modern reader, some aspects of the narrative feel unsatisfying. For instance, the author goes to great lengths to describe the difficulty the protagonist's family had in agreeing on a name for her, yet never tells us what the name was. We are left with only "the little girl" (just as none of the other characters are ever named). Other incidents are also left purposefully vague. In addition, references to the local Sioux and other Indians are, unsurprisingly, couched in language that feels racist today.
Historically, though, this is an interesting read. It made me wonder if my own children need to be assigned a lot more chores.
To a modern reader, some aspects of the narrative feel unsatisfying. For instance, the author goes to great lengths to describe the difficulty the protagonist's family had in agreeing on a name for her, yet never tells us what the name was. We are left with only "the little girl" (just as none of the other characters are ever named). Other incidents are also left purposefully vague. In addition, references to the local Sioux and other Indians are, unsurprisingly, couched in language that feels racist today.
Historically, though, this is an interesting read. It made me wonder if my own children need to be assigned a lot more chores.
November 27, 2015
The birth of a prairie girl begins when the stork reaches a lonely family in Dakota one frozen December day. The same day her father left, leaving her mother with three boys and a new born baby girl. The story is entertaining, interesting, and has a good history of our country in the 1800's.
The family starts out with almost nothing but through keeping the family together and hard work they make a blessed and good life for themselves. Ms Gates writes an unusual story using no names of the people In the entire book, but because of her skills as a writer she is able to make each character come to life.
With Ms. Gates you experience happiness, hardships, joys, and some disappointments that the whole family feels. You will see the family's life from the time the baby girl is born until she becomes a young lady. The story is well written, I really enjoyed it. This book was copyrighted in 1902. If you like American History around 1800, I would recommend this book but remember it does not read like a history book. It's a great read it tells about home life through the eyes of the little girl. This is a Free Domain book on Amazon.com.
The family starts out with almost nothing but through keeping the family together and hard work they make a blessed and good life for themselves. Ms Gates writes an unusual story using no names of the people In the entire book, but because of her skills as a writer she is able to make each character come to life.
With Ms. Gates you experience happiness, hardships, joys, and some disappointments that the whole family feels. You will see the family's life from the time the baby girl is born until she becomes a young lady. The story is well written, I really enjoyed it. This book was copyrighted in 1902. If you like American History around 1800, I would recommend this book but remember it does not read like a history book. It's a great read it tells about home life through the eyes of the little girl. This is a Free Domain book on Amazon.com.
March 28, 2021
"The Biography of a Prairie Girl" by Eleanor Gates was originally published in 1902. This is the annotated version of "The Biography of a Prairie Girl". Gates is best known for her play "The Poor Little Rich Girl"; the movie versions starred Mary Pickford (1917) and Shirley Temple (1936). The annotations in this book add historical references to this book such as how hay twists were used for heat, the first written record of sorghum, and the first female graduate from University of Minnesota. This book is a wonderful glimpse into what life was like growing up on the prairie!
April 15, 2015
Wonderful read!
Captivating peek into prairie life. This account was written in such a different way that I could not put it down. It is very descriptive, I could picture the beauty of the sunrise and sunset as if I were there. The characters are well developed and likeable. I didn't want it to end. Being a history lover I loved this book. Thank you Ms Gates!
Captivating peek into prairie life. This account was written in such a different way that I could not put it down. It is very descriptive, I could picture the beauty of the sunrise and sunset as if I were there. The characters are well developed and likeable. I didn't want it to end. Being a history lover I loved this book. Thank you Ms Gates!
May 16, 2016
Beautiful
I wish I knew more about the author, but I will definitely be reading this to my kids!
Exciting, actual and we'll told story of how life was as a settler on the Dakota plains...
I wish I knew more about the author, but I will definitely be reading this to my kids!
Exciting, actual and we'll told story of how life was as a settler on the Dakota plains...
May 18, 2017
Great read. Very authentically done.
It was very descriptive with an honest narrative! You could really understand how difficult and hard life was just to survive
and prosper. Great depiction of what life must have really been like for early settlers, especially for the women!
It was very descriptive with an honest narrative! You could really understand how difficult and hard life was just to survive
and prosper. Great depiction of what life must have really been like for early settlers, especially for the women!
August 7, 2020
Interesting read. Some of the events of the young girl are hard to believe! Hearding cattle at age 4, highly unlikely! "Breaking" a horse to ride? That is hard to swallow!
June 13, 2023
I love novels about pioneer and prairie life. I had never heard of this book nor of the author, and I am so glad that I somehow stumbled upon The Biography of a Prairie Girl! This book consists of chapters that are glimpses into the life of a poor struggling family living on the desolate, lonely Dakota prairie. The book paints a picture of the small joys, sorrows, dreams and ambitions, relentless work, and family love - as experienced in the early 1800's.
Some chapters in this book are just charming (the badger chapter) and some filled with the harsh reality of the prairie. (I so wanted the Christmas chapter to end differently, but knew it could not!)
This book is reminiscent of the Little House books, but not as gentle of a reading.
I am next going to read The Plow Woman by the same author. Interestingly, The book, The Plow Woman, was made into a movie (silent). Eleanor Gates wrote a number of other books and plays; I have found an author to explore!
Some chapters in this book are just charming (the badger chapter) and some filled with the harsh reality of the prairie. (I so wanted the Christmas chapter to end differently, but knew it could not!)
This book is reminiscent of the Little House books, but not as gentle of a reading.
I am next going to read The Plow Woman by the same author. Interestingly, The book, The Plow Woman, was made into a movie (silent). Eleanor Gates wrote a number of other books and plays; I have found an author to explore!
May 28, 2020
Prairie Girl
So sad. I cried mostly through the whole thing. It’s the story of one life that touches other lives and all the sorrows and pain of each life.
So sad. I cried mostly through the whole thing. It’s the story of one life that touches other lives and all the sorrows and pain of each life.
November 3, 2023
Great book, I listened to the audiobook version on YouTube. I will leave the link below so that everyone can enjoy it! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bxdeP...
March 12, 2017
Loved this..
Interesting story about life on the prairie ..loved the way she wrote..I imagine it was l ike that when y grandmother was a little girl..
Interesting story about life on the prairie ..loved the way she wrote..I imagine it was l ike that when y grandmother was a little girl..
June 19, 2015
This was a very strange book, first the book had nothing on the back cover or inside the front cover telling you anything about the book or the author, then when you opened it, there was a page the the title and author and nothing else. the next page started the book, there were no chapters, and the print was the smallest I have ever seen. There were no names used, just little girl, oldest brother etc.
May 23, 2016
Not the most entertaining of all the books in the land, but it was still surprisingly enjoyable and incredibly well-written. I thought it was going to be a children's book, but it's much too advanced for children I would say. But, there are still some enjoyable childish themes.
March 23, 2012
found this difficult to get through...a bit awkward in style....may try to revisit....
September 20, 2015
The Biography of a Prairie Girl
A delightful book about the life of a real girl without the tv or Hollywood additions. It was a wonderful read.
A delightful book about the life of a real girl without the tv or Hollywood additions. It was a wonderful read.
December 28, 2016
A delightful read about a little girl growing up on a prairie homestead, with many more of the deeply dangerous aspects portrayed than you will find in the wonderful Little House books.
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews