Hope Amid Hardship: Pioneer Voices From Kansas Territory

by Linda S. Johnston

Why did they stay?  Despite the challenges of loneliness, drought, and political turmoil Kansas pioneers faced, many found and wrote about joy and beauty in their adopted communities.   Letters and diaries describe the times that gave them reason to sing, dance, and celebrate – moments when their burdens were lighter.  This volume brings together reflections of 50 individuals of different ages, backgrounds, and outlooks who helped shape the identity of the Sunflower State.

Genres: History

224 pages, Paperback

First published August 6, 2013

Reviews

[MKF · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book is a bit weird because its a bit hard to determine if its supposed to be a history book or qoute book. The author divides this book by season and each season is then divided into small sections. These sections include topics like the sabbath or emigration and all the sections in each season are usually the same topics. This bugs me a bit because if you didn't know the date of certain qoutes then you wouldn't know which season it is. These qoutes are parts of diaries, letters, and articles from early settlers that breaks up the history to tell you about the topic from their viewpoint. I do think the author should have added a small line or something between qoutes. And though I like seeing history from settler's viewpoints but there is such a thing as too many viewpoints in a history book with only 200 pages. I did like the appendix with the plants in the back.

[Mrs. Hassig · Rating 5 out of 5]

A friend in my book club loaned me this book and I truly enjoyed it! It has diary entries and letters from some of Kansas' founding mothers and fathers. I loved the colored drawings of plants and items in Kansas during the 1854-1860 time period. It's fascinating to me that almost every Kansan that wrote home to their relatives back East were always waiting for letters! They had written multiple times but their family had written very little. If you have an interest in the beginnings of Kansas and the beauty of our native plants and animals than this is your next read!

[Kbarker · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am from Kansas and I found this book to be very interesting. The author uses alot of journal entries from early pioneers. I am glad I read it.

[Robert Grothoff · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good narrative and seems to capture the history of the region. Narratives can be a little more repetitious. Did learn much for it is well structured.

[Bumex 4Breakfast · Rating 4 out of 5]

"would be 3 stars because it goes on too long but any book with illustrations gets an extra stars."
-me at 6 years old and 30 years old

[Dan Verner · Rating 5 out of 5]

Linda Johnston's exquisite and heartfelt compilation of passages from Kansas pioneer diaries, illustrated by her own charming and colorful water colors, stands as more than an labor of love over two decades: it voices the truth and brings to life some long-departed people who were at once ordinary and extraordinary, much as we are.

An impeccably researched thread of narrative holds the entries gathered by Ms. Johnston since 1986, and they shine like stars in the Kansas sky of the 1850's. Organized around the seasons, the entries are further grouped by subject: each section includes writings related to emigration, the natural world, education, the Sabbath, entertainment, personal pursuits, and "thoughts on Kansas" at the end of each section.

A reader may relax into this book, confident of the insights and truths contained within, in the knowledge of the natural world, of psychology, history, people and family, and their thoughts an emotions. Get a copy of this book for yourself and several more for friends. You'll be glad you did.

[Nick Kelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Linda's amazing collection of pioneer stories is vastly different from my normal reading choices, but once I started, I simply could not put this book down. The stories are emotionally engaging, and the format makes for a very quick and educational read. I would recommend this to anyone interested in history or human struggle, even those who may not believe they have a connection to Kansas territory. The human element is very powerful.

[Heather · Rating 5 out of 5]

This type of book is not usually "my cuppa tea" - however I thoroughly enjoyed this offering of Kansas history. Linda's narrative interweaves and entwines the letters from settlers in Kansas territory. She is obviously passionate about her research. An added bonus are her illustrations, simple and most engaging. A marvelous read for anyone wanting to hear a bit about settling Kansas Territory from the pens of its settlers.

[Julia · Rating 2 out of 5]

I love to read history about Kansas, but this was not the book for me. While I did learn some more about Kansas history, many of diaries Mrs. Johnston entered were boring. It felt as she kept saying the same thing over & over again thru different people. I also felt it jumped around with dates & entries from the individuals so it was hard for me to track. I did love her artwork.