A Homesteader's Portfolio

by Alice Day Pratt, Molly Gloss (Introduction)

Reprint of the Macmillan edition of 1922. An account of Pratt's move in 1911 as an "old maid schoolteacher" to eastern, then central Oregon to homestead and to teach. The adventure ended in 1930 with financial failure. Paper edition (unseen), $13.95. Annotation copyright Book News, Inc. Portland, Or.

Genres: History, Nonfiction

232 pages, Paperback

First published September 1, 1993

Reviews

[Jan Priddy]

I read a great many 19th and early 20th century westerners' memoirs as research for a novel from 30 years ago now. I am astounded that I missed this one with Molly Gloss's excellent intro.

[Judy Ball · Rating 3 out of 5]

Why is it that so few accounts of women pioneers and homesteaders exist (or survive)? I kept asking myself this question. Because they were women? Yes. Because they were working too damned hard to have the surplus energy required to write? Yes. Because they had no descendents to carry forward their stories? YES! That, I think, is the real answer. Although the others also contribute.

I applaud OSU Press for saving and reprinting this little volume. And even more, I thank OSU Press for ensuring that the actual memoir was preceded by a 50+ page introduction because it filled in the many gaps and made cohrrent the story told by Alice Day Pratt. And that is why I ultimately gave this book only 3 stars. I really liked Alice, but she just had difficulty sticking with her story. Too many holes. Too much flowery prose. She was a school teacher, for crying out loud. She should have had better writing skills.

[Cindy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This type of book is soothing to my soul.
In between the Patterson and Cussler novels.
Miss Andromeda, clearing an entire acre by hand. I'll remember that for awhile.

[Pat Knight · Rating 2 out of 5]

Interesting subject matter but the writing was old fashioned and hard to get through at times.