Home-Concealed Woman

by Magnolia Wynn Le Guin, Charles A. Le Guin (Editor)

The world of Magnolia Le Guin, like that of countless farm women, was defined by and confined to home and family. Born in 1869 into the rural, white, agrarian society of Georgia's central piedmont, she raised eight children virtually on her own, yet never in her life ventured farther than thirty miles from her birthplace. Her situation, however extreme, was not unique in her day. What distinguished Le Guin was her love of writing, her need to write about being a wife and mother--despite a daunting workload and burden of responsibilities that left her with little free time or energy. In a plain, idiomatic style, these diaries detail some of the most trying, but nonetheless fulfilling, years of her life. At the same time, "A Home-Concealed Woman" (her own self-descriptive phrase) provides a firsthand view of the hardships of subsistence farming, the material culture of rural society, and the codes to which Le Guin as a white woman, a southerner, and an evangelical Christian adhered. The most striking feature of Le Guin's world is that it was confined almost entirely to the indoors, from the bedrooms where her children were born and where her parents lay ill and died to the stove room where the daily meals were cooked and cleared. Her husband's prominence in their small community and the size of their extended families meant that Le Guin hosted an endless flow of callers and overnight guests--more than one hundred in the summer of 1906 alone. Managing an already busy household under these conditions so occupied her time that she treasured every "I was truly glad when I felt the sprinkling of the rain. I was so glad I couldn't content myself indoors washing dishes, sweeping floors, making beds, etc etc, so I just postponed those things and churning too awhile and betook myself out in the misty rain with a new brushbroom and swept a lot of this large yard and inhaled the sweet air scented with rain-settling dust." Less idyllic sentiments also fill Le Guin's diaries, for the anger and anxiety she could not publicly express found a voice in their "I feel rebellious once in awhile at my lot--so much drudgery and so much company to cook for and in meantime my own affairs, my own children, my little baby--all going neglected." Though condescending outbursts about her hired help reveal Le Guin's racial attitudes, her endemic prejudice is tempered by her many expressions of genuine concern for individual blacks close to her family. As writer Ursula K. Le Guin suggests in her foreword, the diary may be the best suited literary form for approximating "the actual gait of people's lives." In Magnolia Le Guin's diary, prayerful entreaties for strength and guidance mingle with daily news about her family, providing a constant background against which major events such as births and deaths, holidays and harvests take place. The reader's admiration for Le Guin will grow as the details of her life emerge and accumulate.

Genres: Historical

416 pages, Hardcover

First published October 1, 1990

Reviews

[raccoon reader · Rating 2 out of 5]

Hmm... what to say.

Weill, first off, it is a reprint of her diary with a few authors notes to clue you in on misspellings, or important facts necessary to make the diary make sense. When I first flipped through it and grabbed it off the library shelves it was because it offered an opportunity to learn about a housewife and her day to day life in a way I hadn't been exposed to. I love learning about the homes and lives of women in "pioneer" or "rustic" or "farming" settings. I constantly wonder "how did they do this -insert daily chore, task, part of life-" and so in reading these types of books I not only appreciate my "easier" way more, but also long for a lifestyle long past where people used to *know* really *know* how to do things for themselves.

The problem with the book comes around page 100 where you've come across nothing new in a few dozen pages and you're just sure when you look at the page number it should say 306 or some such nonsense. But it doesn't. It says One Hundred. In capital letters and you dread trying to finish the book. Then at page 200 you are sure an entire lifetime has gone by and that this is page 400 and it isn't and then you want to die a little. That's when I called it quits. Actually, it was page 210.

But let me just say that the work has value. If this had been about one of my ancestors I would have ravished each word and read through page the end (pg. 364) with gusto. I would have loved every boring daily drudgery minute of it. Even if it had been set in geographical proximity to my ancestors I would have read on with relish, eagerly awaiting reference to places now torn down, roads now replaced, family names well known in this area. But it isn't. And so I had to say adieu to this book and move on to (hopefully) greener reading pasture. I get it. Her life was hard. She was always pregnant and in pain. She had a bad back. She loved flowers. She hated the heat and loved the Fall. She wanted to be a better Christian on a pagely basis but though "negroes" deserved to be slapped and to be treated as though not human. She constantly bemoaned her inability to be a good mother, but at the same time does hardly anything but write about her children and seems to be a very good mother. She worries at social squabbling and why this woman or that has slighted her or didn't say something nice to her. Okay, see there. I've saved you from reading the book yourself. Just read that over and over for 210 pages and you've gotten as far as I did.

Again, not to diminish the importance of the book, but unless you have a high threshold for mundane, live near her area, or are related to her- then I don't think I would recommend this book to you.

[Carolyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely love this book! When I worked as an historical interpreter ( I was a 1900 - 1910 era rural southern farm woman) this was my bible. This is the ordinary diary of an ordinary rural southern woman at the turn of the last century. It is her daily expression of her frustrations, hopes, expectations, faith in God, and love of family. When reading, one must be able to immerse oneself into her worldview - a country woman, home bound most of her child bearing years because pregnancy and nursing were things to be concealed.

I treasure this book as well for all the customs I learned. Holiday/birthday celebrations, clothing, toiletry, child care, hospitality and more can be gleaned from her mundane musings. Little things i love learning, like her children collecting rose petals every day to make a "rose pillow". I have not read this book in many years. When I started rereading, I discovered that I had started color coding all these various references.

This is not a book to read quickly. It's best to read it slowly and thoughtfully, immersing yourself in her world.

[Donna Bridges · Rating 3 out of 5]

I found reading about this historical period interesting, especially, from a woman and a mother's point of view. It was tough times then. The book format is a diary, and with that in mind it was written as reference for the author and not for the entertainment of readers. This makes the entry's repetitive and can be somewhat boring from a readers point of view. I mean how many times does one want to read that one of the children are sick again and she stayed up all night and is weary. Sure, it is important reference for the author and notes the hardships she endured as well as the primitive medical care that was available. However, after reading a fourth or fifth time the "novel reader" tends to just skim over this bit. All in all, it was a great read and informative for that historical period.

[Katie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was incredibly interesting! Magnolia was born in northern Georgia in the late 1860's. The diaries were written from about 1900-1913, if I remember correctly. It was fascinating to read about her life! Much of what she wrote about was child bearing and rearing and the mundane duties around the house. I really related to a lot of what she wrote.

However, if you're just looking for a novel to read, this book isn't for you. I agree with Carolyn--you should take your time reading this book (otherwise it might get to repetitive for you). Also if you're not interested in what life was like 100 years ago, this book probably isn't for you.

[Susan Card · Rating 3 out of 5]

Let’s say I read as much as I wanted to read. Some might see this as a peek into a woman’s long ago everyday life. However, those who have raised a home oriented large family might feel a connection with Magnolia.

[Rhonda Hall · Rating 4 out of 5]

I felt like I knew Magnolia. I understood her frustrations and struggles. The home place is about 3 miles from my home. My great grands and other loved ones are also buried at Newhope. Now when I visit the cemetery I’ll look for new old acquaintances.

[Noel L · Rating 4 out of 5]

My favorite quote… she was “too busy to sweep the dirt.” I could totally relate to that at the time when I read this book.