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A Prairie Girl's Faith: The Spiritual Legacy of Laura Ingalls Wilder
The beloved author of the Little House books was not only one of America's great pioneer storytellers but a woman of vibrant faith.
A Prairie Girl's Faith provides the first extended, in depth discussion of the Christian faith of one of America's most beloved pioneer women--Laura Ingalls Wilder. Although the faith of the Ingalls' family pervades books in the Little House series, the more specific details of Laura's faith have never been fully explored. It took extraordinary pluck for anyone to survive the harshness of frontier life--from the heartbreak of sudden crop losses to murderous storms to unrelentling loneliness. This book reveals how in surviving, the brave Laura drew not just on her character, but found encouragement, strength, and hope in her relationship with God.
A Prairie Girl's Faith provides the first extended, in depth discussion of the Christian faith of one of America's most beloved pioneer women--Laura Ingalls Wilder. Although the faith of the Ingalls' family pervades books in the Little House series, the more specific details of Laura's faith have never been fully explored. It took extraordinary pluck for anyone to survive the harshness of frontier life--from the heartbreak of sudden crop losses to murderous storms to unrelentling loneliness. This book reveals how in surviving, the brave Laura drew not just on her character, but found encouragement, strength, and hope in her relationship with God.
218 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2018
62 people are currently reading
830 people want to read
About the author
Stephen W. Hines
22 books26 followersSTEPHEN HINES is a recognized authority on Laura Ingalls Wilder and has authored several best-selling volumes on her life, including Little House in the Ozarks. He grew up in the midwest in an area where Wilder once lived. Hines was the founding Director of Communications for the Tennessee Department of Children's Services and has held several editorial positions in magazine, newspaper, and book publishing. The author is a contributor to awww.littlehouseontheprairie.com. He lives with his wife, Gwen, in Nashville, Tennessee.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 85 reviews
March 10, 2018
Thanks to NetGalley for an advanced ebook in exchange for an honest review.
A longtime fan of all things Little House relate, this book was an insta-click. The author was certainly a fan and no doubt combed through many months and years of research to present this book to reading audiences. Pioneer families leaned heavily on their religious beliefs to help them through the challenges they faced and the Ingalls family was no different. The moving from place to place, the loss of an infant son, the terrible illness that left their oldest child blind no doubt were painful for Charles and Caroline Ingalls.
Stephen W.Hines pulls evidence from several of the books as well as LIW 's letters and other personal papers. However, I felt the book was unorganized and sometimes the main ideas became muddled. The chapter with all the recipes had me more than a tad confused. Was this meant as a mere filler because a certain amount of pages was required? Also Hines focuses much on the collaborative efforts between Laura and daughter Rose to bring these stories to the reading public, but I have read about that elsewhere and I felt it also muddied the waters of the focus of the text( although there is a vein of the religious beliefs of both women influencing the text).
In summary, intriguing premise, but it needed much stronger organization in the writing.
A longtime fan of all things Little House relate, this book was an insta-click. The author was certainly a fan and no doubt combed through many months and years of research to present this book to reading audiences. Pioneer families leaned heavily on their religious beliefs to help them through the challenges they faced and the Ingalls family was no different. The moving from place to place, the loss of an infant son, the terrible illness that left their oldest child blind no doubt were painful for Charles and Caroline Ingalls.
Stephen W.Hines pulls evidence from several of the books as well as LIW 's letters and other personal papers. However, I felt the book was unorganized and sometimes the main ideas became muddled. The chapter with all the recipes had me more than a tad confused. Was this meant as a mere filler because a certain amount of pages was required? Also Hines focuses much on the collaborative efforts between Laura and daughter Rose to bring these stories to the reading public, but I have read about that elsewhere and I felt it also muddied the waters of the focus of the text( although there is a vein of the religious beliefs of both women influencing the text).
In summary, intriguing premise, but it needed much stronger organization in the writing.
November 4, 2017
I was so excited to read this book. I loved Laura Ingalls Wilder when I was younger. So to get to read the book that takes us down the spiritual road and shows us Laura's back ground was a thrill.
This book was so well researched and touched on so many things in young Laura's life.
It tales us way back before Laura wrote the Little House series. You get to look into her life and see why she was such a blessing to us.
Laura had such and authentic faith and from a very young age.
If you, like me are a fan Of Laura Ingalls Wilder then this is a must read. You will love learning about how she found a relationship with God in some of the hardest times.
I gave this book 4 stars. I HIGHLY recommend this book.
The Mary Reader received this book from the publisher for review. A favorable review was not required and all views expressed are our own.
This book was so well researched and touched on so many things in young Laura's life.
It tales us way back before Laura wrote the Little House series. You get to look into her life and see why she was such a blessing to us.
Laura had such and authentic faith and from a very young age.
If you, like me are a fan Of Laura Ingalls Wilder then this is a must read. You will love learning about how she found a relationship with God in some of the hardest times.
I gave this book 4 stars. I HIGHLY recommend this book.
The Mary Reader received this book from the publisher for review. A favorable review was not required and all views expressed are our own.
May 3, 2018
This was a wonderful addition to the reading I have been doing in the past months: first reading "Pioneer Girl" with a book group and then revisiting all of the Little House books via audiobook. Included are highlights from Laura's pioneer life, her relationship with her daughter Rose, hymns that are featured in her books and also pioneer recipes from women who Laura knew. It was like the icing on the cake for me. Recommended.
December 13, 2017
Do you often wonder why so many people are still watching beloved reruns of Little House on the Prairie? Why so many mothers still read the books to their children? What has been the lasting impact on why so many people are still drawn to the woman who shared her stories of life living on the prairie for so many generations to enjoy? You just might be interested in A Prairie Girl's Faith by Stephen W. Hines, to discover the spiritual legacy of Laura Ingalls Wilder.
In a world of vastly different subject matters, parents I believe are still holding on to the family values and good-natured morals of the Ingalls family. Where forgiveness can still be found, where family is the greatest binder of faith, hope and love, and where holding on to the values that the Bible speaks of rings true no matter the age or background of those interested in the books or television show. I believe that people could identify with Laura and the true stories she told of life on the prairie with her family and those they came into contact with, where every family member felt as real to us as those in our own family.
The Ingalls family has taught us that those pioneer values of hope, endurance, courage and religious conviction, shaped by our Lord and His teachings, have given us a vision of America that we should strive for. True Christian faith can guide us into the future and one example for a healthy, loving faith is found in Laura Ingalls Wilder and her beloved family. It is her faith that is woven into her family's story of pioneering in the old West. This book introduces and takes the reader through understanding why this young woman's story has outlasted time, and seems to find new fans throughout the generations and those to come. That despite the odds against them, the family remains together and united by their faith. There is no consideration of leaving, divorce or walking away when the going gets tough. They work through things, not always perfectly, but together.
I received A Prairie Girl's Faith by Stephen W. Hines compliments of WaterBrook Multnomah Publishers. I LOVE how this book, takes readers into the background of things we never questioned but what built the foundation that continues to draw people into the Ingalls family. This was a family for whom their faith was tantamount because going to church on Sunday, was just a common as getting up for milking the cow. It was never questioned how one might spend that day. It was reserved for nurturing the family in strengthening their faith, and that closeness shared between their family. Perhaps that is what is missing so much from the world today, that faith can move mountains. It can reunite and heal brokenness in a family and give them the strength to endure whatever hardship that comes their way simply by applying their faith as they understood it through what they learned and applied in their day to day lives. I easily give this book a 5 out of 5 stars.
In a world of vastly different subject matters, parents I believe are still holding on to the family values and good-natured morals of the Ingalls family. Where forgiveness can still be found, where family is the greatest binder of faith, hope and love, and where holding on to the values that the Bible speaks of rings true no matter the age or background of those interested in the books or television show. I believe that people could identify with Laura and the true stories she told of life on the prairie with her family and those they came into contact with, where every family member felt as real to us as those in our own family.
The Ingalls family has taught us that those pioneer values of hope, endurance, courage and religious conviction, shaped by our Lord and His teachings, have given us a vision of America that we should strive for. True Christian faith can guide us into the future and one example for a healthy, loving faith is found in Laura Ingalls Wilder and her beloved family. It is her faith that is woven into her family's story of pioneering in the old West. This book introduces and takes the reader through understanding why this young woman's story has outlasted time, and seems to find new fans throughout the generations and those to come. That despite the odds against them, the family remains together and united by their faith. There is no consideration of leaving, divorce or walking away when the going gets tough. They work through things, not always perfectly, but together.
I received A Prairie Girl's Faith by Stephen W. Hines compliments of WaterBrook Multnomah Publishers. I LOVE how this book, takes readers into the background of things we never questioned but what built the foundation that continues to draw people into the Ingalls family. This was a family for whom their faith was tantamount because going to church on Sunday, was just a common as getting up for milking the cow. It was never questioned how one might spend that day. It was reserved for nurturing the family in strengthening their faith, and that closeness shared between their family. Perhaps that is what is missing so much from the world today, that faith can move mountains. It can reunite and heal brokenness in a family and give them the strength to endure whatever hardship that comes their way simply by applying their faith as they understood it through what they learned and applied in their day to day lives. I easily give this book a 5 out of 5 stars.
December 21, 2017
I am a big Laura Ingalls Wilder fan. I’ve read all of her books, and many more about her. So when I saw a new book exploring her spiritual beliefs, I was really excited. I didn’t know much about the Ingalls family’s Christianity, although of course I remembered the Little House stories about going to church, Reverend Alden, and of course the hymns Pa played on his fiddle. Sadly, this book was pretty much a bust for me. Turns out that there really isn’t much more than that known about Laura’s faith.
The author, Stephen Hines, is a Laura fan also. As I read this book, several times the thought came to me that Hines basically seems like a person who would enjoy sitting down and talking about Laura and her family. I get that; she’s fascinating. This book’s manuscript was all over the place though, from 30+ pages of pioneer recipes to recaps of Laura’s life to recommendations for reading (“the best account of Laura, Almanzo, and Rose’s trip to Mansfield, Missouri, is recorded in Laura’s book ‘On the Way Home.'”) There are long quotes from other books, notably the recent “Pioneer Girl.”
Many of the observations here struck me as very basic for anyone who knows much about the Ingalls family: “Pa really was the wanderer; it was Ma who always wanted to settle down.”
Unfortunately though, there really isn’t much insight here into Laura’s faith. Beyond the basics I mentioned earlier that were in the Little House books, the author here posits that “I suspect that (Laura and Almanzo) were not able to reconnect with church and church friends until they moved back to De Smet after their fruitless year living in the South.” I suppose I should have realized that if I hadn’t read more about Laura’s faith in my reading so far, there probably wasn’t much more to be known. But I had my hopes raised — and I’m also wondering why this book was even published with such an unfulfilled premise?
Author Hines adds in some of his own memories and opinions here and there: “It is hard to know how much damage is done to the religion of Jesus … by those whose path to holiness is achieved by denying every pleasure.”
In the end, this book probably comes closest to a thesis in chapter 7, when the author describes Laura’s sense of privacy:
"The reality is that Laura Ingalls Wilder was not a person who thought it necessary or appropriate to reveal her private thoughts on topics or people to the outside world. She certainly extended this attitude to her spirituality, which she definitely considered one of the most private of matters … hers was a quiet-voiced religion."
So, although you may enjoy A Prairie Girl’s Faith, The Spiritual Legacy of Laura Ingalls Wilder as a rehash of information about Laura and her family, I can’t really recommend it as it’s presented.
The author, Stephen Hines, is a Laura fan also. As I read this book, several times the thought came to me that Hines basically seems like a person who would enjoy sitting down and talking about Laura and her family. I get that; she’s fascinating. This book’s manuscript was all over the place though, from 30+ pages of pioneer recipes to recaps of Laura’s life to recommendations for reading (“the best account of Laura, Almanzo, and Rose’s trip to Mansfield, Missouri, is recorded in Laura’s book ‘On the Way Home.'”) There are long quotes from other books, notably the recent “Pioneer Girl.”
Many of the observations here struck me as very basic for anyone who knows much about the Ingalls family: “Pa really was the wanderer; it was Ma who always wanted to settle down.”
Unfortunately though, there really isn’t much insight here into Laura’s faith. Beyond the basics I mentioned earlier that were in the Little House books, the author here posits that “I suspect that (Laura and Almanzo) were not able to reconnect with church and church friends until they moved back to De Smet after their fruitless year living in the South.” I suppose I should have realized that if I hadn’t read more about Laura’s faith in my reading so far, there probably wasn’t much more to be known. But I had my hopes raised — and I’m also wondering why this book was even published with such an unfulfilled premise?
Author Hines adds in some of his own memories and opinions here and there: “It is hard to know how much damage is done to the religion of Jesus … by those whose path to holiness is achieved by denying every pleasure.”
In the end, this book probably comes closest to a thesis in chapter 7, when the author describes Laura’s sense of privacy:
"The reality is that Laura Ingalls Wilder was not a person who thought it necessary or appropriate to reveal her private thoughts on topics or people to the outside world. She certainly extended this attitude to her spirituality, which she definitely considered one of the most private of matters … hers was a quiet-voiced religion."
So, although you may enjoy A Prairie Girl’s Faith, The Spiritual Legacy of Laura Ingalls Wilder as a rehash of information about Laura and her family, I can’t really recommend it as it’s presented.
October 22, 2019
Our family lives near Walnut Grove and all of our children have been immersed in Little House all of their lives. All five of my kids and my husband have acted in the summer Wilder Pageant every year for over fifteen years and we picnic and play on the banks of Plum Creek. We've also researched the real stories of the people of the books, from Laura to Reverend Alden (now there's a questionable character in real life, yikes). So I am a bit biased towards books on this subject.
I found the book to be a fun read, full of excerpts and interviews. It's very obvious to most of us how strong Laura's faith was, but it's an interesting book in that the author really tried to delve into the subject. Unfortunately, Laura was very private about her views other than what's in the books and already well know, so the author had to fumble a bit to fill this book. I didn't mind that, but I just enjoy reading about Laura and Rose, who was not nearly as religious. I liked the fact that Hines didn't gloss over the frequently awful things Rose did, like kicking Laura and Almanzo out of their own house for 8 years so she could live in it (she build them a Sears catalog house nearby). He doesn't make Rose out to be awful but he also doesn't try to hide some of the things she did. He also points out that Rose and her female author friend lived with Laura and Almanzo for a time and it was not a large house. I would love to know more about what that was like for all involved.
The book is a bit scattered. There's a random chapter of church recipes from people in Laura's life and the comments mostly say that they failed when the author tried them. That said, I liked reading it and learned a few things. Don't go expecting a lot of new material after all of the dozens of books that have already been written about Laura, especially if you've already read a lot about her. This is an easy read, though, and one I enjoyed.
I read a temporary digital ARC of this book for the purpose of review.
I found the book to be a fun read, full of excerpts and interviews. It's very obvious to most of us how strong Laura's faith was, but it's an interesting book in that the author really tried to delve into the subject. Unfortunately, Laura was very private about her views other than what's in the books and already well know, so the author had to fumble a bit to fill this book. I didn't mind that, but I just enjoy reading about Laura and Rose, who was not nearly as religious. I liked the fact that Hines didn't gloss over the frequently awful things Rose did, like kicking Laura and Almanzo out of their own house for 8 years so she could live in it (she build them a Sears catalog house nearby). He doesn't make Rose out to be awful but he also doesn't try to hide some of the things she did. He also points out that Rose and her female author friend lived with Laura and Almanzo for a time and it was not a large house. I would love to know more about what that was like for all involved.
The book is a bit scattered. There's a random chapter of church recipes from people in Laura's life and the comments mostly say that they failed when the author tried them. That said, I liked reading it and learned a few things. Don't go expecting a lot of new material after all of the dozens of books that have already been written about Laura, especially if you've already read a lot about her. This is an easy read, though, and one I enjoyed.
I read a temporary digital ARC of this book for the purpose of review.
May 25, 2018
This was an interesting book on the role faith played in Laura’s life. It gives more facts on how hard her life was and how she got through it. Several of her writings are included. There are also recipes from a church cookbook.
November 6, 2017
A Prairie Girl's Faith, by Stephen W. Hines, is a biography of Laura Ingalls Wilder. The author has done years of research to write this story showing the spiritual and religious upbringing that Laura and her family had. The author has written this book to show us how Laura's and her family's faith brought them through all the difficult times in their lives. He explains to the reader that the Ingalls girls more than likely learned their Christian teaching from their mother, in their home, and that their father often played worship and praise songs on his violin. The author shows the importance the Ingalls put on fellowship. The Ingalls moved several times and at points in their lives did not live close to a church, so they had church services in their homes. Charles was also instrumental in helping to bring church services to Walnut Grove and De Smit.
I really enjoyed reading this book and learning more about the Ingalls and Wilder families. Just like the author, I have loved the Little House books since I was very young. We have read them to our children and taken our children to De Smit to see where the Ingalls lived. This book gives a very good description of where buildings were in De Smit. I wish I had know that when we visited there. The parts of the book that I enjoyed the most was reading about Laura and Rose's relationship as well as the friendships Laura had. This book also includes a section that has recipes from the pioneer women. I especially liked the authors notation regarding how they tasted. Anyone who enjoys the Little House stories will learn a lot from also reading this book.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher through Blogging for Books. This is my honest review.
I really enjoyed reading this book and learning more about the Ingalls and Wilder families. Just like the author, I have loved the Little House books since I was very young. We have read them to our children and taken our children to De Smit to see where the Ingalls lived. This book gives a very good description of where buildings were in De Smit. I wish I had know that when we visited there. The parts of the book that I enjoyed the most was reading about Laura and Rose's relationship as well as the friendships Laura had. This book also includes a section that has recipes from the pioneer women. I especially liked the authors notation regarding how they tasted. Anyone who enjoys the Little House stories will learn a lot from also reading this book.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher through Blogging for Books. This is my honest review.
April 5, 2018
*thank you to Netgalley and WaterBrook & Multnomah for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review*
3 stars.
I LOVED nothing more than getting up really early in the morning (quite alot earlier than I was ment to!) and sneak out to watch 'The Little House on the Prairie' on TV. It was New Zealand, it was freezing but I didnt care. The show was amazing, it was so worth it so as soon as I saw this book on NetGalley I had to request it. Reading through this brought up some wonderful memories. I expecually loved the quotes from Laura Ingalls Wilder. The show had such a old fashioned comfort feeling to it and I felt that again while reading these. The downside is that there were quite a few too many parts that seemed to drag. I think someone who is a huge huge fan of the show will really enjoy this but those who mearly just enjoyed it while watching it or reading the books may want to skim through this. Though it will vary person to person. It was good enough to read through and I am glad that I was given the opportunity to do so.
3 stars.
I LOVED nothing more than getting up really early in the morning (quite alot earlier than I was ment to!) and sneak out to watch 'The Little House on the Prairie' on TV. It was New Zealand, it was freezing but I didnt care. The show was amazing, it was so worth it so as soon as I saw this book on NetGalley I had to request it. Reading through this brought up some wonderful memories. I expecually loved the quotes from Laura Ingalls Wilder. The show had such a old fashioned comfort feeling to it and I felt that again while reading these. The downside is that there were quite a few too many parts that seemed to drag. I think someone who is a huge huge fan of the show will really enjoy this but those who mearly just enjoyed it while watching it or reading the books may want to skim through this. Though it will vary person to person. It was good enough to read through and I am glad that I was given the opportunity to do so.
December 6, 2017
About the Book:
The beloved author of the Little House books was not only one of America's great pioneer storytellers but a woman of vibrant faith.
A Prairie Girl's Faith provides the first extended, in depth discussion of the Christian faith of one of America's most beloved pioneer women--Laura Ingalls Wilder. Although the faith of the Ingalls' family pervades books in the Little House series, the more specific details of Laura's faith have never been fully explored. It took extraordinary pluck for anyone to survive the harshness of frontier life--from the heartbreak of sudden crop losses to murderous storms to unrelentling loneliness. This book reveals how in surviving, the brave Laura drew not just on her character, but found encouragement, strength, and hope in her relationship with God.
My Review:
Beloved author, Laura Ingalls Wilder of Little House on the Prairie fame was penned an author long before her books and writings hit the television screen. Many people still don't realize that she had a series of books before the famous television series hit the tube. Many people love the simplistic lifestyle that the Ingalls family seem to ever so eloquently portray, it was definitely a family to not only admire but to imitate and learn from.
Stephen Hines, examines the spiritual legacy that the Ingalls created in their children and how Laura carried that legacy with her, throughout her life. A life that spanned several generations. A life that was lived out among millions every week in the form of a television show. It showed the true grit and determination that their family had and other families had back during that time. It took this grit to survive.
I really enjoyed going back over Laura's life and her spiritual journey as well as the commentary from the author throughout the book. It was a great reminder of the Little House series and how dear it was to me. I saved the whole series for my grandchildren that I will have some day. T o pass on the love of the writings would fill me with joy. Another generation learning about the fantastic woman and her life--what a great gift!
**This book was sent to me free of charge for my honest review from the author. All opinions are my own.
The beloved author of the Little House books was not only one of America's great pioneer storytellers but a woman of vibrant faith.
A Prairie Girl's Faith provides the first extended, in depth discussion of the Christian faith of one of America's most beloved pioneer women--Laura Ingalls Wilder. Although the faith of the Ingalls' family pervades books in the Little House series, the more specific details of Laura's faith have never been fully explored. It took extraordinary pluck for anyone to survive the harshness of frontier life--from the heartbreak of sudden crop losses to murderous storms to unrelentling loneliness. This book reveals how in surviving, the brave Laura drew not just on her character, but found encouragement, strength, and hope in her relationship with God.
My Review:
Beloved author, Laura Ingalls Wilder of Little House on the Prairie fame was penned an author long before her books and writings hit the television screen. Many people still don't realize that she had a series of books before the famous television series hit the tube. Many people love the simplistic lifestyle that the Ingalls family seem to ever so eloquently portray, it was definitely a family to not only admire but to imitate and learn from.
Stephen Hines, examines the spiritual legacy that the Ingalls created in their children and how Laura carried that legacy with her, throughout her life. A life that spanned several generations. A life that was lived out among millions every week in the form of a television show. It showed the true grit and determination that their family had and other families had back during that time. It took this grit to survive.
I really enjoyed going back over Laura's life and her spiritual journey as well as the commentary from the author throughout the book. It was a great reminder of the Little House series and how dear it was to me. I saved the whole series for my grandchildren that I will have some day. T o pass on the love of the writings would fill me with joy. Another generation learning about the fantastic woman and her life--what a great gift!
**This book was sent to me free of charge for my honest review from the author. All opinions are my own.
November 3, 2017
I love Little House on the Prairie themed things. I love the books and the TV shows. I love the Laura Ingalls Wilder museums and the cute gifts I have gotten from their gift shops. So it is no surprise that I also loved the book A Prairie Girl’s Faith: The Spiritual Legacy of Laura Ingalls Wilder by Stephen H. Hines.
What I sometimes like about the Little House brand are its superficial elements. I like the quaint images of log cabins and pioneer living – even though, realistically, Laura Ingalls Wilder’s pioneer life was often a harsh one. Part of what makes the book A Prairie Girls’ Faith wonderful is that it deeply explores Wilder’s Christian faith. There is certainly nothing superficial about this book, and it is both an informative and heartwarming read.
*I received this book for review*
What I sometimes like about the Little House brand are its superficial elements. I like the quaint images of log cabins and pioneer living – even though, realistically, Laura Ingalls Wilder’s pioneer life was often a harsh one. Part of what makes the book A Prairie Girls’ Faith wonderful is that it deeply explores Wilder’s Christian faith. There is certainly nothing superficial about this book, and it is both an informative and heartwarming read.
*I received this book for review*
November 30, 2018
First Line Friday feature on FaithfullyBookish.com
This is a must-read for fans of Laura Ingalls Wilder and her stories! Part devotional, part biographical, part recipes, songs, and more! It’s rare for a nonfiction title to catch this fiction lover’s interest but A Prairie Girl’s Faith is an exception to that rule. I highly recommend this book!
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher and was under no obligation to post a review. The opinions expressed are my own.
This is a must-read for fans of Laura Ingalls Wilder and her stories! Part devotional, part biographical, part recipes, songs, and more! It’s rare for a nonfiction title to catch this fiction lover’s interest but A Prairie Girl’s Faith is an exception to that rule. I highly recommend this book!
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher and was under no obligation to post a review. The opinions expressed are my own.
February 2, 2018
A Prairie Girl's Faith: The Spiritual Legacy of Laura Ingalls Wilder has a unique focus on the faith of Laura Ingalls Wilder, as a person and a writer. The book also looks at faith as it is presented in the beloved Little House on the Prairie book series.
I have been a great fan of the Little House series since childhood, and was intrigued by this book from first mention. It far surpassed my expectations. The writing by Stephen Hines is lively and engaging, with many anecdotes I have not read before -- and specific examples of faith from the books..
Topics covered in this book include the Ingalls family, the relationship of Laura and her husband Almanzo, Laura and her daughter Rose, the writing of the Little House books, and more.
Stephen Hines posits: "Throughout the eight original titles there are, in the foreground, references to Scripture, hymns, and prayer -- to a daily life that experienced the reality of God" (p. 5). He then gives many detailed and fascinating examples of faith in the books.
One example is songs in the books. There are at least 126 songs mentioned in the Little House books, and a number of these are hymns and spirituals. This book looks at music in the Little House books in detail.
The Ingalls family originally belonged to a Congregational church, but since that denomination was not as prevalent on the frontier, the family (who moved several times) also actively attended a Methodist congregation. As someone who believes in ecumenical Christianity, I loved this passage: "There was a great spirit of ecumenicism in those days, and the Congregationalists generously shared their building with the Methodists and the Baptists until they could build their own houses of worship. Once they did, Episcopal services were sometimes held at the Baptist church. And when the Catholic church burned down, it received help and the offer of a meeting place from other churches in town" (p. 172).
There was a good deal of information about Laura Ingalls Wilder's early writing in The Ruralist and other publications. I found this fascinating, especially as it tied into her development as a writer.
The author does discuss the sometimes delicate relationship between Laura and Rose, and their work together. He directly addresses Rose's involvement in the writing process.
There is a lovely section about Christmas stories in the Little House books, and the Christmas music featured in these stories. I found the details about Christmas music over the years very interesting.
A Prairie Girl's Faith also has a section of The Church Potluck. This section features a number of recipes from friends of the Ingalls family. Anyone who has an interest in food history, as I do, will love this section of the book.
There are a couple of Appendixes in the book. One featured a fascinating interview with Laura's friend Neta Seal. I loved the glimpse of Laura's later life that was shown in this interview. There is a lovely anecdote about Laura and Almanzo's dog Ben:
"They always had bulldogs after I got acquainted with them . . .
Here's a funny little story about the dog. He had a boil on his jaw; and when it went to hurting him so bad, he'd come in and lay his head in her lap and look up as if he was saying, 'Can you do anything for me?' Then she would get some salve and rub it on his jaw. When that was done, he would go back and lay down. Finally, it was healed.
Mrs. Wilder - I always called her Mrs. Wilder - didn't even have a dog after he [Almanzo] went away" (p. 177).
I highly recommend A Prairie Girl's Faith for anyone who has an interest in Laura Ingalls Wilder's life and work. It is a richly rewarding read.
I have been a great fan of the Little House series since childhood, and was intrigued by this book from first mention. It far surpassed my expectations. The writing by Stephen Hines is lively and engaging, with many anecdotes I have not read before -- and specific examples of faith from the books..
Topics covered in this book include the Ingalls family, the relationship of Laura and her husband Almanzo, Laura and her daughter Rose, the writing of the Little House books, and more.
Stephen Hines posits: "Throughout the eight original titles there are, in the foreground, references to Scripture, hymns, and prayer -- to a daily life that experienced the reality of God" (p. 5). He then gives many detailed and fascinating examples of faith in the books.
One example is songs in the books. There are at least 126 songs mentioned in the Little House books, and a number of these are hymns and spirituals. This book looks at music in the Little House books in detail.
The Ingalls family originally belonged to a Congregational church, but since that denomination was not as prevalent on the frontier, the family (who moved several times) also actively attended a Methodist congregation. As someone who believes in ecumenical Christianity, I loved this passage: "There was a great spirit of ecumenicism in those days, and the Congregationalists generously shared their building with the Methodists and the Baptists until they could build their own houses of worship. Once they did, Episcopal services were sometimes held at the Baptist church. And when the Catholic church burned down, it received help and the offer of a meeting place from other churches in town" (p. 172).
There was a good deal of information about Laura Ingalls Wilder's early writing in The Ruralist and other publications. I found this fascinating, especially as it tied into her development as a writer.
The author does discuss the sometimes delicate relationship between Laura and Rose, and their work together. He directly addresses Rose's involvement in the writing process.
There is a lovely section about Christmas stories in the Little House books, and the Christmas music featured in these stories. I found the details about Christmas music over the years very interesting.
A Prairie Girl's Faith also has a section of The Church Potluck. This section features a number of recipes from friends of the Ingalls family. Anyone who has an interest in food history, as I do, will love this section of the book.
There are a couple of Appendixes in the book. One featured a fascinating interview with Laura's friend Neta Seal. I loved the glimpse of Laura's later life that was shown in this interview. There is a lovely anecdote about Laura and Almanzo's dog Ben:
"They always had bulldogs after I got acquainted with them . . .
Here's a funny little story about the dog. He had a boil on his jaw; and when it went to hurting him so bad, he'd come in and lay his head in her lap and look up as if he was saying, 'Can you do anything for me?' Then she would get some salve and rub it on his jaw. When that was done, he would go back and lay down. Finally, it was healed.
Mrs. Wilder - I always called her Mrs. Wilder - didn't even have a dog after he [Almanzo] went away" (p. 177).
I highly recommend A Prairie Girl's Faith for anyone who has an interest in Laura Ingalls Wilder's life and work. It is a richly rewarding read.
November 21, 2017
I was excited to see what this book was all about. I love anything Little House and have read most any book I can find about the Ingalls/Wilder family. I'll be honest in saying this book wasn't a great as I was expecting. It seemed very choppy and random in many chapters and I wasn't totally certain what the overall point of the book was. You do learn the family history in where they attended church but the reality is that we really don't know where everyone was in their faith. We can only know by their actions and what they wrote. Also, the Little House books were by no means completely accurate of their life. Many things that actually happened are completely different in the books. BUT I do think the main thing is that the books teach good morals and for children these books can show them a good example.
Three Stars.
"I received this book from Blogging for Books for free. All opinions are my own."
Three Stars.
"I received this book from Blogging for Books for free. All opinions are my own."
August 16, 2018
I can’t believe this is already over! It’s such a great and informative book. Those looking to strengthen their faith by the motivation of others, or even just to learn more about Laura Ingalls should read this book.
I love the recipes the author mentions! I’ll just be adding them to the list of recipes from the Little House books.
I learned much about Laura and her family, her relationship with her daughter, and the strength in faith her family had.
Definitely a book for people to read!
I love the recipes the author mentions! I’ll just be adding them to the list of recipes from the Little House books.
I learned much about Laura and her family, her relationship with her daughter, and the strength in faith her family had.
Definitely a book for people to read!
April 9, 2018
This was an awesome book that looks at Laura’s faith and the faith of her family. If you’re familiar with the books or tv show you know that their faith is a large part of their life. When you think of the hard scrabble life they had as pioneers, it makes sense that they would believe in G-d and feel that He was leading them.
January 25, 2021
Although not as extensive or deep as I'd anticipated, I really enjoyed this book and how it looked at Laura Ingalls Wilder's faith. It gave me some new insights into the Ingalls and Wilder families, including certain firsthand accounts and biographical details. Definitely worth the read if you're a fan of Mrs. Wilder and her Little House books.
December 16, 2018
An interesting take on a beloved author. I think he had the right idea about the faith of the pioneers, and it's interesting to consider how that was virtually all they had to sustain them through so many trials. We modern people know nothing in comparison. Love the inclusion of the recipes, though I was a bit surprised to see them.
January 8, 2018
As a young Minnesota girl, it was part of school life to read the books by Laura Ingalls Wilder. For me, this was definitely not a chore, but an absolute delight. The love for reading was kindled in me from these and similar type books.
This new book by Stephen W. Hines, looks at the insights of Laura's life and legacy. The well written book shares not only a bit about prairie life, both the hard, the wonderful and the real, but also some of the things that made Laura "tick", so to speak. It almost felt as though her life was studied and shared her innermost reasons for being who she was. Both the good and maybe not-so perfect Laura, was related and explained.
It was wonderful to read this book, having been such a childhood fan, and to see the social and personal feelings of Laura and how trials of our faith send you in directions you never knew would happen in your life. There are also several pages of pioneer recipes from Laura's associates.
I found the title of chapter 10 somewhat thought provoking. It was "What Laura Means to Us". Laura meant a lot to me as a child and her legacy will outlive that of most of ours. This book shares the history, the social and family networking of those days and I feel by reading this book I have come to understand them. And in some ways would love to relive them. The book depicts some of the cultural shifts which appeared over the passing of time. It's a good book to help us appreciate those who came before us and pioneered in this land and what our lives were built on. Highly recommend this book!
I received an ebook copy of this book from NetGalley. All thoughts are my own.
This new book by Stephen W. Hines, looks at the insights of Laura's life and legacy. The well written book shares not only a bit about prairie life, both the hard, the wonderful and the real, but also some of the things that made Laura "tick", so to speak. It almost felt as though her life was studied and shared her innermost reasons for being who she was. Both the good and maybe not-so perfect Laura, was related and explained.
It was wonderful to read this book, having been such a childhood fan, and to see the social and personal feelings of Laura and how trials of our faith send you in directions you never knew would happen in your life. There are also several pages of pioneer recipes from Laura's associates.
I found the title of chapter 10 somewhat thought provoking. It was "What Laura Means to Us". Laura meant a lot to me as a child and her legacy will outlive that of most of ours. This book shares the history, the social and family networking of those days and I feel by reading this book I have come to understand them. And in some ways would love to relive them. The book depicts some of the cultural shifts which appeared over the passing of time. It's a good book to help us appreciate those who came before us and pioneered in this land and what our lives were built on. Highly recommend this book!
I received an ebook copy of this book from NetGalley. All thoughts are my own.
November 14, 2017
A Prairie Girl's Faith, by Stephen W. Hines, is an inspiring read. This biography of Laura Ingalls Wilder warmed my heart. The undying faith of the Ingalls family through very difficult times really depicted the closeness and faith they shared.
The research about the relationship between Laura and her mother was enlightening. I never really thought about the Christian example and teaching of the wonderful wife and mother, Rose. Of course, “Pa” had a hand in their upbringing, as well as their faith. His music and preaching within their four walls when they didn’t have a church to attend really showed what a great man and father he was. The way the family pulled together and stood strong no matter the circumstances was touching.
I enjoyed learning more about Laura Ingalls and her family. Though I watched the show “Little House on the Prairie” I learned so much more than the televised series could convey. Wonderful book about faith and family.
I highly recommend this read.
I received a complimentary copy from Blogging for Books.
The research about the relationship between Laura and her mother was enlightening. I never really thought about the Christian example and teaching of the wonderful wife and mother, Rose. Of course, “Pa” had a hand in their upbringing, as well as their faith. His music and preaching within their four walls when they didn’t have a church to attend really showed what a great man and father he was. The way the family pulled together and stood strong no matter the circumstances was touching.
I enjoyed learning more about Laura Ingalls and her family. Though I watched the show “Little House on the Prairie” I learned so much more than the televised series could convey. Wonderful book about faith and family.
I highly recommend this read.
I received a complimentary copy from Blogging for Books.
November 17, 2017
I seen this book about Laura and I knew I had to have it!!
Stephen has done a great job in bringing Laura to life!!
I have loved Laura Ingalls and her family since I was a child! I wanted to be just like her so, one Halloween I dressed up as Laura.
I think I classified Laura as my heroine! Laura was a true Pioneer girl and I think that one of my favorite books by her was On the Banks of Plum Creek.
I enjoyed reading this book and especially the recipes that are in the book is just totally awesome! I would love to try them sometime
We traveled to Laura's home in Missouri and later the real Little House on the Prairie in Kansas.
Y'all just have to read this amazing book!
I received this book for free. No compensation was received and all opinions are my own opinion
Stephen has done a great job in bringing Laura to life!!
I have loved Laura Ingalls and her family since I was a child! I wanted to be just like her so, one Halloween I dressed up as Laura.
I think I classified Laura as my heroine! Laura was a true Pioneer girl and I think that one of my favorite books by her was On the Banks of Plum Creek.
I enjoyed reading this book and especially the recipes that are in the book is just totally awesome! I would love to try them sometime
We traveled to Laura's home in Missouri and later the real Little House on the Prairie in Kansas.
Y'all just have to read this amazing book!
I received this book for free. No compensation was received and all opinions are my own opinion
December 24, 2025
This was a lovely read, one that I thoroughly enjoyed.
May 3, 2018
[Note: This book was provided free of charge by Waterbrook Press/Net Gallery. All thoughts and opinions are my own.]
Like many kids, especially those who grew up in rural areas, I read the Little House In The Prairie Series by Laura Ingalls Wilder [1]. Even during my adulthood (before the time I started writing this blog), I had obtained a full set of the novels, including The First Four Years, which I gave to a young woman in Chile I unsuccessfully courted, as she was looking for decent but also relatively simple books in English to read. Like many readers, then, I have a certain understanding of and fondness for the novels and at least some interest in the person behind them. No doubt some people will have made pilgrimages to the places referred to in the novels or to the home of the Wilders in the Ozarks area of Missouri, where they lived for much of their adult life, but I have not done that as of yet. Even so, this book does a great job at showing the importance of religious faith, both the private faith practiced in the home and the public faith of being in a town-based church, to Laura Ingalls Wilder and her family (apart from her somewhat wayward daughter Rose).
This book's contents take up about 150 pages including the lengthy notes, in the version of the book that I read, divided up into ten chapters with two appendices. The author, after an introduction, begins his book by talking about pioneer faith and the difficulties that those in the West had in building churches and in remaining faithful while isolated (1). He then discusses the lengthy journey of the Ingalls and others who continued to search for a promised land where they could find a good living away from the crowded areas of the East (2). He discusses how both men and women were partners in faith and how this was true in the Ingalls family in particular as well as with Laura and Alonzo Wilder (3). The author then brings up how Rose Wilder Lane was much less spiritual and how this led her to write much darker material about mankind's struggle with nature in the absence of faith (4). The author then turns his attention to looking at the mixture of Mary and Martha within the fretful Laura, a mixture that is common to many people (5). The contentious relationship between Laura and Rose about the Ingalls family saga is then explored with a look to the collaborative nature of the efforts (6). The author turns his attention then to how the Little House series was constructed from the raw materials of research and memory and imagination (7). From this the author looks to the music and hymns of the spiritual life of Laura Ingalls Wilder and her family (8). A bit of a cookbook follows with some old-timey recipes from the time (9) before the author discusses what Laura Ingalls Wilder means to us as a representative from a "Great American Family" (10). The book then closes with two appendices on remembering the De Smet of olden times and an interview with Laura's friend and Missouri neighbor Neta Seal.
What a reader gets out of this book is a somewhat nuanced understanding of the importance of faith in the early frontier. Those early settlers who were motivated to have formal religious services were led to meet in whatever structures were available and often had to meet across confessional boundaries, and thus develop a broad tolerance among Protestants and even including Catholics. Likewise, religion depended on the home and the importance of attending services for families, especially those families who lived on homesteads out of town who had to travel into town weekly for services, and at other time for various other charitable organizations. The author does a good job at conveying the work that had to be done by ladies who were often considered only auxiliaries to the men in such groups. The author skillfully captures the change in ambitions for women, Laura Ingalls Wilder's conservative values, and the stresses of collaboration that take place when strong-willed people work together in writing and publishing works. Overall, this is a good book if one wants a better understanding of the importance of God and religion to not only the Little House on the Prairie series, but also to the establishment of towns in the West in general.
[1] See, for example:
https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2016...
Like many kids, especially those who grew up in rural areas, I read the Little House In The Prairie Series by Laura Ingalls Wilder [1]. Even during my adulthood (before the time I started writing this blog), I had obtained a full set of the novels, including The First Four Years, which I gave to a young woman in Chile I unsuccessfully courted, as she was looking for decent but also relatively simple books in English to read. Like many readers, then, I have a certain understanding of and fondness for the novels and at least some interest in the person behind them. No doubt some people will have made pilgrimages to the places referred to in the novels or to the home of the Wilders in the Ozarks area of Missouri, where they lived for much of their adult life, but I have not done that as of yet. Even so, this book does a great job at showing the importance of religious faith, both the private faith practiced in the home and the public faith of being in a town-based church, to Laura Ingalls Wilder and her family (apart from her somewhat wayward daughter Rose).
This book's contents take up about 150 pages including the lengthy notes, in the version of the book that I read, divided up into ten chapters with two appendices. The author, after an introduction, begins his book by talking about pioneer faith and the difficulties that those in the West had in building churches and in remaining faithful while isolated (1). He then discusses the lengthy journey of the Ingalls and others who continued to search for a promised land where they could find a good living away from the crowded areas of the East (2). He discusses how both men and women were partners in faith and how this was true in the Ingalls family in particular as well as with Laura and Alonzo Wilder (3). The author then brings up how Rose Wilder Lane was much less spiritual and how this led her to write much darker material about mankind's struggle with nature in the absence of faith (4). The author then turns his attention to looking at the mixture of Mary and Martha within the fretful Laura, a mixture that is common to many people (5). The contentious relationship between Laura and Rose about the Ingalls family saga is then explored with a look to the collaborative nature of the efforts (6). The author turns his attention then to how the Little House series was constructed from the raw materials of research and memory and imagination (7). From this the author looks to the music and hymns of the spiritual life of Laura Ingalls Wilder and her family (8). A bit of a cookbook follows with some old-timey recipes from the time (9) before the author discusses what Laura Ingalls Wilder means to us as a representative from a "Great American Family" (10). The book then closes with two appendices on remembering the De Smet of olden times and an interview with Laura's friend and Missouri neighbor Neta Seal.
What a reader gets out of this book is a somewhat nuanced understanding of the importance of faith in the early frontier. Those early settlers who were motivated to have formal religious services were led to meet in whatever structures were available and often had to meet across confessional boundaries, and thus develop a broad tolerance among Protestants and even including Catholics. Likewise, religion depended on the home and the importance of attending services for families, especially those families who lived on homesteads out of town who had to travel into town weekly for services, and at other time for various other charitable organizations. The author does a good job at conveying the work that had to be done by ladies who were often considered only auxiliaries to the men in such groups. The author skillfully captures the change in ambitions for women, Laura Ingalls Wilder's conservative values, and the stresses of collaboration that take place when strong-willed people work together in writing and publishing works. Overall, this is a good book if one wants a better understanding of the importance of God and religion to not only the Little House on the Prairie series, but also to the establishment of towns in the West in general.
[1] See, for example:
https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2016...
March 15, 2018
SHORT REVIEW
A Prairie Girl’s Faith: The Spiritual Legacy of Laura Ingalls Wilder is a gorgeous look at how faith and love carried the Wilder family through their struggles as an early pioneer family.
FULL REVIEW
I am a longtime fan of Laura Ingalls Wilder and her experience as an early pioneer woman. I devoured the Little House series as a child, and I have only grown closer to the novels as an adult. Laura’s faith and brilliance shine throughout her work, and I was so excited to get to know her more through A Prairie Girl’s Faith: The Spiritual Legacy of Laura Ingalls Wilder. Stephen W. Hines brilliantly captures Laura’s family throughout his novel, and I couldn’t have asked for a more thoroughly researched story of early pioneer faith.
A Prairie Girl’s Faith: The Spiritual Legacy of Laura Ingalls Wilder analyzes the Wilder family and how faith played a part in their strength and ability to create a homestead on the early American prairie. Despite the Wilder’s family hardships with housing, food, and farming, their faith connected them to one another and their mission to make a life for themselves on the American prairie. Hines’ book reads like a novel, and his use of pictures and explanations brought the Wilder’s story alive. Even though this novel focuses on Christianity and how the Wilder family’s religion and faith strengthened their experience as a cohesive unit, Prairie Girl’s Faith: The Spiritual Legacy of Laura Ingalls Wilder doesn’t have an agenda, and it presents Christianity in a way that will appeal to believers and nonbelievers alike. I am a pioneer history buff, and I found enlightenment through Hines writing and his connection of faith to survival.
Prairie Girl’s Faith: The Spiritual Legacy of Laura Ingalls Wilder is a must read for Wilder fans, as well as fans of pioneer history. I thoroughly enjoyed Hines’ explanation of faith and how it developed on the plains with pioneering settlers. Seeing how faith connected the Wilder family to each other, as well as the other pioneer families around them, made me believe in community and kinship again. I will be keeping Prairie Girl’s Faith: The Spiritual Legacy of Laura Ingalls Wilder in my library forever, and I am so excited to have read more on Laura Ingalls Wilder and her amazing experience on the early American prairie.
*I received an ARC of this novel from Blogging for Books for review.
A Prairie Girl’s Faith: The Spiritual Legacy of Laura Ingalls Wilder is a gorgeous look at how faith and love carried the Wilder family through their struggles as an early pioneer family.
FULL REVIEW
I am a longtime fan of Laura Ingalls Wilder and her experience as an early pioneer woman. I devoured the Little House series as a child, and I have only grown closer to the novels as an adult. Laura’s faith and brilliance shine throughout her work, and I was so excited to get to know her more through A Prairie Girl’s Faith: The Spiritual Legacy of Laura Ingalls Wilder. Stephen W. Hines brilliantly captures Laura’s family throughout his novel, and I couldn’t have asked for a more thoroughly researched story of early pioneer faith.
A Prairie Girl’s Faith: The Spiritual Legacy of Laura Ingalls Wilder analyzes the Wilder family and how faith played a part in their strength and ability to create a homestead on the early American prairie. Despite the Wilder’s family hardships with housing, food, and farming, their faith connected them to one another and their mission to make a life for themselves on the American prairie. Hines’ book reads like a novel, and his use of pictures and explanations brought the Wilder’s story alive. Even though this novel focuses on Christianity and how the Wilder family’s religion and faith strengthened their experience as a cohesive unit, Prairie Girl’s Faith: The Spiritual Legacy of Laura Ingalls Wilder doesn’t have an agenda, and it presents Christianity in a way that will appeal to believers and nonbelievers alike. I am a pioneer history buff, and I found enlightenment through Hines writing and his connection of faith to survival.
Prairie Girl’s Faith: The Spiritual Legacy of Laura Ingalls Wilder is a must read for Wilder fans, as well as fans of pioneer history. I thoroughly enjoyed Hines’ explanation of faith and how it developed on the plains with pioneering settlers. Seeing how faith connected the Wilder family to each other, as well as the other pioneer families around them, made me believe in community and kinship again. I will be keeping Prairie Girl’s Faith: The Spiritual Legacy of Laura Ingalls Wilder in my library forever, and I am so excited to have read more on Laura Ingalls Wilder and her amazing experience on the early American prairie.
*I received an ARC of this novel from Blogging for Books for review.
July 27, 2018
I enjoyed this light and readable discussion of the Ingalls' faith, and Laura's in particular, throughout her life. I got it for my mom because she loves all the Little House books, as well as later offshoots, so when I saw it at the library I checked out a copy for myself, and sent her a copy.
One aspect that's interesting is the comparison of various denominations (the Ingalls family was Congregationalist), and in particular a discussion of the "second awakening" through the work of D.L. Moody. You'd think my grasp on church history was a little better, but apparently in the latter half of the 19th century mainstream theology had a major shift. The following quotation is kind of long, but I found it interesting.
One aspect that's interesting is the comparison of various denominations (the Ingalls family was Congregationalist), and in particular a discussion of the "second awakening" through the work of D.L. Moody. You'd think my grasp on church history was a little better, but apparently in the latter half of the 19th century mainstream theology had a major shift. The following quotation is kind of long, but I found it interesting.
If the first awakening of American Protestant churches came in the1750s under the influence of Jonathan Edwards, the second awakening came through the work of D. L. Moody. Moody became a traveling evangelist shortly before the start of the Civil War and continued his ministry until the end of the century.
Moody was a businessman turned lay preacher who once had headed the Chicago branch of the Young Men’s Christian Association (YMCA). When he began his lay travels, guest speakers filled his home pulpit. One day a young fellow from England named Harry Moorhouse came asking to fill the pulpit. His only recommendation seems to have been a previous letter he had written to the evangelist on his own. Moody didn’t quite know what to do, but while he was absent on yet another speaking engagement, his elders decided to let Moorhouse speak.
What Moorhouse preached was that contrary to the belief that God hated sinners, he actually loved them. Emma, Moody’s wife, reported this to D. L., who then replied to her, “He is wrong.” But the next Sunday, Moody heard Moorhouse preach for himself from the text “For God so loved the world . . .” (John 3:16). Moody later reported that the speaker “went from Genesis to Revelation giving proof that God loves the sinner, and before he got through, two or three of my sermons were spoiled.
Moody admitted, “I never knew up to that time that God loved us so much.” The second great awakening was on its way. It was the awakening where we came to know that “Jesus holds my hand.” 102
November 21, 2017
The cover on this book I just love. It captures my interest and is almost like an art piece, beckoning you to pick it up and just imagine. Upon further investigation, I discovered that is painted William Affleck, with the cover designer doing an excellent job with font choices. Kudo's to Kristopher K. Orr on this one. Perfect use for this book.
The book, based on the back cover copy, "offers an in-depth look at the faith journey of Laura Ingalls Wilder. The book, opens a wider window into the life of of pioneers as it offers a revealing look at the beliefs, character and culture into which Laura was born and grew into maturity."
The back of the copy I believe made the most sense with the last statement I added above. The book, essentially, allows us to understand Laura based upon her life and where she grew up. The first chapter starts with the start of life for Laura in the big woods. Then, we progress through various points in her life, where things are mentioned in the books and versus what is not. We learn of favorite hymns, recipes and history of the time period.
Honestly, having grown up with the Little House on the Prairie books, I loved the book. I found it interesting, intriguing and educational in learning things I hadn't realized prior. My stack of Little House books in the attic, I want to retrieve and dust off and reread. Get lost in her stories again. For someone who has never read her books, or have only a passing interest, I don't think you would be very interested in this book. Some may find it slow and it doesn't read like a typical book. For me, I would describe it as pockets of nuggets sprinkled through the book.
All in all, I really liked the book. It's not for everyone, but I believe it is an easy read filled with details that a fan of the Little House books would enjoy.
I received this book from the publisher, via Blogging for Books. All opinions are my own.
The book, based on the back cover copy, "offers an in-depth look at the faith journey of Laura Ingalls Wilder. The book, opens a wider window into the life of of pioneers as it offers a revealing look at the beliefs, character and culture into which Laura was born and grew into maturity."
The back of the copy I believe made the most sense with the last statement I added above. The book, essentially, allows us to understand Laura based upon her life and where she grew up. The first chapter starts with the start of life for Laura in the big woods. Then, we progress through various points in her life, where things are mentioned in the books and versus what is not. We learn of favorite hymns, recipes and history of the time period.
Honestly, having grown up with the Little House on the Prairie books, I loved the book. I found it interesting, intriguing and educational in learning things I hadn't realized prior. My stack of Little House books in the attic, I want to retrieve and dust off and reread. Get lost in her stories again. For someone who has never read her books, or have only a passing interest, I don't think you would be very interested in this book. Some may find it slow and it doesn't read like a typical book. For me, I would describe it as pockets of nuggets sprinkled through the book.
All in all, I really liked the book. It's not for everyone, but I believe it is an easy read filled with details that a fan of the Little House books would enjoy.
I received this book from the publisher, via Blogging for Books. All opinions are my own.
January 1, 2019
Laura Ingalls Wilder has fascinated me from the time I was a little girl voraciously reading the Little House series of novels. While the TV show and the novels are loosely based on the real lives of her family members, several novels have come out in recent years focusing on Mrs. Wilder or her family members.
This beautiful book speaks of the faith of Mrs. Wilder and her family, faith in God that she grew up with at the hands of Pa and Ma. I enjoyed particularly hearing about the hymns the family enjoyed, especially when in places where attending church regularly wasn’t always an option. Hearing about some of the hymnwriters was fascinating. Another thing I found interesting was the variety of activities the family was involved in and the public office Charles Ingalls held.
The author showed the very likable community member, family member, and author. She was a woman that I definitely would have wanted to be friends with, someone with whom I had shared beliefs. Mrs. Wilder is a delightful, hard-working woman. She and Mr. Wilder were made even more real through the interview of a woman who knew her well.
The author, a man, impressed me not only with his appreciation for the Ingalls when first reading the Little House books, but also with the kind of research he did. This even included how the recipes shared were different from what we would make, based on the type of stove one had. It had never occurred to me that their cookstoves had no thermostat, no way of telling what the temperature was when cooking or baking. The narrator is excellent, as if he were actually the author. I highly recommend A Prairie Girl’s Faith to those who are fans of Laura Ingalls Wilder and her family, those who have an interest in the faith in the Lord that sustained them through the easiest – and hardest times.
This beautiful book speaks of the faith of Mrs. Wilder and her family, faith in God that she grew up with at the hands of Pa and Ma. I enjoyed particularly hearing about the hymns the family enjoyed, especially when in places where attending church regularly wasn’t always an option. Hearing about some of the hymnwriters was fascinating. Another thing I found interesting was the variety of activities the family was involved in and the public office Charles Ingalls held.
The author showed the very likable community member, family member, and author. She was a woman that I definitely would have wanted to be friends with, someone with whom I had shared beliefs. Mrs. Wilder is a delightful, hard-working woman. She and Mr. Wilder were made even more real through the interview of a woman who knew her well.
The author, a man, impressed me not only with his appreciation for the Ingalls when first reading the Little House books, but also with the kind of research he did. This even included how the recipes shared were different from what we would make, based on the type of stove one had. It had never occurred to me that their cookstoves had no thermostat, no way of telling what the temperature was when cooking or baking. The narrator is excellent, as if he were actually the author. I highly recommend A Prairie Girl’s Faith to those who are fans of Laura Ingalls Wilder and her family, those who have an interest in the faith in the Lord that sustained them through the easiest – and hardest times.
January 2, 2018
As a young girl I was a huge fan of all the Laura Ingalls’ Books! I read every single book in the series and even tried some of the extra books written by Laura’s daughter, Rose. You can imagine how excited I was as an adult to find this lovely book, “A Prairie Girl’s Faith” by Stephen W. Hines which is an exploration into “The Spiritual Legacy of Laurie Ingall’s Wilder.”
This book had many interesting thoughts and research on Laurie’s and Rose’s Spirituality, but it also included many findings on music, recipes and writings of the pioneer’s of this time period. After reading this book, I yearn for more from Laura, herself on her own spiritual beliefs and growth. Many findings seem to be supposition and the remainder of the book seems to be snippets of the rest of the Ingalls lives found through reading her newspaper articles.
Overall, I enjoyed this book, but found it to be somewhat disjointed from the actual idea that it was on Laura’s spiritual legacy and each chapter seemed to be a different topic, not necessarily in line with the title. As a musician, I especially enjoyed much of the history and discussion of the hymns and songs of the pioneers, although, I’m not certain they were unique to the Ingall’s family. For the fan of Laura Ingall’s Wilder, I do recommend this as a good read. It may leave the reader wanting to read many of the resources in the Bibliography as well.
I received this book from Waterbrook Multnomah in exchange for this review, but all opinions are my own.
This book had many interesting thoughts and research on Laurie’s and Rose’s Spirituality, but it also included many findings on music, recipes and writings of the pioneer’s of this time period. After reading this book, I yearn for more from Laura, herself on her own spiritual beliefs and growth. Many findings seem to be supposition and the remainder of the book seems to be snippets of the rest of the Ingalls lives found through reading her newspaper articles.
Overall, I enjoyed this book, but found it to be somewhat disjointed from the actual idea that it was on Laura’s spiritual legacy and each chapter seemed to be a different topic, not necessarily in line with the title. As a musician, I especially enjoyed much of the history and discussion of the hymns and songs of the pioneers, although, I’m not certain they were unique to the Ingall’s family. For the fan of Laura Ingall’s Wilder, I do recommend this as a good read. It may leave the reader wanting to read many of the resources in the Bibliography as well.
I received this book from Waterbrook Multnomah in exchange for this review, but all opinions are my own.
September 22, 2020
An interesting but rather thin look at Wilder's relationship with Christianity. Hines is an expert on Wilder, but at times the book felt like too little butter scraped over too much bread, or that he depended more on generalities about religion in the pioneer period than primary source material.
For all her autofiction, Wilder remains a reserved figure. Her writings are more about outer experience than inner or spiritual experience. I'm just not sure Wilder has that much of a spiritual legacy to begin with, or that the topic merited a whole book. Sure, she's a lioness among evangelicals, particularly of the home schooling variety, but I wouldn't call her books spiritual. They are "clean," hymn-singing, moralizing stories, but prayer is rare except in times of extremity, Scripture is rarely discussed, and church is infrequent at best. The most religious scene I recall is the revival service in These Happy Golden Years, and Wilder's discomfort at the emotion and pageantry is my lasting impression. I'm reminded of Gorrie's older sister in His Banner Over Me. The daughters of missionaries who brought them back to Canada, the girls discuss sharing one's faith. The older sister remarks that she believes faith is a private matter and she doesn't want to evangelize. I get the same impression from Wilder. All evidence points to her having a Christian faith, but it wasn't something she talked about too much.
For all her autofiction, Wilder remains a reserved figure. Her writings are more about outer experience than inner or spiritual experience. I'm just not sure Wilder has that much of a spiritual legacy to begin with, or that the topic merited a whole book. Sure, she's a lioness among evangelicals, particularly of the home schooling variety, but I wouldn't call her books spiritual. They are "clean," hymn-singing, moralizing stories, but prayer is rare except in times of extremity, Scripture is rarely discussed, and church is infrequent at best. The most religious scene I recall is the revival service in These Happy Golden Years, and Wilder's discomfort at the emotion and pageantry is my lasting impression. I'm reminded of Gorrie's older sister in His Banner Over Me. The daughters of missionaries who brought them back to Canada, the girls discuss sharing one's faith. The older sister remarks that she believes faith is a private matter and she doesn't want to evangelize. I get the same impression from Wilder. All evidence points to her having a Christian faith, but it wasn't something she talked about too much.
November 22, 2017
In A Prairie Girl's Faith, Stephen W. Hines takes an in-depth look at the spiritual legacy left behind by Laura Ingalls Wilder. Searching both her books and other publications, as well as her daughter's writing, Hines delves deep to explore Wilder's personal faith and how it impacted her character, pioneer spirit, and ultimately a far reaching audience. Hines also uncovers how Wilder's faith influenced her daughter, and how the two, although often at odds in viewpoint, came together to write an extraordinary series.
In one of the more interesting chapters, Hines takes a closer look at the hymns and songs mentioned in the Little House series. He examines the lyrics of each, and relates the history of the piece and how it applied to the pioneer lifestyle. Through this work, the reader can discover much about the beliefs, culture, and mindset that kept American pioneers moving forward in uncertain times. As well as how central the Christian faith was to the Ingalls family.
For someone who's always been a fan of Wilder's literary legacy, this book was a delight. It took me back to the original stories and offered insights to deepen the already rich history of the Little House series. This would make a wonderful for read for anyone that is a Laura Ingalls Wilder fan.
*Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book for review. All opinions are my own.
In one of the more interesting chapters, Hines takes a closer look at the hymns and songs mentioned in the Little House series. He examines the lyrics of each, and relates the history of the piece and how it applied to the pioneer lifestyle. Through this work, the reader can discover much about the beliefs, culture, and mindset that kept American pioneers moving forward in uncertain times. As well as how central the Christian faith was to the Ingalls family.
For someone who's always been a fan of Wilder's literary legacy, this book was a delight. It took me back to the original stories and offered insights to deepen the already rich history of the Little House series. This would make a wonderful for read for anyone that is a Laura Ingalls Wilder fan.
*Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book for review. All opinions are my own.
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