Laura Ingalls Wilder: A Biography

by William Anderson

Dive into the world of the author of the beloved Little House series!  From her pioneer days on the prairie to her golden years with her husband, Almanzo, and their daughter, Rose, Laura Ingalls Wilder has become a friend to all who have read about her adventures. This expertly researched, behind-the-scenes account of Laura’s life chronicles the real events that inspired her to write her stories, and also describes her life after the last Little House book ends.

Genres: Biography, Nonfiction, History, Historical, Biography Memoir, Womens, Childrens

256 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1992

About the author

William Anderson is an American author, historian and lecturer. He is a specialist in the subject of Laura Ingalls Wilder and her times.

His interest in American frontier began after reading Little House on the Prairie. He is a director of the Laura Ingalls Wilder Home and Museum in Mansfield, Missouri, and he lives and works as a teacher in Michigan.

Librarian’s note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.

Reviews

[Shelley · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this book because my daughter, Emily, is doing a biography on Laura Ingalls Wilder for school (we both love Little House on the Prairie & have all nine seasons on DVD). I grew up reading all her books and watching all the shows and so I couldn't resist not reading this book when my daughter bought it home. Even though I remember all the episodes and have basically a good memory of her books, I felt this book went further into Laura's life. I didn't realize just how much they travelled and exactly how independent and tough she was, not to mention just how "busy" her life was. It was exhausting just reading about it, never mind living it. I wish it went into why she didn't have anymore children and I presume her married sisters didn't have children, or if Rose remarried and had any children as there was no mention of it. I wish there were more pictures in the book and I hope one day that Emily and I can visit her home and museums.

[Maren · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was an excellent read for someone like myself who has read the Little House books a number of times. I also recently read the autobiographies of Rose Wilder Lane, so this all seemed so familiar, filling in the gaps and expanding the story beyond what I've previously read. My heart just breaks for these families and the lost babies and difficult circumstances life threw at them, and yet I'm so amazed at the perseverance and faith that they all exemplified. Pa & Laura are definitely on my list of people I want to meet in heaven!

[Stephenie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I went on a road trip with my mom and dad and went to see Laura's houses that she lived in.... It was awsome and on the trip I bought this book and just read it and it was really good cuz you could learn more about her life with your parents and sisters and her husband Almanzo and their daughther Rose.... I would read this book over and over again and go see her houses again... I use to watch the show Little House on the Pairie when I was younger and fell in love with the story and how they lived making a living....

[Angela Verdenius · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a kid, I loved all the Little House books. Finally getting to see the grown woman behind the books was fascinating and so interesting. I admit I even had a little lump in my throat at the end! Laura Ingalls, you were a treasure to the kids you wrote for, and an inspiration to those with a hard life. Schools would do well to have their students read this book to learn about life, how hard it was, and how to overcome bad times and keep moving forward with a positive attitude.

[ดินสอ สีไม้ · Rating 5 out of 5]

แม้จะไม่ได้ถูกเขียนขึ้นโดยลอร่า
แต่เป็นการรวบรวมทุกเล่มสรุปจบเอาไว้อย่างสมบูรณ์
เป็นเล่มจบที่ดีมากจริงๆ

[Challice · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well done. written like reading one of her books. I found myself more drawn to her life as an adult and the tenacity in which she worked her homestead. lovely read.

[Julie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I first read the Little House books by Laura Ingalls Wilder in grade school. Growing up in a small Kansas town, I loved reading stories of the prairie and pioneers. I remember imagining what it must have been like to travel in the back of a covered wagon, and to be a homesteading pioneer family. Many, many children (and adults) have happily had those same thoughts, ever since the first Little House book was published in the 1930's.

I remember several family vacations where we drove hours out of our way to visit Ingalls and Wilder family homestead sites and museums. It was always worth the drive. We would all gather around the displays and point out possessions we remembered from the books. Seeing photographs of the family was amazing as well. It made the pioneer era seem so close...and yet so far away. A time gone by, but remembered fondly.

I still love her books. Her writing is simple, but strong, conveying the strength, determination and love her family had for each other and the land.

William Anderson's biography of Laura shares details about her family, each of their home sites, facts about their friends and neighbors, and the challenges they faced. At 232 pages, the book is a quick read, telling the history of the Ingalls and Wilder families in a charming, informative way. There are several black and white photographs and illustrations as well. I enjoyed learning about Laura's later years writing magazine articles, newspaper columns and her books. That was a portion of her story that was new to me.

I enjoyed learning more about her childhood and young adult life as well. I had forgotten how many times Laura's family moved due to financial hardship, natural disaster or other reasons. It must have been hard to pick up and leave everything behind so many times. Reading about Laura's life definitely brought back all the warm feelings I have for this family. I spent many hours as a child reading their story, and it was nice to revisit old memories.

This book would be a great read for anyone who enjoys the Little House books, young and old. It's a quick read, but very well written and informative.

William Anderson has written several books about Laura Ingalls Wilder including The Little House Sampler and The Little House Guidebook. For more information on the author and his books, check out his website:

[Jenn · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read the Little House on the Prairie books as a child and just assumed then that the people in the book were fiction and as a child I never gave one thought about the author. When I found an article about her sister Mary on the internet recently it made me pause and think about the author and her life. So I went online to find if there were any books about Laura Ingalls Wilder and found this one. The book was an easy read (I finished it in about 3 hours), almost like it was aimed for children. I would have like a few more concrete details but still found it very interesting. Laura Wilder lived during a time where covered wagons were the norm through times where automobiles were prevalent. It gave me a renewed interest to read her books as an adult knowing they were based on true life experiences and were not just fiction.

[April · Rating 3 out of 5]

I chose this book after reading the Stieg Larsson books because anything Little House is special to me. I needed something that wouldn't disappoint. I suppose it is unfair to rate any book after reading a series that wow'd me. But this book receives only 3 stars. It was blandly written, brief and managed to hit only the high points of Laura's books without a lot of additional details. I plowed through the book quickly and at no time did I think about putting it down and not finishing it. But as a Little House mega-fan, the book wasn't all I had hoped it would be.

[Kristin Burleigh · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this book. I love ALL of the books in this 'series'. I read them when I was in 6th or 7th grade and BEGGED my mom for the set for YEARS until she finally got it for me on my 15th or 16th birthday! I now have the boxed set all safe and sound on my bookshelf where I look at them lovingly every time I pass. They were my childhood, and will be passed onto my children should I ever be blessed with any.

Definitely suggest for younger readers; it's a CLASSIC!

[Kyla · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this during our trip to Laura's Rocky Ridge Farm in Mansfield, Missouri and Laura's girlhood home in Independence, Kansas, where Little House on the Prairie is set.
The book reinforced the information I had learned during our tour and also provided new details.
Highly recommend for ages both young and old.

[Judy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I accidentally requested this book through interlibrary loan and decided to read it anyway. If you've read the Little House books (and if you haven't, why not?) then you won't learn anything new for that time period of Laura's life. You will learn more about Laura's adult life and how her daughter, Rose, influenced her writing career. This was a sweet children's/YA book.

[Josiah · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of the best biographies I’ve ever read! Anderson gives us the perfect summary of the Ingalls’ life, specifically Laura. I’ve learned so much that I never knew. This book is perfect for adults and children to learn about one of the best authors that ever lived, Laura Ingalls Wilder.

[Cheryl]

Not sure how this got on my list. Lightly skimmed April 2021. Did learn that First Four Years was published 14 years posthumous, which bothers me, and explains why it's so different. Laura wanted youngsters to know what it meant to have pioneer spirit, not to be traumatized.

[My Book Strings · Rating 5 out of 5]

Perfect for the target age group.

[Sherry · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this! Now I totally want to go to Missouri and see her house!

[Isabella Ann · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a lovely and interesting read. I found out so much more about Laura and her life, especially after “The Little House Books”, that I hadn't know before! Like, where she and her husband Almanzo lived for the last part of their lives, and the work that they did to build up their dream farm, Rocky Ridge. It was also interesting to learn about the work Laura did in her community and the articles she wrote for newspapers and magazines! I knew a little about her life after leaving Dakota as I have read “The Rose Years” by Roger Lee McBride, which is all about Laura and Almanzo’s daughter, but I didn't know as much as I thought.

I thought it was really cool to find out that Laura and Almanzo actually bought a car later in their life and did lots of road trips across America, visiting the old places Laura used to live to re-visit her old memories. Would highly recommend!

*Feel free to check out this review over on my Substack blog:
https://thepaintedcaravan.substack.co...

Isabella Ann of The Painted Caravan 📚

[Whale Read · Rating 5 out of 5]

ชีวประวีติ ลอร่าอิงกัลส์ล ไวล์เดอร์

ชอบที่สุดในบรรดาทุกเล่ม
เล่าถึงความลำบากของลอร่าหลังแต่งงาน ลากยาวไปจนถึงตอนจบที่แสนสุข (ได้เป็นนักเขียนโด่งดัง) มีฟาร์มที่ดีและร่ำรวย

ลอร่าแสดงออกผ่านหนังสือเล่มนี้ว่า ในบางครั้งของชีวิต เธอรู้สึก "มีความสุข" จนลืมไปเลยว่าจริง ๆ แล้วเธอมีปัญหาหรือยากจนเพียงใด

ต่อไปนี้คือข้อความในหนังสือ

ในฐานะนักเขียน รอล่ามีสิ่งที่นักประพันธ์น้อยคนนักจะมีนั่นคือเหตุการณ์ผจญภัยและข้อมูลส่วนตัวมากพอที่จะเขียนโดยไม่ต้องค้นคว้า

วันในฤดูร้อนมันช่างยาวนานและแสนสุขและบ้านก็สะดวกสบายเสียจนลอร่าไม่คิดเลยว่าครอบครัวของเธอยากจนเพราะว่าคนอื่นๆในเบอร์โอ๊กกับคิดเช่นนั้น

ตอนที่รอล่าไปเริ่มงานเธอพบว่ามันสนุกมากเช่นเดียวกับโรงแรมในเบอร์โอ้ก โรงแรมที่วอนัทโกรฟ ก็เต็มไปด้วยผู้คนและเรื่องราวที่น่าสนใจ

พลอตเรื่องในยุคโบราณเกี่ยวกับโรงแรมและการเดินทางผจญภัยของผู้คนก็ดูน่าสนใจ

เนื่องจากลอร่าต้องอธิบายภาพที่เห็นให้แมรี่ฟัง จึงเหมือนเป็นการมอง 2 จึงเหมือนเป็นการมองสองครั้งซึ่งทำให้ลอล่าได้ฝึกการเขียนไปในตัว

[Carol Bakker · Rating 3 out of 5]

Little House in the Big Woods is the first book I loved with all I had in me. I read it again and again, anticipating my next birthday when I would be given the next book.

This was a delightful read; a one-sitting event. Having read all the Little House books, I was confident that I knew Laura's life. Ha! She lived in many places, including Iowa and Florida, that are not chronicled in her books.

Laura's juvenile poetry was a kick in the pants. At 14, during the Long Winter she wrote:

We remember not the summer
For it was long ago
We remember not the summer
In this whirling blinding snow
I will leave this frozen region
I will travel further south
If you say one word against it
I will hit you in the mouth.

In another poem she rhymes Ingalls with jingles. Fun!

[Donna · Rating 4 out of 5]

The "Little House on the Prairie" series has been a favorite of mine since childhood. I was surprised that I had not read a biography on Laura Ingalls Wilder before this point. What I did learn in reading the biography was that the series really did chronical her younger years. However, at some point I would like to read another biography to make sure that is truly the case. What I enjoyed most about this book was reading about Laura's life after the book series ended. It was interesting to read about her relationship with her daughter, Rose, and her life with Almanzo. I would have loved to learn more about her daughter and her life. Overall, an interesting read.

[LynnDee (LynnDee's Library) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this book because it had been on my To-Read shelf for almost 5 years. This is a middle grade biography about Laura Ingalls Wilder. I didn't really learn anything new per say, but considering that the 150th anniversary of her birth is next month and also that the book would count for the Librarian Reading Challenge (a reading challenge I'm participating in at work), I figured now was a good time to read it :).

[Erin · Rating 4 out of 5]

My mom ordered two copies and put one in my summer book box. I read and re-read the Little House books and watched the show many, many times. As an adult, I realize that there are problems that have risen with the books. Now we have many books out on the market that can counter balance and introduce voices and perspectives that were not considered when these novels were published. But I guess my mother was feeling nostalgic and I was curious to learn about the author herself.

But this biography written in 1992, re-introduced some great facts about the Ingalls-Wilder clan that I did know and a few things that I didn't.


Goodreads review published 28/12/21

[Theresa Garton · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good summary of Laura’s life. It is a little simplistic in parts

[Sally Cartwright · Rating 4 out of 5]

A simple and evocative summary of Laura's life that beautifully recaptures the essence of the Little House on the Prairie books. Took me right back...

[Mara · Rating 4 out of 5]

good early middle school level biography on Laura Ingalls Wilder

[Scott · Rating 4 out of 5]

At times I found myself thinking that William Anderson had the easiest job ever – his biography subject had already told the whole world about the details of her life through her own writings and so the subject of the biography had already done most of Anderson’s work. This thinking is unfair to Anderson, of course, but I felt that way at times because I have read all of Wilder’s books and therefore many events were not new to me. However, Anderson does a nice job of trying to present the facts and goes into much greater depth of issues than Wilder ever does in her books which are accessible to very young children. Since I did know the basic events in Wilder’s early life, I found Anderson’s book most interesting when he told about her life after her marriage to Almanzo Wilder and their life in Mansfield, Missouri. Those children familiar with the Little House books will most likely enjoy reading more about Wilder and her love for family, the land, and children.

[Scash · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was fascinating to me. I learned so much more about Laura's life from this biography than what the tv show and her books cover. Laura started writing the Little House series IN HER 60'S! Amazing that she could remember so many details. Also, I was surprised to learn she only had one surviving child and from what I could discern her daughter Rose, had no living children. It saddens me that she doesn't have any descendents. Laura's life changed so much over the course of her 90+ years...covered wagons and horses to trains to cars to her first airplane ride at 87! Such an inspiring person and the actual photos of Laura included in the biography added 'realness' to the story of her life!

[Zoe · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an easy read - might be considered a YA level of biography, andyone 12 and up could read it, but the average person knows so little about Mrs. Wilder's later life. It tells a great deal about her time in the Ozarks, how she became a write late in life but didn't write the Little House series until she was in her 70's, and just how famous she and her daughter were. (Rose Wilder Lane was a bestselling author). If you've ever closed the last of the Little House books and wondered what happened next, this is definitely worth a couple hours of your time.

[Rosa Cline · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a really nice Biography of Laura and her families...and later in the book it almost is a biography of Rose. But with Laura and Rose being so close it would almost be hard to keep the two lives separate in telling of Laura's you had to mix some of Rose's in. It has some photos of the Ingallas and the Wilders and where they lived etc.

It was told with some actual quotes from Laura or Rose which made it nice. It was kind of story form but yet told almost as if the author was sitting beside you visiting with you.

This version didn't let on that the Wilder's had a very tough life, where as another book I read let me to believe their lives were very hard and Almonzo was ALWAYS sick. But he lived to be 90 and worked his farm almost up until his death. (As did Laura) It also told of her writing her stories and her interaction (when she was able) with children or adults in book signings etc. which again is different than I had read before as before they implied Laura hated to be out in public and didn't like children very much at all... but according to this biography she loved children and hated to not write them all back from the mail she received. Or she loved having visitors stop and she would entertain them with milk and cookies and often telling them her stories. I learnt quite a bit from this book.

[Black Cat Bookshelves · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have grown up watching Little House on the Prairie all of my life. To read Laura’s words and think back on the episodes. Or to hear the actual relationships between some and realize how they differ from the happy loving relationships depicted in the show was a surprise. I actually am left with a real sense of sadness. Having read of each persons death. These people who were locked into my mind as the ones I grew up watching. I feel like I am almost grieving for them. I am also highly impressed at how accomplished Laura and her daughter Rose were in their lives. Anyone who has grown up with Little House, I would highly recommend this. I have a few that I now want to read that expand on Laura and Almonzo’s stories!