Pioneer Days: The Works of Laura Ingalls Wilder

[BinkyBetsy]

Definitely read them in publication order.

mugsy said:

History implies that the New World was "won" by all those hard-scrabbling menfolk, but because of writings from women like LIW, I think we know better.

Word. Does anyone remember that bit in The Stand (it may have been only in the extended edition) where Frannie gives this silent prayer: "Thank you men for leveling the playing field, without which women wouldn't have this nonsense about equality." I didn't know which I wanted to do more: punch Steven King in the face, or send him copies of The Way We Never Were...and the Little House books!

[Deleted]

I haven't picked up one of these books since maybe, 13 years ago, so I've forgotten a lot of what happened. Loved them though! After reading this thread I had to look at the new covers. Creeeepy. I also stumbled upon this Little House quiz, which seems to be a rip off of pretty much every lame teen magazine quiz I've ever taken.


Are you a Nellie or a Laura?

One question:

"You come home from a friend’s house and realize that you can’t find your new ipod. You:
A: Get really worried but bravely go tell your family you need help. It was a special gift from them and you don’t want them to think you were careless.
B: Scream for everyone in the house to help you. And if they can’t find it, no problem. You’re sure if you cry hard enough, they’ll get you a new one.
C: Scour your room and look in all the possible places. You don’t want to tell anyone you’ve lost it until you’re sure it’s gone. And in the meantime, you need time alone to start thinking of how best to convince them to get you a new one."

[Deleted]

Thanks for the link to the quiz, almondjoy! I'm a blend of both Laura and Nellie qualities, but aren't we all?

I trekked to both Walnut Grove, MN and De Smet, SD this July. It was an amazing experience (I went alone since nobody in my circle of friends has quite my dorkiness affection for LH), but I was surprised to come away from the trip with an incredible amount of sympathy for Mary. I know - shocking, right? In the books she comes across as such a priss, but there are a number of artifacts on display in De Smet that are really touching - especially her poetry, as dictated to Ma. Really, it was beautifully-written. And the beadwork was gorgeous- far more intricate than I'd imagined. I guess seeing her stuff made her way more three-dimensional to me, you know?

It's a trip I'd recommend if you've got the interest in LH. It's not crazy expensive, and it's really touching to get to see things like the cottonwood trees that Pa planted. Not that I'd, you know, nick a few leaves of them to press and keep or anything. Nuh-uh. Not me.

I post on a LH board with people I've met in the really fun TWoP LH thread (really, it's blast, check it out), and a few of us are making plans to do a meet-up in Mansfield. I'm hoping that it, indeed, comes to fruition, because so many of the things I need to see (like Pa's fiddle!) are there. And to be able to see it with like-minded people? A dream come true.

[dwanollah]

I didn't eat plums from the trees On the Banks of Plum Creek and keep the pits, neither. No way.

Jenius, are you talkin' 'bout the Stagecoach to Hell? Y'all're planning a meet-up?! I'M SO THERE!

I'm visiting my brother Sugarbear, and for some reason, we got started on the LHOTP quotes the other night over dinner. It started when he was talking about his passive-aggressive stupid relationship with his fuckbuddy and how even though he was going to dump her, he still was planning to spend money he doesn't have to take her away for the weekend. And I interjected with "You're SUCH A GOOD FRIEND, Sugie!" and he lost it. After that, it was nuthin' but "Eeeeeelmer!" and "Them's snails!" and "No! No! I never-! I never-! ARGH!"

Which has nothing to do with the books, I know. So I took the quiz, and I, too, am a "mix" of Nellie and Laura. And if anyone mentions slash, I'll kick your ass! ;D

[Sunnyhorse]

jenius said:

I post on a LH board with people I've met in the really fun TWoP LH thread (really, it's blast, check it out), and a few of us are making plans to do a meet-up in Mansfield. I'm hoping that it, indeed, comes to fruition, because so many of the things I need to see (like Pa's fiddle!) are there. And to be able to see it with like-minded people? A dream come true.

If you'll be flying into or driving through St. Louis -- you could end up flying into Kansas City or Tulsa, I know -- on your way, Jenius, drop me a line in advance and we can have a little Greecie meetup!

[Deleted]

dwanollah said:

Jenius, are you talkin' 'bout the Stagecoach to Hell? Y'all're planning a meet-up?! I'M SO THERE!

Indeed, I am. And, indeed, you should be there! I'd planned on going Hell or high water next summer, but once there was talk of such a thing, a few others were truly interested in doing it. Because of financial, physical, or family-type issues, we all agreed to shoot for summer, 2009, and we've kind of adopted "the mline leading the mline in '09" as our rallying cry. Or "girls gone Wilder". Heh.

Because I want to do a LH trip each summer, I'm going to the Wilder farm in Malone, NY next year. It's not too far from where I am to spend a weekend there. Anyone been?

I'll definitely do that, sunnyhorse! I've never met a real, live Greecie! (Now I'm kicking myself for not looking for Twin Cities Greecies last summer - I ended up wandering around Minneapolis by my lonesome. Which was cool, but company would have been fun.)

[lefty]

I have read these books so many times over I can probably recite them word for word.

I agree, Laura seemed so very meh about Almanzo. Perhaps she was too shy/modest to record her true feelings. Maybe she thought it was more ladylike to be aloof...whatever. I hope she was warmer to Almanzo in real life.

Some thoughts always stand out in my mind whenever I read these books. First, why did Pa keep moving? Talk about making life hard for yourself. If I was him, I would have just stayed in those big woods. At least that way they would have been surrounded by family and the kids could have gone to school. But no, they had to keep picking up and building umpteen houses, and digging I don't know how many wells. It freaked me out when he would send the candle down the well to see if everything was OK. And then when Mr. Scott passed out...*shudders*.

Seriously, it made me sad to read that they drove away from Grandma and Grandpa and all the aunts, uncles and cousins (when they left the big woods). If Charles and Caroline had stayed in Wisconsin, perhaps they could have improved on their situation and made some money, instead of moving themselves out to the middle of nowhere, struggling alone to build a new house. They are lucky they didn't get scalped that one night when the indians were having that war jamboree.

Another thing that freaked me out, and was so casually mentioned in the books, was when the Boasts wanted to take baby Rose in exchange for a horse. Hey y'all, just leave the baby with us. On your way out, go to the barn and take your pick....

Almanzo came from a rather large family, same with Laura. Of them all, few had children of their own. Actually, none of Laura's sisters had children.

My biggest peeve when reading the books...why couldn't Jack ride in the wagon? It pissed me off no-end that poor dog had to "trot" under the wagon from state to state. Of course if they heard a wolf they were ready to send Jack to his death to defend them, but they couldn't even give the little guy a ride?

[Smee]

I remember hoping Black Susan would be OK when they just up and abandoned her in the big woods. And yeah - poor Jack. I wouldn't like to see the outcome of a wolf vs. bulldog fight.

[Deleted]

lefty said:

Some thoughts always stand out in my mind whenever I read these books. First, why did Pa keep moving?

*snip*

My biggest peeve when reading the books...why couldn't Jack ride in the wagon? It pissed me off no-end that poor dog had to "trot" under the wagon from state to state. Of course if they heard a wolf they were ready to send Jack to his death to defend them, but they couldn't even give the little guy a ride?

Ma said in the books that Pa had "wanderlust". I don't think it was uncommon at the time. Nowadays, we'd label a guy like that a Peter Pan or a commitmentphobe. Back then, he was a Pioneer, Manifest Destiny's Warrior.

Re. Jack: The books don't mention exactly how many miles they traveled per day, but a dog can trot on grass for a tremendously long time without discomfort. It's the whole quadriped thing. They're built for it. I always pictured Jack snacking on groundhogs along the way! ;D As far as the wolves go, Jack wasn't likely a bulldog in the way that breed is identified today. The "English" bulldog was much bigger with longer legs and a smaller, less deformed head in the 19th century, but they weren't then common in the US. Jack was probably closer to a pitbull/Staffordshire, a breed that could take on a wolf without blinking twice.

[octoberwitch]

This was my very favorite series as a little girl. I suggest that everyone who liked the series look for a biography of Rose Wilder Lane. (Laura's daughter.) She was an international journalist and quite a feminist icon.