I've read the Little House books, and sure, I remember liking them, but apparently lots of people get really, really into them. In researching this book, Wendy McClure read virtually every historical document, biography and scholarly article about Laura Ingalls Wilder and Rose Wilder Lane. She visited every site mentioned in the books (and some that aren't) and did some Little House-style cooking and living projects. But it wasn't a re-hash of the "live like ___________ for a year" kind of trope that I'm getting a bit tired of.
If you are a truly devoted Laura fan, you may not enjoy the book as much as I did because it is a warts-and-all portrayal--and there were apparently some warts.
I loved McClure's examination of what the books mean to different people, and what writing them might have meant for Laura and Rose. The last chapter was especially wonderful. And throughout the book, there were moments that I giggled aloud. Plus I felt like I learned something. Can it get any better than that?
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