Customer Reviews

Women's Diaries of the Westward Journey

5 star:		(15)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I purchased this book to read more about Jane Gould Tourtillot, who, it turns out, was my great-grandfather's aunt by marriage. For me, this book provided a glimpse into her world, and by extension, my world. I can't imagine riding a wagon or walking for miles wearing a long-sleeved, long dress in scorching heat. Or, for that matter, preparing meals, being pregnant, taking care of children, or burying a loved one on the side of the road. But these women did all these things in stride. Modern women focus on what women weren't able to do in the 19th century but this book shows that women have always been strong, brave and capable. It's a wonderful book which you will enjoy for years to come.

Divided into thirds, Women's Diaries of the Westward Journey, illustrates the difficulties of being in the first wave of those brave pioneers who headed west in search of a better life. These were the trail blazing families, there were no shelters along the way, all they had was what was with them. In the second wave of pioneer trekkers one finds larger wagon trains, mostly families and some brave women who set out alone. This group had the advantage of following a trail already laid out although because of weather, Indians or the terrain detours were often made, nonetheless, they had the good fortune of occasionally finding an outpost or fort. With the third wave of pioneers one finds the wealthy, some coming in fine carriages, forgoing the famed Conestoga wagon, the wealthy often came with their servants who would set a fine table of linen and silver in the prarie grasses. Most remarkable in this book, which I could not lay down and in part read aloud to my husband, was how these women simply accepted their lot and made their lives. Their physical and psychological strength is compelling. Women had little choice but to head West if their husband so desired. Packing up, many of them realized they would never be returning to family and friends. What does one do if when sitting in a damp Conestoga wagon, in the midst of the prarie a thousand miles from nowhere while nursing a seven-month-old, and being mother of six other children all along on this trek, one finds that their husband has just died in a hunting accident. When I think of the ease of our lives today, even for the worst off of us, this book taught me that our complaints of not having the dry cleaning ready on time, or the market being out of Roma tomatoes or the manicurist not being able to squeeze in my appointment when I want it, is really not very important. The hardships these women faced and yet struggled on in give the reader a greater appreciation of our times. This book is illustrated with actual photographs of various women who were part of the overland trek and the bibliography is splendid for further research. Our book club here in Newport Beach, CA will be reading this selection in December, and I am looking forward to their comments as well as yours. This review was written by Jacquelyn Beauregard Dillman, Newport Beach Public Library Foundation Board.

This is an incredible opportunity to journey into the past through the real-life writings of women who traveled west by wagons on the Overland Trail (1841-1867). Read what two women thought when they came across the waters from a hot spring -- one woman expresses her worry that Satan must be close by while another writes about the great convenience of being able to make quick a cup of tea! There are many stories that will make you laugh, cry, and wonder about the hardships and triumphs all these diary writers faced. This is a book you will read over and over again.

An excellent compilation of diaries of women traveling by covered wagons in the 1800s. Lillian Schlissel, the author, did extensive research, and, when possible, was able to give the reader information as to what happened to these women after their journies. The author was able to comment on the lack of personal details in the diaries by giving some history of "the culture of the times". What the women did share with us in their diaries was heartrending and I found myself brought to tears and full of gratitude for the comforts on my modern-day farm. A good read, and definitely worthy of keeping in the home library.

A trip to Bodie, California, the incredible ghost town in the Eastern Sierras, sent me on a quest to find everything I could about the life and times of women in the 1840's on. I was so amazed by the strength of these women and the hardships they coped with. It makes modern life with all it's conveniences nearly obscene in comparison. The diaries demonstrate how shielded these women kept of their intimate details. The birth and pregnancies were rarely referred to, which is so unfortunate for it would be fascinating to hear more of their experiences and their feelings of having multiple life-threatening births. You do not have to be a student to enjoy this book.

This very personal and human account of daily life on the trail, is an indispensible guide for anyone who really wants to understand the kind of people who settled the west. Diaries and in-depth commentaries heighten the reader's awareness and admiration for these valient travelers. Schlissel's scholarship is excellent, her conclusions are wise and sensitive.

One of the best and entertainment history books that I have ever read. You cannot stop when you start reading this book. It also have a lot of pictures, so you can visualize what the author is talking about. We learn how it was difficult for women to travel West, so they can have a better future. Author did a lot of research to write this book. Author did a great job. I recommend you to read it.

The thing I liked best about this realistic book was the author's explanations and details that went along with each pioneer woman's diary or letter. The author has done a great job keeping everything in order and the book was well written. I found the details to be a little dry (only because, as explained by the author, the women never describe their true feelings in their writings- just the bare facts).

Lillian Schlissel did an immense amount of work in brining this book to light. The book is broken up into four main parts, three of which are dedicated to diary summaries. Schlissel has broken up the chapters according to periods of time (1841-1850, 1851-1855 and 1856-1867). The final chapter is the diaries themselves, along with a map of the Over Land Trail as well as some interesting but academic charts.

As a historical work "Women's Diaries..." brings as up close to the people, especially the women, who risked everything including theirs lives and the lives of their children to cross this once wild land. Pictures pepper the book of hard looking women as well as their ragged families, usually gathered to morn their dead. I can't think of a better book to learn about the personal sacrifices of the westward migration.

As a book read for informative pleasure "Women's Diaries..." still works, mostly because of Schlissel's strong attachment to her work. Granted she stays removed from her feelings (as a good historian should), but the organization of this book, the pictures she uses, the entry's she highlights, shows us that she has a great passion for these woman's stories. A passion she wishes to share with us. It's not a book that everyone can or should read for pleasure, but for those who love the west, history, or woman's studies...this is an important work.

The pleasure of the book is the diaries and it is too bad that more space isn't devoted to them. Ms Schlissel spends a great deal of time talking about the diaries and her comentary does not add much to the women's words.

She points out numerous times that women do not discuss about bodily functions and pregnancy/child birth in their diaries. She points out that the women feared death, counting graves and dead animals along the trail. Well, the diaries were written in the middle years of the 19th century. Once the point is raised we have no idea if this is unusual for women's diaries and letters in America or England? She makes no comparison; the simple repetition adds nothing.

Her discussions are interesting, but her assumptions occasionally run hard into fact. She continually talks about women and children riding in the wagons, actually women and children walked to save the draft animals. She obsesses, like the diaries about indians. The obsession is false. More people died from accidents and many more died from illness than from indian conflicts. Perhaps a little more research in the writings of Dale Morgan or other historians of the west and the Oregon Trail could have eliminated these and other errors.

The focus on women's diaries is valuable. The 4 histories and diaries in the appendices are a treat. However, there are other better discussions of the Oregon and California trail experience.

PS The Indian and French place names of Oregon Territory are often mis-pronounced by Jeanne Hopson in the Books on Tape version of the book.