Customer Reviews

Letters of a Woman Homesteader (Women of the West)

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Since this Kindle book has no introduction or information on the book page, I copied a publishers note I found on on the Google books website which provides some background information about the author. "The writer of the following letters is a young woman who lost her husband in a railroad accident and went to Denver to seek support for herself and her two-year-old daughter, Jerrine. Turning her hand to the nearest work, she went out by the day to work as a housecleaner and laundress. Later, seeking to better herself, she accepted employment as a housekeeper for a well-to-do Scottish cattleman, Mr. Stewart, who had taken up a quarter-section in Wyoming. The letters, written through several years to a former employer in Denver, tell of her new life in the new country. They are genuine letters, and are printed as written, except for occasional omissions and alterations of names."

The letters begin in 1909, apparently right after a homestead act made it possible for the author, Elinore Pruitt Stewart, to claim a homestead of 160 acres in Wyoming. Ms. Stewart is a very resourceful woman as well as a wonderful story-teller. She explains that she never received formal education but she refers to current literature so I am guessing that she has learned to write from her interest in reading. Apparently she was a prolific author in her time and one of her descendants has published a book about her. (There are pictures of her on the web and more information if you want to know more about her.)

Elinore has a cheerful and pragmatic approach to life making her well-written letters a lot of fun to read. She mostly writes about events, usually involving meeting some of the other inhabitants of the area, ranging from mountain men to Mormons. She loves to go camping and several times recounts setting out on her horse with her baby and camping in the wilderness. She brings very little supplies, catching trout and snaring rabbits for food. She also does some description of her everyday life which apparently was very busy and full of hard work but she always describes it as fulfilling.

I enjoyed this slice of life from another time. It is a quick fun read and definitely worth the price!

This was a great peek into the life of a woman homesteader. I was delighted to see (through Ms. Pruitt's writings) how many other women homesteaders there were in that time. She has such an engaging writing style and it kept me riveted for the entire collection of letters.

By chance I noticed that one of the films on my netflix list is called Heartland. It's a movie from 1980 whose main character, Elinor, is based on these writings. I'm looking forward to seeing the movie even more after reading these letters.

If you like smart, spunky, DIY characters, you'll love Ms. Pruitt's writings.

Letters of a Woman Homesteader

This was recommended in one of Jessamyn West's memos. It was so interesting I could not put it down. How courageous this woman was and what a great sense of humor. If you ever thought life was too hard to move forward, just read this book and become inspired!

Elinore Pruitt Stewart was my grandmother, my father's mother. She died before I was born; I deeply regret never getting to know her, as she was a remarkable woman. Readers who enjoyed the book might also enjoy the film made from it- "Heartland", directed by Taylor Hackford and starring Conchata Ferrill as Elinore and Rip Torn as Clyde. It is available on video. The script was originally conceived by the Wilderness Women's Project at the University of Montana. My father and mother got to play bit roles as wedding guests. Elinore also wrote "Letters On An Elk Hunt", as well as many short pieces for periodicals of the day.

At first, the thought of reading letters from nearly a hundred years ago held very little interest for me but from the second page I was hooked. Just over four hours later I was done reading, and was equipped with a whole new view of not only life in the early 20th century but of the impact woman had on it. Worth reading by both woman and man alike.

I hardly know where to begin. I have nothing but unstinting praise for these letters and the book, except for . . . well, I'll get to that in a moment. Elinore Stewart's writing is a model to be followed by anyone of any time or place on any subject. Clear as a bell, concise yet comprehensive, replete with localisms and skillfully rendered frontier humor, it makes one want to toss the PC and reference library into the trash and move to some unspoiled wilderness. Yet, a caveat. When you finish the book you feel you know this indomitable woman. Then it suddenly strikes you that you don't. Who was Elinore Pruitt Stewart? Where was she born, grow up? Who was the railroader who fathered her daughter, and most of all, what happened to her?

What a delightful and uplifting book. I have always been under the impression that life was so dreary for these folks who were homesteaders. But instead, I have been able to see from one perspective how joyous the experience could be. What a wonderful life Elinore made for herself and everyone else. She obviously knew how to make something out of nothing. A young widow who worked as a laundress and then a housekeeper just so she could experience homesteading. Wonderful! Just the sort of spirit needed to be successful. The cast of characters that surrounded her stories are amazing. What a lovely picture of how people helped out each other. It's almost unheard of in todays "get out of my way" society. This is a book I shall keep and reread often. I am so glad that it came my way.

Too bad the cover classifies this as dutiful-sounding "women's studies," as it is first-class enjoyable reading for we menfolk, as well. It is an unvarnished account of the pioneer experience without the intrusion of Hollywood veneer or New York editing, and is all the better for it. Anyone with roots in the Midwest or West is going to relate 100% to this saga.

A wonderful collection of beautiful letters that provide amazing insight into a single mother's adventures in and around the Rocky Mountains in the very early 20th century. Highly recommended for everyone.

My first kindle book, and what an unexpectedly joyful find! Elinore is a delightful and thoughtful woman, full of inspirational stories which will enchant modern readers. I wish I had a quarter of her energy and bravery. Highly recommended.