Customer Reviews

A Little House Traveler: Writings from Laura Ingalls Wilder's Journeys Across America

5 star:		(10)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This book contains "On the Way Home" and "West from Home," which I (and most other die-hard fans) already own and have read. However, this book is worth purchasing if only for the never before published "The Road Home." The journal of Laura's trip back to De Smet is a fabulous purchase for anyone who loves all things Laura. In it, she gives her impressions of the towns along the way, as well as her feelings about the people and places of South Dakota. The reader gets a view of the real Laura in this book! Buy it!

This book is a must for all fans that have not yet experienced On the Way Home and West from Home. My only problem is why publish The Road Back with the other books and not separate so fans that have the other two stories can just read The Road Back. I know that it is hand to have all three together in hardcover; the book will last much longer than the paperback version of On the Way Home and West From Home. West from Home is the best part. The letters are descriptive and full of color. This part holds your interest. The historical introduction of West From Home is missing, but it is not needed. It basically states that the city had rebuilt within six years of the earthquake and was ready to hold the fair. On the Way Home is good. Rose Wilder Lane's introduction and conclusion are written from a sophisticated yet childish viewpoint. She talks like herself at the age of 7, when that trip took place. Laura's diary is simple, but full of interesting stories. The Road Back is a long read, with only a couple of highlights. It describes beautifully the Black Hills, and Laura's comments about Manly's driving are interested to read. However, the book to me mentions only slight changes that have occurred since they last saw South Dakota. The part about where they stayed on the way to and back is long. You do get a picture at Grace's delicate health and Carrie is mentioned briefly. In the introduction to the Road Back, there is one historical inaccuracy. Laura has seen South Dakota when she returned in 1902 to visited her dying father and then attended his funeral. It had thus been thirty years for her since she had gone home.

This is a must have for any fan of Laura Ingalls Wilder and her writings. Part 1 is titled "On The Way Home" and is a compilation of diary entries from Laura, Almanzo, and Rose's journey from DeSmet, SD to Mansfield, MO in 1894.

"West from Home" begins with an introduction by Roger Lea McBride. The letters and postcards featured in this part are those written by Wilder to her husband Almanzo from San Francisco in 1915 when she traveled to California to visit their daughter Rose Wilder Lane during the Panama-Pacific Internationl Exposition. Both "On the Way Home" and "West from Home" are available as separate titles for purchase.

"A Little House Traveler" adds Wilder's record of Laura and Almanzo's 1931 journey by car back to DeSmet, SD to those previously published travel entries and letters. In Part 3, which is titled "The Road Back" readers will find detailed entries about the price of gas, meals, and lodging while Wilder comments on the conditions of the towns they passed through and how much things had changed since they had moved away. These writings have never before been published. They were drafted after Wilder had finished writing her first book in the now famous Little House series.

"A Little House Traveler" is Laura Ingalls Wilder at her best, using her keen eye to bring the reader into a world that has since gone by.

I was pleased to find an omnibus collection containing "On the Way Home", 'West from Home", and "The Road Back".

Part One "On the Way Home" features diary entries about Laura, Almanzo and Rose Wilder's trip from South Dakota to Mansfield, Missouri in 1894.There are lots of historical B&W photographs in this book. In Part I there is a photograph of Rose Wilder at age 2 yrs and 4 months, photos of Laura and Almanzo, a picture of a sewing box made of cigar boxes by Almanzo as a first anniversary gift for Laura, a map of the journey, archival photographs of many of the places they passed through on the trip and even a photo of Rose's donkey Spookendyke!

Part II "West from Home" features letters and postcards written by Laura Ingalls Wilder to her husband Almanzo from San Francisco in 1915 when she was visitng their daughter Rose.The letters and postcards have been edited by Roger Lea Macbride [who also wrote the introduction]. Interspersed here are photographs including a photo of Ocean Beach in 1915, the Vallejo Street house in which Rose and her husband Gillette lived in, pictures taken at the Panama Pacific International Exposition, Chinatown in 1915, Market Street etc. At the end of Part II there is a condensed article by Laura titled "Magic In Plain Foods" which was published in the Missouri Ruralist on Nov 20th, 1915 [also contains recipes for Russian Forrest, Mexican Tamale Loaf, German Honey Cake, Italian White Tagliarini and its sauce, Croissants and Chinese Almond Cakes].

Part III features "The Road Back", a record of Laura's and Almanzo's [and dog Nero]trip by car [a 1923 Buick]back to De Smet, SD in 1931. The entries contain detailed expense lists of the price of gas, food, even shaving costs, as well as Laura's descriptions of the places they passed through. The total cost of the trip as listed by Laura [approx] was $120 for 4 weeks on the road, and 2,530 miles [truly the good ol' days!]

A precious little book that gives both fans and general readers alike a glimpse into a world and time long since past.

A Little House Traveler is for any Laura Ingalls Wilder fan who wants to know the adult Laura (along with husband Almanzo and daughter Rose) better. I appreciated so much about this book! I found myself enjoying the black and white photos and reading every footnote to better understand Laura.

A Little House Traveler is based on the writings (letters and diaries) of Laura. It's divided into three parts. In part one, we read of Laura, Almanzo, and Rose's journey by wagon from South Dakota to their new home in Mansfield, Missouri from Laura's diary. (This portion's reading was a bit slow.)

Laura's daughter, Rose, wrote to her parents asking them to come to San Francisco to visit. Though Almanzo (Manly) could not leave the farm for such a long time, Laura went at the age of 48 to see her 29 year old daughter and Rose's husband, Gillette. Laura traveled by train. She arrived in the late summer of 1915 and stayed on through the fall. Rose was a working woman-a writer- and part of the visit was dedicated to helping Laura polish her writing so that she may one day write about her childhood and be published. (HA!) She also had the privilege of visiting during the World's Fair (Exposition) many times during her visit. She wrote about it and was published in her newspaper back in Missouri upon her arrival home. The letters were written to Almanzo. A few letters from Rose to Almanzo were also included since they would have been mailed with Laura's letters.

"You know I have never cared for cities but San Francisco is simply the most beautiful thing. Set on the hills as it is with glimpses of the bay here and there and at night with the lights shining up and down the hills and the lights of ships on the water, it is like fairyland. I have not seen any of the Exposition yet. San Francisco itself would be wonderful enough for a year, but we will begin this week to go to the fair. You must not expect me to see it all for it has been figured out that it would cost $500 just to see the five-cent, ten-cent and twenty-five-cent attractions." ~ August 29, 1915, a portion from Laura's first letter to Manly from San Francisco

The letters to Manly from Laura are rich in history, too. World War I was at that time, and the bay was an open area. Some of the letters are amazingly long.

Many years pass before the next portion of the book. Part three is Laura's journals from Mansfield, Missouri to De Smet, South Dakota. It's 1931, so once again, we get a personal glimpse into history; this time it's the Great Depression. Laura is 64 and Manly is 74 years old. (Did anyone else think there was less of an age difference? In The Long Winter, I knew Manly lied about his age to get the land...and I thought it was much less than 10 years difference. Anyway...)

The drought's contribution to hard times during the Great Depression are quite apparent through Laura's journal entries. Laura also kept records of the cost of most of the trip to see her sisters Grace and Carrie. She wrote down the gas, meals, snacks, cabins, and other miscellaneous expenses, including what their dog ate and car repairs. Amazingly, the four weeks and 2,530 miles only cost $120 for round trip!

This was a fabulous book. I loved so much about it and highly recommend it for Little House fans. However, I will say that I'm not sure that children (even pre-teens) would love it so much, but it would certainly be great to include it in a classroom or homeschool study of any of the time periods mentioned above. Laura was always a writer, even when exhausted in the covered wagon. By the way, did you know Manly and even Rose called her Bess (or Mama Bess) so as not to confuse her with Almanzo's sister?

My only complaint about A Little House Traveler is that I believe credit should have been given (on the cover, not just within the book) to Rose Wilder Lane and Roger Lea MacBride for writing introductions to the different parts. Their contributions were very important (and lengthy) for the reader to understand the right setting. Obviously, this is minor, and it's a fabulous book giving great insight to Laura's adult life.

Yes, I'm giving this five stars, but that is as a Laura Ingalls Wilder fan...for other fans. It may bore others, though. :)

Big thanks to Harper Collins for providing this book for review purposes.

This is a wonderful book if you are a Laura fanatic. Her writing is much different than in her books as would be expected. It is great to see the loving relationship between Almanzo and Laura and her daughter, Rose. Very good info for historians who want some details about 3 specific eras in our history.

This book has 3 stories in it about Laura's adult life. Any LIW fan will love reading about their move to the Ozarks, her trip to San Francisco and the trip back to the Dakotas.

Excellent addition for Little House collectors. This book finished out Laura's story found in the previous set of nine books. Full of nice photos which add so much to Laura's journaling.

This was one of my favorites in the entire series. It has many never before published letters and great pictures. Really shows Laura's personality. A must read for any fan.

I was glad I noticed this collection of Laura's writings before purchasing them seperately.

If you are a LIW fan, this is a must-have and you will very much
enjoy the insight into her, Rose, Almonzo and others in their lives.

jR