Letters of a Woman Homesteader (Paperback)

by Elinore Pruitt Stewart (Author) "Are you thinking I am lost, like the Babes in the Wood?..." (more)
Key Phrases: Cora Belle, Miss Em'ly, Zebulon Pike (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly
George provides biographical insight into the author of the 1914 pioneer classic Letters of a Woman Homesteader , giving a detailed presentation of Stewart's previously uncollected letters. Photos.
Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

From School Library Journal
Grade 7 Up–After deciding that city life as a laundress wasn't for her, Elinore Pruitt, a young widowed mother, accepted an offer to assist with a ranch in Wyoming, work that she found exceedingly more rewarding. In this delightful collection of letters, she describes these experiences to her former employer, Mrs. Coney. Pruitt's charming descriptions of work, travels, neighbors, animals, land and sky have an authentic feel. The West comes alive, and everyday life becomes captivating. Her writing is clear, witty, and entertaining. The 26 letters are brief and tell about her life on the ranch in the early 1900s. The author frequently and unnecessarily apologizes for being too wordy; she begs forgiveness for many "faults," like being forgetful, ungrateful, inconsistent and indifferent, all without apparent cause. On occasion, language reflects the racial prejudice of the time. Many times, Pruitt attempts to portray the culturally diverse characters she meets by writing their various dialects as they sound. Kate Fleming's narration is as smooth as the writing, perfectly transitioning from one accent to the next. She reads with a calm, down-to-earth tone, which suits the writing well.–Kariana Cullen Gonzales, Lincoln Consolidated High School, Ypsilanti, MI
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to the Audio CD edition.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 320 pages
• Publisher: Mariner Books (May 15, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0395911516
• ISBN-13: 978-0395911518
• Product Dimensions: 7.5 x 4.9 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (15 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #164,073 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

64 of 69 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Proud to be progeny, November 20, 1999

By A Customer

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.

29 of 29 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An intriguing look into the past of America's frontier, July 7, 1999

By A Customer

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.

19 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A great, authentic read about the American experience, February 15, 1999

By A Customer

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.