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readerpants's review against another edition
4.0
After reading Nothing Daunted: The Unexpected Education of Two Society Girls in the West and seriously wishing there had been more primary source materials (big flaw in that book), guess what should be donated to our library's ten cent book sale but this marvelous wry, funny collection of letters! I just wish there had been more. It's episodic -- lots of holes in the overall story because there just aren't that many letters -- but pretty much delightful and completely fascinating.
Caveat: includes some short examples of casual 1909 racism... sigh. Elinore, if only you'd known better! Taking away a star for it, though.
Caveat: includes some short examples of casual 1909 racism... sigh. Elinore, if only you'd known better! Taking away a star for it, though.
robynryle's review against another edition
3.0
These are real letters from a woman homesteader that read like a well-written novel. It's so well written that at times it's hard to believe it isn't a novel, but Elinore Stewart leaps off the pages as a fully formed woman who loves the outdoors and freedom and independence. Lovely.
sarahcoller's review against another edition
3.0
I enjoyed reading this---mainly because it was fun to imagine "old Wyoming". Also, some of the characters came from Arkansas, namely Yell County, so that was fun. I would recommend not reading the forward if one doesn't want the entire thing summed up in a few short paragraphs.
mattbeatty's review against another edition
4.0
These letters make for a fascinating narrative and descriptive journal of Mrs. Stewart's life, moving from the city to a Wyoming homestead, marrying and still having the determination to homestead ON HER OWN. She is a very positive, optimistic individual, generous and giving, nearly always seeing the positive in others. Her words and attitude are inspirational.
Whether tidbits are fabricated or exaggerated is a bit of topic of debate. However, the general storylines, characters, and situations are nonfiction, and it is quite fascinating to see the interrelations of early Western life, homesteading and cattle ranching. Mrs. Stewart always leaves a few choice words regarding her luck and love in life.
She sees the beauty in everything: "Everything, even the barrenness, was beautiful" (28). She incorporates some faith (though seemingly nondenominational) into her awe with Wyoming's natural beauty: "when you get among such grandeur you get to feel how little you are and how foolish is human endeavor, except that which reunites us with the mighty force called God" (30). Choice bits of attitude and knowledge: "I am the luckiest woman in finding really lovely people and having really happy experiences. Good things are constantly happening to me" (62). "Those who try know that strength and knowledge come with doing" (282). She is humorous (and loves camping): "fastidiousness about food is a good thing to get rid of when you come West to camp" (166). And she can maintain a wintry mountain scene with pure love and passion, bubbling up your own feelings and sentiments: "I love the flicker of an open fire, the smell of the pines, the pure, sweet air, and I went to sleep thinking how blest I was to be able to enjoy the things I love most" (198).
I just recently purchased her other "official" letters collection, Letters From an Elk Hunt, and I'm excited to read it.
Whether tidbits are fabricated or exaggerated is a bit of topic of debate. However, the general storylines, characters, and situations are nonfiction, and it is quite fascinating to see the interrelations of early Western life, homesteading and cattle ranching. Mrs. Stewart always leaves a few choice words regarding her luck and love in life.
She sees the beauty in everything: "Everything, even the barrenness, was beautiful" (28). She incorporates some faith (though seemingly nondenominational) into her awe with Wyoming's natural beauty: "when you get among such grandeur you get to feel how little you are and how foolish is human endeavor, except that which reunites us with the mighty force called God" (30). Choice bits of attitude and knowledge: "I am the luckiest woman in finding really lovely people and having really happy experiences. Good things are constantly happening to me" (62). "Those who try know that strength and knowledge come with doing" (282). She is humorous (and loves camping): "fastidiousness about food is a good thing to get rid of when you come West to camp" (166). And she can maintain a wintry mountain scene with pure love and passion, bubbling up your own feelings and sentiments: "I love the flicker of an open fire, the smell of the pines, the pure, sweet air, and I went to sleep thinking how blest I was to be able to enjoy the things I love most" (198).
I just recently purchased her other "official" letters collection, Letters From an Elk Hunt, and I'm excited to read it.
needleclicker's review against another edition
informative
inspiring
medium-paced
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Racism and Child death
sburnes's review against another edition
4.0
Me gustó mucho. Cuenta la vida diaria de una pionera y cómo en aquella época había mujeres con una fortaleza sin igual.
rachelb36's review against another edition
5.0
This book is delightful. It consists of 26 letters written between 1909 and 1913 by Elinore Stewart to a former employer, Mrs. Coney, and details her everyday (and sometimes out of the ordinary) happenings in Wyoming as a new homesteader.
A couple of my favorite quotes:
"We forgot all about feuds and partings, death and hard times. All we remembered was that God is good and the world is wide and beautiful." (pg. 107)
"One morning [Jerrine] saw [the puppies] following their mother, so she danced for joy. When her little brother came she was plainly disappointed. "Mamma," she said, "did God really make the baby?" "Yes, dear." "Then He hasn't treated us fairly, and I should like to know why. The puppies could walk when He finished them; the calves can, too. The pigs can, and the colt, and even the chickens. What is the use of giving us a half-finished baby?" (pg. 135)
A couple of my favorite quotes:
"We forgot all about feuds and partings, death and hard times. All we remembered was that God is good and the world is wide and beautiful." (pg. 107)
"One morning [Jerrine] saw [the puppies] following their mother, so she danced for joy. When her little brother came she was plainly disappointed. "Mamma," she said, "did God really make the baby?" "Yes, dear." "Then He hasn't treated us fairly, and I should like to know why. The puppies could walk when He finished them; the calves can, too. The pigs can, and the colt, and even the chickens. What is the use of giving us a half-finished baby?" (pg. 135)
kararkoehn's review
4.0
Wow. Pretty crazy that all that stuff actually happened to a person in history. It sounded fictional it was so well written.