A review by akingston5
The Wilder Life: My Adventures in the Lost World of Little House on the Prairie by Wendy McClure
5.0
As a huge lifelong fan of Laura Ingalls Wilder and The Little House series, this book was so great for me to be reminded of the magic and excitement and feelings I associate with those books and my childhood, while also feeling a camaraderie with McClure as she interprets her experiences. I love that so many things came back to me reading this, and yet there were still things that I learned.
I think the best part though, is McClure is really true to her experiences, especially in what seems to be the climatic point which is the visit to DeSmet, the last of the Ingalls Homesteads. I love that she wasn't just filled with inspiration and that there was something missing, because I think secretly though all LHOP friends will talk about the excitements of visiting a LHOP stop, there is a longing and hollowness that remains, and does so for a variety of reasons.
McClure does a nice job of wrapping the story back around to her mother's death, which in a round about way started this journey, although I felt that I wanted something more from this-- but all in all I think the book is really well put together, flows smoothly, I truly did laugh out loud during some scenes, and was taken with emotion at others.
Definitely recommend this read if you too are a LHOP fan!
I think the best part though, is McClure is really true to her experiences, especially in what seems to be the climatic point which is the visit to DeSmet, the last of the Ingalls Homesteads. I love that she wasn't just filled with inspiration and that there was something missing, because I think secretly though all LHOP friends will talk about the excitements of visiting a LHOP stop, there is a longing and hollowness that remains, and does so for a variety of reasons.
McClure does a nice job of wrapping the story back around to her mother's death, which in a round about way started this journey, although I felt that I wanted something more from this-- but all in all I think the book is really well put together, flows smoothly, I truly did laugh out loud during some scenes, and was taken with emotion at others.
Definitely recommend this read if you too are a LHOP fan!