I love all about the life of Laura Ingalls Wilder

I read the entire Little House Books as a child and re-read them all in 2007. Then I stumbled upon this one and it tells the true story of Laura's life, which is a bit different from the story in her series (that's why her books are considered fiction). This book reveals many interesting details that she left out of her books and it also continued on with her story, right up to her death. The book includes photos of her and her family, and certain artifacts.

I just got this book on a wim from the liabrary. I was a massive Little House fan when I was child, and still have my books now! I read this book in a day and a half, could not put it down. I know it is written for young adults but I learned allot about the woman who was my favorite author for my early years. A great book, lots of great information and pictures.

I bought this book for my 10-year-old for Christmas, and she's been wanting me to read it. We are both a little obsessed with the Little House series. So I took a couple hours today to read Laura's biography, and I have very mixed feelings. Pros: There are photographs! There is a great map showing relevant points of interest! And now I know how the rest of Laura's life went after The First Four Years. Now for the cons, or rather, CON: I need more details! I want to know more about how Ma and Pa and the sisters lived after Laura left and got married. I want to know why Laura didn't have more children. I want to know if Rose remarried (since much of the second half of this book is about her.) Mainly I want to know exactly when and how all the rest of her family died! It really only describes Pa's death. Why did Mary and Grace die so young? Are there absolutely NO Ingalls descendants?

Interesting personal fact -- Laura was pretty contemporary with my great-great-grandmother, who also homesteaded in the Dakota territory when she immigrated from Austria.

My high rating of four stars is partly for nostalgia and partly because I think it is intended for a younger audience. If I didn't love the Ingalls family so much I would probably give this book three stars.

A wonderful read about a fabulous family. And I find that we are related way back when Sarah/3 Farnum married Henry Ingalls in Andover Massachusetts.

This was enjoyable and would be for any Laura fan. I learned new things and it was a short read.

Premier Ingalls-Wilder biographer Bill Anderson has crafted an accessible biography for YA and adults who want to know the author of the "Little House" books. The writing is clear and just enough detail to help readers want to know more - and they can turn to additional LIW biographies by Anderson. I wish that HarperCollins had designed this title in a more attractive format with photos inserted throughout the text.

Laura Ingalls Wilder: A Biography by William Anderson was my favorite book that I read this month during the LIW challenge. This biography covered Laura’s life from her pioneering days to her golden years. It was written for readers of any age and a pleasure to read!

I most enjoyed reading about was Laura’s life after she and Almanzo and Rose settled in Mansfield Missouri at their Rocky Ridge Farm. It was so interesting to follow their work and development of their Rocky Ridge Farm, Laura’s progression from writing magazine/newspaper articles to her books, as well as her strong support to helping the farming wife.

Not having read much other than the Little House on the Prairie books, I was surprised to read that Laura didn’t really start her writing career till she was in her sixties. Laura credited her own success in writing to help and encouragement from Rose, her daughter who also was a well known writer.

After focusing this month on reading about pioneering and our country’s westward expansion, I sit in awe of those who had the courage, strength and tenacity to walk that path. We owe a great debt to those who forged west in search of new lands, open spaces and a new way of life.

At a time when our faith in our country and government is being tested along with our current challenging economic times, it has been renewing for me to contemplate what our ancestors accomplished, the challenges they faced and overcame and the life they created for themselves.

I walk away from this reading challenge with hope, determination and encouragement. I am not sure I would have made a good pioneer but I am grateful for those who took up the challenge and forged a new way of life. They did not given in to defeat but kept moving on, trying new ways and most of all, never giving up on their dreams.

An excellent and more thorough understanding of Laura Ingalls' life, where and how her father moved them, and how she ended up marrying Almanzo Wilder and making a life with him and their daughter Rose in Missouri.

Highly recommended!

In 1947, a group of schoolchildren invited Laura to celebrate her birthday with them. She was unable to attend, but wrote them a letter. The end of the letter is quoted here:

"The Little House books are stories of long ago. The way we live and your schools are much different now, so many changes have made living and learning easier. But the real things haven't changed. It is still best to be honest and truthful; to make the most of what we have; to be happy with simple pleasures and to be cheerful and have courage when things go wrong."

Good words to remember.

Enjoyed the real story of Laura and look forward to reading her books with my daughter, as I mostly have the television series in my mind. I could visualize everything the author wrote and was very interested in learning about her writing career and how she treated get fans so nicely no matter the time or place.

A quick and easy read, the biography was a nice relaxing way to spend my evening.

A heart-warming labor of love.