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133 reviews for:
Nothing Daunted: The Unexpected Education of Two Society Girls in the West
Dorothy Wickenden
3.38 AVERAGE
133 reviews for:
Nothing Daunted: The Unexpected Education of Two Society Girls in the West
Dorothy Wickenden
3.38 AVERAGE
It was a little slow to get into, but I really enjoyed the story. I like historical books and found this story of two young women from high society heading off to the wilderness to teach school fascinating. The writing itself wasn't the most exciting, but the story was Interesting enough to hold my interest. I especially enjoyed that it was a true story and enjoyed the author sharing her experience visiting the location and meeting descendants of these two women. A good read.
Over the years, I've read lots of books like this: little corners of history, discovered by a non-historian, that somehow make it into published form. Sometimes the stories aren't terribly significant--the great significance is that wonderful primary sources have survived. But this book has a wealth of primary sources, plus an author that knows how to set these women in context.
It's a wonderful, wonderful book, and I wish more popular history books would take their cures from this book.
It's a wonderful, wonderful book, and I wish more popular history books would take their cures from this book.
Dorothy Wickenden uses a cache of letters written by her grandmother, Dorothy Woodruff and Dorothy's best friend, Rosamund Underwood, as the starting point to recount the tale of these two plucky 19th century women. Graduates of Smith College, who return to their prominent families in Auburn, New York after a grand European tour, Dorothy and "Ros" are disillusioned by the rigid social routines of their class. To stave off certain boredom, in 1916, they apply to teach in a new schoolhouse built in tiny Elkhead on Colorado's raw frontier. Although lacking the requisite credentials, their photographs are enough for Ferry Carpenter, a Harvard educated lawyer and Colorado rancher, to extend an invitation to the women to come to Elkhead, and they embark on an adventure that Ros later writes was "the best year of her life." The women write to their families about the children of impoverished homesteaders and miners who, clad in little more than rags, trudge miles in waist high snow to attend class. They also write about their adventures with Ferry and his best friend, Sam Perry, the son of a prominent mine owner. Most moving are the parade of remarkable, resiliant women on the rough frontier, women for whom Dorothy remarks: "The state seemed to be full of tiny invincible women who never complained." Wickenden has written a charming story documenting a rich slice of everyday American history.
I had wanted to read this book since it was published - and I'm very glad I didn't sit in anticipation waiting for it to arrive. While the story of two women taking on the west is interesting it had very little to do with the that story. Most of the book was about the lives of these two women and the pretty much meaningless spoiled rich lives they spent. I was hoping to use this book for research with my own writing but I gave up as I couldn't relate to the women in the story whatsoever. I'll opt instead for the original article.
Could have been an interesting story - but (I hate to say this) it had TOO much history. It reads like a very well written history book. Which, if that's what you're looking for, this is fabulous! I just think the very interesting story of the two girls almost gets lost in too much back information.
Great book if you're in Colorado though with tons of great area history.
Great book if you're in Colorado though with tons of great area history.
informative
inspiring
medium-paced
This book discusses the transition from New York society to the wild country of Colorado that two female friends undertook in 1916. Dorothy Woodruff and Rosamund Underwood took teaching jobs in a remote area of Colorado, much to the chagrin of their friends and families. The two friends crossed vast expanses of land, seeing amazing sights they hadn't imagined. It was very interesting to see how they handled the rough travel and harsh conditions. At points, they rode to their schoolhouse on horseback in blizzard like conditions. That was certainly a digression from living in the comfort of major city society.
This book was something that I picked up because of the price. I wasn't convinced that I was going to be very interested in it. However, I can admit when I am wrong. I thought the journey that these two women went on was exciting. I enjoyed learning about what life was like in the United States at the time, even though I am not terribly interested in United States History. The author wrote in a way that kept my attention, while also conveying important information. I really enjoyed this more than I anticipated
This book was something that I picked up because of the price. I wasn't convinced that I was going to be very interested in it. However, I can admit when I am wrong. I thought the journey that these two women went on was exciting. I enjoyed learning about what life was like in the United States at the time, even though I am not terribly interested in United States History. The author wrote in a way that kept my attention, while also conveying important information. I really enjoyed this more than I anticipated
Well. I think this could have been totally fascinating, and in fact there was a lot of interesting stuff. If it had included a whole lot more primary sources -- excerpts from these oral histories the women recorded, or their apparently voluminous letters and diaries, even photographs -- I think I would have found it immediate and compelling. I like the research too, but I wish it had supported the story instead of being the story.
Really, the lack of photographs was the weirdest part -- there were only a few small ones as chapter headers, and apparently it wasn't because they weren't available, since the author mentions photo albums. I'd have loved to have seen the pictures and heard Ros's oral history recording... maybe the next time I go back for a Smith reunion, I'll stop in the archives and hopefully be allowed to see some of these primary sources myself.
Really, the lack of photographs was the weirdest part -- there were only a few small ones as chapter headers, and apparently it wasn't because they weren't available, since the author mentions photo albums. I'd have loved to have seen the pictures and heard Ros's oral history recording... maybe the next time I go back for a Smith reunion, I'll stop in the archives and hopefully be allowed to see some of these primary sources myself.
A fascinating story - especially for a girl raised on Laura Ingalls - but the telling of said story left much to be desired. Inconsistent, jumpy and prone to dry, seemingly unnecessary tangents...I wish the author (granddaughter of one of the titular "society girls") had just published her grandmother's letters in their original form, versus trying to craft a story from them.
adventurous
informative
slow-paced
The first 1/3 of the book was disjointed and the remainder was fairly uninteresting. Unfortunate as the storyline could have been really interesting.