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danileighta's review against another edition
4.0
Super interesting read. I did not know much about Rose and I certainly did not know she ghost wrote a lot of her mother's work! Although Lane's politics may clash with mine in places, this book did a great job outlining her life, beliefs, and her incredible adventures. Overall, this was a well-told, well-illustrated story about a very interesting and subversive woman.
rchluther's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
funny
informative
medium-paced
4.0
I only recently heard about Credo by Peter Badge, and was intrigued. A graphic novel biography of Rose Wilder Lane? I don't understand what this even is. But this book grabbed me from the beginning. I loved all the little touches of RWL's life that he put into the comic, as well as a bit more thorough discussion at the back. I am not a fan of RWL, but I can appreciate her for who she was. She was such a complicated person, who did so many diverse things in her life; she's way more than Baby Rose or Bachelor Girl Rose or Overbearing Rose or whatever else you might see her as if you only know her through the lens of Little House. I'm really glad that it was recommended to me.
ipomoea's review against another edition
4.0
I received an advance copy from the publisher at ALA Midwinter.
This was (as far as I know) my first Peter Bagge book. I've known his work forever (he's inescapable in Seattle literary/comics stuff), but this was the first time I've read one of his books. This was also the first book about either Wilder woman I've read outside of the Little House books and some assorted profiles in magazines which looked at Rose with a somewhat cynical eye due to the libertarian stuff.
This was a good introduction to her life and work, beyond the surface that I'd known. I knew she'd been key to the Little House books being published, but I didn't realize HOW much work she'd put into it, or how fraught her relationship with Laura was throughout her life. Rose, after coming out of a pretty intense childhood, became a badass, traveling the world and unafraid to explore her beliefs and stand up for them. While I don't know that I'd suggest this as a solid single source, it's a great jumping-off point to learn more about Rose Wilder Lane and her life.
This was (as far as I know) my first Peter Bagge book. I've known his work forever (he's inescapable in Seattle literary/comics stuff), but this was the first time I've read one of his books. This was also the first book about either Wilder woman I've read outside of the Little House books and some assorted profiles in magazines which looked at Rose with a somewhat cynical eye due to the libertarian stuff.
This was a good introduction to her life and work, beyond the surface that I'd known. I knew she'd been key to the Little House books being published, but I didn't realize HOW much work she'd put into it, or how fraught her relationship with Laura was throughout her life. Rose, after coming out of a pretty intense childhood, became a badass, traveling the world and unafraid to explore her beliefs and stand up for them. While I don't know that I'd suggest this as a solid single source, it's a great jumping-off point to learn more about Rose Wilder Lane and her life.
chelseamartinez's review against another edition
5.0
This is my favorite of Peter Bagge's thoroughly researched comic biographies of women freethinkers of the 20th century. This one, maybe because the subject is the least famous, or the most fabulist herself, has the most affection in the writing. A lot of the research is exposited at the end, which makes, like the others, for somewhat of a slog after breezing through the comic itself. That's my own fault, though; I knew from reading the book on Sanger that it would be like that but still opted not to flip back and forth as if that section were footnotes. In these notes, he makes some biographical notes about many women announcers/storytellers/hosts of 1940's radio that I would love to read a 4th book in this series about.
ederwin's review
4.0
The only thing I knew about R.W. Lane before reading this is that her mother wrote "Little House on the Prairie", which I've not read or watched. But I trust Bagge to pick interesting topics, and he didn't let me down. She had a fascinating life.
Early on, she wrote biographies of Charlie Chaplin, Jack London, Herbert Hoover and Henry Ford. They were all largely fiction, and she came close to being sued each time!
Later she traveled in Europe after WWI as a war correspondent and sometimes with the Red Cross.
Bagge likes her because she is an early proponent of Libertarianism in the USA. I don't subscribe to that worldview, but found her life interesting anyway. Anyway, she lived by her principles; even making sure to be paid little enough money that she wouldn't have to pay income tax! (This is after she had already made a good deal of money.)
This book will likely anger "bonnetheads" because it presents her mother as a very difficult person and by strongly suggesting that R.W. Lane actually wrote more than a little of what was published in her mother's name. (She definitely edited it.) I don't have horse in that race, so don't care. Whether true or not, the sources are discussed in detail in the endnotes.
Like the other two of Bagges biographies, he sticks mostly to a one-idea-per-page format, so you can get whiplash from the sharp jumps in time and place from page to page. And his drawing style is, as it always was, cartoony even when dealing with serious subjects. But the story is solid, and the endnotes fill in details that may have been unclear, as well as adding speculations on things that can't be known for sure (such as whether she had more than friendships with certain men and women).
Early on, she wrote biographies of Charlie Chaplin, Jack London, Herbert Hoover and Henry Ford. They were all largely fiction, and she came close to being sued each time!
Later she traveled in Europe after WWI as a war correspondent and sometimes with the Red Cross.
Bagge likes her because she is an early proponent of Libertarianism in the USA. I don't subscribe to that worldview, but found her life interesting anyway. Anyway, she lived by her principles; even making sure to be paid little enough money that she wouldn't have to pay income tax! (This is after she had already made a good deal of money.)
This book will likely anger "bonnetheads" because it presents her mother as a very difficult person and by strongly suggesting that R.W. Lane actually wrote more than a little of what was published in her mother's name. (She definitely edited it.) I don't have horse in that race, so don't care. Whether true or not, the sources are discussed in detail in the endnotes.
Like the other two of Bagges biographies, he sticks mostly to a one-idea-per-page format, so you can get whiplash from the sharp jumps in time and place from page to page. And his drawing style is, as it always was, cartoony even when dealing with serious subjects. But the story is solid, and the endnotes fill in details that may have been unclear, as well as adding speculations on things that can't be known for sure (such as whether she had more than friendships with certain men and women).
stefanieh's review
3.0
A whirlwind graphic biography of Rose Wilder Lane, daughter of Laura Ingalls Wilder. Rose was a libertarian before anyone had a name for it. Independent, world-traveler, anti-income tax, what would call bi-polar these days, and possibly bisexual, Rose was a force to be reckoned with.
hamikka's review
3.0
A little too disjointed and jumbled, especially for a biography. The notes were more entertains and informative than the main text. His art has some great surprises.
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