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4.1 AVERAGE
4.1 AVERAGE
adventurous
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
lighthearted
relaxing
slow-paced
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Loved seeing the differences in life between them and now! Teaching school at 15 and 17 year olds learning fractions! Her and almanzo’s relationship is fun and very quiet. Slower book but enjoyable
Like the other books in the series, this book is completely charming and ends on a bittersweet note.
This is the last of the Newbery-winning Little House books and there’s only one more left. (Fortunately, it looks like Hallmark is going to start the series over in May, so yay!)
In this book, Laura starts teaching school (she got her certificate at the end of the last book) and starts dating. Almanzo drives 12 miles (in a horse and buggy—and that’s each way!) to pick her up so that she can see her family on the weekends. Laura’s kind of a jerk to him (she pretty much says that they’re only dating so that she can get a ride home and once the term’s over, so are they) but he doesn’t give up.
Oh, and when he proposes? She’s all “Depends on the ring.” Oh, that Laura. :)
But the ring’s good enough and they’re married.
There’s a cameo appearance by Nellie Oleson, too. :)
I’m sad there’s only one book left.
In this book, Laura starts teaching school (she got her certificate at the end of the last book) and starts dating. Almanzo drives 12 miles (in a horse and buggy—and that’s each way!) to pick her up so that she can see her family on the weekends. Laura’s kind of a jerk to him (she pretty much says that they’re only dating so that she can get a ride home and once the term’s over, so are they) but he doesn’t give up.
Oh, and when he proposes? She’s all “Depends on the ring.” Oh, that Laura. :)
But the ring’s good enough and they’re married.
There’s a cameo appearance by Nellie Oleson, too. :)
I’m sad there’s only one book left.
The best part about reading a book from your childhood again as an adult, is the appreciation you can have for a novel to captivate a child, and often an adult as well.
This was not the case for Laura Ingalls Wilder's These Happy Golden Years.
I remember devouring these books, mainly because all the other girls in my class were reading them, and I wanted to know what they were about. Of the series, this had been my favorite one because of the budding romance between Laura and Almanzo.
This particular book is about Laura leaving home to be a teacher for a few months; every weekend, a young man from town named Almanzo Wilder comes and drives her all 22 miles home. Considering the memoir author's name, we can all assume where this is headed. Laura spends the book not only falling in love, but learning that she is an adult now -- Her big sister, Mary, is off to college and rarely comes home; she finds it more important to earn money to help her family; and all her friends are getting beaus.
Perhaps my literary tastes are just more evolved now. I found Wilder's prose incredibly slow, and her stories not especially interesting. Of course, I liked when Laura and Almanzo finally got together (I'm a real sucker for a love story), but it was not nearly as riveting an engagement as I remember it. It's just all so blunt, which I suppose is for a child. She describes only settings and not people or events or emotions.
"'You may kiss me good night,' she said, and after their first kiss she went into the house while Almanzo drove away."
How boring is that? It tells us nothing about how she feels, or he feels, or anything about the kiss being deep or sweet or pleasant in the slightest.
I considered re-reading the entire series. This one installment has convinced me otherwise.
This was not the case for Laura Ingalls Wilder's These Happy Golden Years.
I remember devouring these books, mainly because all the other girls in my class were reading them, and I wanted to know what they were about. Of the series, this had been my favorite one because of the budding romance between Laura and Almanzo.
This particular book is about Laura leaving home to be a teacher for a few months; every weekend, a young man from town named Almanzo Wilder comes and drives her all 22 miles home. Considering the memoir author's name, we can all assume where this is headed. Laura spends the book not only falling in love, but learning that she is an adult now -- Her big sister, Mary, is off to college and rarely comes home; she finds it more important to earn money to help her family; and all her friends are getting beaus.
Perhaps my literary tastes are just more evolved now. I found Wilder's prose incredibly slow, and her stories not especially interesting. Of course, I liked when Laura and Almanzo finally got together (I'm a real sucker for a love story), but it was not nearly as riveting an engagement as I remember it. It's just all so blunt, which I suppose is for a child. She describes only settings and not people or events or emotions.
"'You may kiss me good night,' she said, and after their first kiss she went into the house while Almanzo drove away."
How boring is that? It tells us nothing about how she feels, or he feels, or anything about the kiss being deep or sweet or pleasant in the slightest.
I considered re-reading the entire series. This one installment has convinced me otherwise.
Cross-posted from my blog: http://quietandbusy.blogspot.com
These Happy Golden Years picks up directly after Little Town on the Prairie, with Laura getting her teaching certificate and heading off to her first teaching job. Her assignment is in a town twelve miles away, meaning that she will have to live in there for the duration of her term, which is two months long. She ends up disliking the school, but she is saved from abject misery by Almanzo Wilder, who arrives with his horses to ferry Laura home each weekend. It is here that their relationship, which had it roots in the previous book, really begins to flourish.
After that teaching assignment ends, Laura returns home. Her rides with Almanzo, however, continue and they come to know each other quite well. As the year moves forward, she goes through a few different teaching posts and other work opportunities, which allow her to put away enough money to keep her sister Mary in college, and even pay for her to come visit some summers. As is usual in a Little House book, various meals, customs, holidays, and social events take place and are lovingly described. By the end of the novel, Laura and Almanzo's friendship has deepened into love and they get ready to build a life together.
This was an extremely sweet novel, and I did enjoy it even though not much happens in it. The main focus of the story was the romance between Laura and Almanzo, and Laura's transition to the working world. Laura's courtship is incredibly G-rated, and mostly consists of going on long buggy rides during which no one says very much. Even so, it was adorable and I was glad to see them settle down together. Laura's growing independence was interesting to see as well. As a teacher, she earns quite a bit of money in this book--more than her Pa is ever able to scrape together at one time. She never ends up loving teaching, but she does a competent job with it and sticks with it long enough to help support her family. She really comes into her own in this story, and having stuck with her throughout the books since she was five, it was pretty satisfying to see.
Even better, there were no minstrel shows or overtly racist sentiments in this novel, so there wasn't much to uncomfortably overlook while reading. At one point, Laura says she does not support women's rights and would never want the right to vote, but hey, that's not an unusual opinion for the time period. At least she insisted that the word "obey" be taken out of her marriage vows.
So, I did like this novel. At this point however, I have Little House fatigue. I am ready for this series to be over. Luckily, I'm onto the last book now, and it's a short one.
These Happy Golden Years picks up directly after Little Town on the Prairie, with Laura getting her teaching certificate and heading off to her first teaching job. Her assignment is in a town twelve miles away, meaning that she will have to live in there for the duration of her term, which is two months long. She ends up disliking the school, but she is saved from abject misery by Almanzo Wilder, who arrives with his horses to ferry Laura home each weekend. It is here that their relationship, which had it roots in the previous book, really begins to flourish.
After that teaching assignment ends, Laura returns home. Her rides with Almanzo, however, continue and they come to know each other quite well. As the year moves forward, she goes through a few different teaching posts and other work opportunities, which allow her to put away enough money to keep her sister Mary in college, and even pay for her to come visit some summers. As is usual in a Little House book, various meals, customs, holidays, and social events take place and are lovingly described. By the end of the novel, Laura and Almanzo's friendship has deepened into love and they get ready to build a life together.
This was an extremely sweet novel, and I did enjoy it even though not much happens in it. The main focus of the story was the romance between Laura and Almanzo, and Laura's transition to the working world. Laura's courtship is incredibly G-rated, and mostly consists of going on long buggy rides during which no one says very much. Even so, it was adorable and I was glad to see them settle down together. Laura's growing independence was interesting to see as well. As a teacher, she earns quite a bit of money in this book--more than her Pa is ever able to scrape together at one time. She never ends up loving teaching, but she does a competent job with it and sticks with it long enough to help support her family. She really comes into her own in this story, and having stuck with her throughout the books since she was five, it was pretty satisfying to see.
Even better, there were no minstrel shows or overtly racist sentiments in this novel, so there wasn't much to uncomfortably overlook while reading. At one point, Laura says she does not support women's rights and would never want the right to vote, but hey, that's not an unusual opinion for the time period. At least she insisted that the word "obey" be taken out of her marriage vows.
So, I did like this novel. At this point however, I have Little House fatigue. I am ready for this series to be over. Luckily, I'm onto the last book now, and it's a short one.
This is the one book of the series I probably read less than any of the others - but I can't think what the reason was. Of course, she's miserable at the Brewsters, but on the other hand, we get to see Almanzo's dedication to her, a renewed appreciation for her happy family and what a capable teacher Laura becomes!
My other favorite in the Little House series...
This one's as close to a "kissing book" as we're going to get. It really is unclear whether Laura loves the horses or Almanzo. She sures does play hard to get, though! I love the Christmas in this book, and how truly selfless Laura is to teach when she really doesn't want to.
During this re-read of the Little House books, I wished that I knew more of the songs referenced. These Happy Golden Years comes from a lyric that's referenced multiple times in the book, but I get a different feel reading the lyrics like a poem than I would if I'd looked up the music so I could mentally sing it. And while I finally looked up the video for that song now, I definitely didn't do that while reading. Or for all of the other songs I don't know. [Edit. That's not even the title song. See, I fail at this whole using internet search thing.]
I like that this book develops Laura's streak of independence. The negotiation of how she could contribute to her childhood household's income before moving to marriage. But Ma, I want you to spend $5 on yourself. (Please, Ma?) Similarly appreciate the struggle of how to relate to Mary when she returns, especially around the "Do you have to go marry him?" conversation. Mary's switch to college away from family sounded like an intimidating challenge when she left. But this book reminds me that returning home isn't easy either.
I like that this book develops Laura's streak of independence. The negotiation of how she could contribute to her childhood household's income before moving to marriage. But Ma, I want you to spend $5 on yourself. (Please, Ma?) Similarly appreciate the struggle of how to relate to Mary when she returns, especially around the "Do you have to go marry him?" conversation. Mary's switch to college away from family sounded like an intimidating challenge when she left. But this book reminds me that returning home isn't easy either.