A review by amanda_rousu
The Wilder Life: My Adventures in the Lost World of Little House on the Prairie by Wendy McClure

3.0

I wanted to love this book...I really did. I liked a lot of it. I found myself reminiscing about my childhood love of all things Laura. Since it is unlikely I'll ever visit all of the Little House sites, it was interesting to read about the ones I haven't visited. I also enjoyed the bits about Rose Wilder Lane as I haven't read as much about her.

There was something unsatisfying and frustrating about the last third of the book. The author comes across as a little more self obsessed than enjoyable (you have to be a bit self obsessed to write your own story before old age) What began as an endearing tale of revisiting childhood obsessions, devolves into navel gazing and judgment about those Laura fans and even Laura sites that didn't fit her ethos. Her reaction to the DeSmet site particularly bothered me, but that is a town that is dear to my heart, so I may be too hard on her for this.

I'm left unsure how I feel about this book. It was good, but not good all at the same time.