princesszinza 's review for:

A Wilder Rose by Susan Wittig Albert

2.0

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I came across this book when I was looking for "Pioneer Girl", the autobiography of Laura Ingalls Wilder. Laura Ingalls Wilder was the presumed author of all The Little House on the Prairie books. I knew that Rose Lane helped her mother write those books. I also knew that she was a world traveler, author, feminist and one of the first libertarians. I checked out this book because I was fascinated with her life. I always wondered how the impoverished daughter of farmers became a respected writer and thinker at a time when the opinions of women were often diminished.

This book, written as fiction did not answer my questions. Rose Lane's life is explained in a long conversation with a protegee that Rose befriended (Rose helped out many young people in her life). Weirdly, Susan Albert doesn't delve into Rose's early education at all. She only briefly mentions Rose's earlier expeditions to Albania. I would have been interested in those parts of Rose's life. I did learn that Rose made an amazing amount of money selling stories and articles to magazines. Imagine how much $2,500 was in the early 1930's! Ms. Albert portrays Rose's relationship with her mother as very antagonistic. I wondered how Rose became such a free thinker and giving person when her mother seemed petty and colloquial.

I think I'll have to find a real biography of Rose Wilder to learn more about this amazing woman.