A review by brighteyes1178
The Wilder Life: My Adventures in the Lost World of Little House on the Prairie by Wendy McClure

5.0

I thought this book was terrific, though I must admit that I'm drawn to books where the author is traveling based on some sort of theme (I'm looking for all of the ways that Americans pay homage to Lincoln! We're driving around America looking for typos on signs! I'm going to all of the Laura Ingalls Wilder sites!). This is particularly good because the writing is smooth and easy to read, and the author is fully able to discuss reality (lots of fundamentalist Christians appropriate Laura as their own, most of the actual Laura stuff is gone, most of the Laura tourists are fans of the show not the books, the books were pretty fictionalized, etc.) instead of just mythologize about Laura Ingalls Wilder. I remember reading Donald Zochert's biography "Laura" in 8th grade as a project for Mrs. Brey's class and this was like bringing that book to life, updating and personalizing it. Highly recommended for anyone who loved the Little House books as a kid - or adult, of course. :)