r/LittleHouseBooks

One of the things that I love about these books is the beautiful prose. Sometimes it is downright poetic. What are some examples of beautiful passages that you love? Here is mine. It’s from BTSOSL. The beginning of the chapter entitled Wings Over Silver Lake:

The weather grew colder and the sky was full of wings and great birds flying. From east to west, from north to south, and as far up into the blue sky as eyes could see, were birds and birds and birds sailing on beating wings.

At evening down they came endlessly from the sky, sliding down long slopes of air to rest on the water of Silver Lake.

There were great, gray geese. There were smaller, snow-white brant that looked like snow at the water’s edge. There were ducks of many kinds; the large mallards with a shimmering of purple and green on their wings, the redheads, the bluebills, the canvasbacks, and teals and many others whose names Pa did not know. There were herons, and pelicans, and cranes. There were little mudhens, and the small hell-divers that peppered the water thickly with their little black bodies. When a shot cracked, hell-divers up-ended and vanished quicker than winking. They went far down in the water and stayed there a long time.

At sunset the whole large lake was covered with birds of all kinds speaking in every kind of bird’s voice to each other before they went to sleep for a night of rest on their long journey from north to south. The winter was driving them; the winter was coming behind them from the north. They knew it and started early so they could rest on the way. All night they rested, comfortable on the water that held them so softly, and when dawn came, up they rose again to swim onward in the high air with their rested, strong wings.

I've been enjoying the little house books more as an adult than when I read them as a kid. They offer a window into a world that doesn't exist anymore. I love the way the books describe the minutia of every day life of ordinary people. It's those every-day details which so often disappear from our collective memory. They were obviously written as children's books, so obviously subjects that were a real part of her life like (attempted) SA, menstruation or alcoholism aren't covered. But there is one thing I keep thinking about as I read the books. I know this is going to sound like a joke, but I'm honestly curious, where did they poop?

When they're traveling in the great plains, she describes a landscape so flat you can see for miles, so where did they go to poop? Did they just do it in front of everyone else. Did they walk out into the distance? Did they do it behind the wagon while everyone else looked away? Did they have toilet paper? They would sometimes go days without a source of water. Did they have water to wash their hands after pooping? In On Plum Creek, they were stuck together in a one room sod cutout. I don't remember her mentioning an outhouse. Was there one? During the blizzard, did risk life and limb to go out through the snow to the outhouse? If they stayed at home, did they have a chamber pot? If so, did you have to use it in the same room as everyone else? Did it just get chucked out the front door afterwards? I have so many unanswered questions about pooping in settler times.

Does anyone have a favorite screen adaptation?

I adored the books as a kid and am rereading them now after finishing the Netflix series. I remember not liking the '70's version as it deviated too much from the text and Almanzo seems way too hot headed and outgoing (where's my stoic courteous farmer?).

I found "Beyond the Prairie" to be too dramatic and inaccurate for a miniseries claiming to be the "true story." The 2005 miniseries, from what I remember, was really book accurate with beautiful cinematography. The Netflix series, to me, is hitting an interesting sweet spot of the warmth and drama of the books, with a respectful portrayal of the Osage, and the aging up and inaccuracies are forgiven because, dang, it's a good story. (And I need those "Sunday best fancy, absolutely no sun protection" bonnets).

I haven't watched the anime yet, but it looks adorable. And don't get me wrong, I'll probably watch the '70's series in the wait for Season 2 of the Netflix series.

Just finished listening to the audio book version of Prairie Fires by Caroline Fraser. Absolutely excellent, I see why this won a Pulitzer Prize. I loved learning about the more realistic and historical details of Laura’s life. I read all the Little Prairie books when I was younger and this past year I finally got to watch the tv series. For an immigrant like myself, it’s easy to believe the polished fictionalized world of the books and show. Everything is just so pretty and romanticized, like a cottage core fantasy.

It sounded like a tough life. But I admire the Ingalls for their obvious love and devotion to each other. It was also interesting to learn that they joined the Freemason society. And Rose was quite obviously troubled for most of her life. The trauma of their house burning down really stayed with them. Also admired the relationship between Laura & Almanzo. They went through hell together but stuck it out, tirelessly working side by side till the end.

Weird that Macbride ended up with the estate in the end. That seems like a shame. I think the estate should have passed on to the Mansfield library.

She is such an UNFAIR teacher! It really made me angry how she treated Carrie and Laura. only picking on these 2 AND then lies to Pa and the others! I wish some of the kids spoke up about her.

Just had to rant 😤