s/o thread: Laura Ingalls Wilder...

[Emmy]

The thread about The Long Winter got me thinking...I just finished re-reading all the Little House books (just for myself, not to the kids) and I had forgotten how different The First Four Years reads compared to the others. I know it was published both after Laura and her daughter Rose's deaths. I've heard speculation that while Laura provided the stores in the Little House series, that it was Rose that did a lot of the writing and made it into the fiction we love today. I wonder if the reason TFFY doesn't read as well might be because it doesn't have Rose's hand in it?

Thoughts?

[JFS in IL]

I think it is that the FFY was a collection of memories Laura jotted down for the next book, but she did not get around to fleshing it out and finishing it. My feeling is that if Rose did do the actual writing, then some where we would have proof of that.

[forty-two]

In the intro to my copy of TFFY, it said that Laura Ingalls Wilder died before finishing the novel. She had finished the first draft, but hadn't gone through the extensive edits she did with the others. I always figured that was why it was so different than the rest.

[Emmy]

That makes sense - that it wasn't actually completed. Just curious what others' thoughts were on this!

[klmama]

It's a collection of articles she wrote for newspapers there. Very interesting info, very practical for people trying to live an old-fashioned, rural lifestyle. (How to move a spring to get fresh water to the house, etc.) Nothing to do with your question, but just thought I'd share. :)

[mcconnellboys]

I think this makes a good read to juxtapose against her other, earlier life memories, too.

[mo2]

I always thought it was just because she didn't really get to *finish* it. I have heard speculation that Rose "helped" with the writing, but we really have no way of knowing, do we?

[kalanamak]

That makes sense - that it wasn't actually completed. Just curious what others' thoughts were on this!
nt

[Virginia Dawn]

I doubt that Rose had much to do with it. I have one of her books called Let the Hurricane Roar and the style is very different. It is also about the Ingall's Family, but written in a more realistic down to earth way.

I see a lot of Victorian sensibility in Laura's writing. There are just some topics that are avoided.