"The Wilder Life" Review

The Wilder Life:  My Adventures in the Lost World of Little House on the Prarie

By Wendy McClure

7/10

Synopsis:

The Wilder Life is a memoir of Wendy McClure’s pursuit to personally experience the happenings from the Little House on the Prarie series of books.  The series by Laura Ingalls Wilder was an integral part of McClure’s childhood.  Practicing her hand at everything from twisting haysticks to churning butter, McClure tries her best to experience what she calls “Laura World”.  She wades in Plum Creek and travels to Walnut Grove.  She relates her Little House experiences to her memories merging the world of Laura’s day with the reality of today.  Growing throughout her journey, McClure applies what she learns to her own personal life.

My Opinion:

Growing up as a young girl in the late seventies/early eighties, I myself was a devoted fan of the Laura Ingalls Wilder Little House on the Prarie series.  I was intrigued by the thought of living the life of Laura vicariously through McClure.  I was not disappointed as she traveled to the locales and tried the different traditions.  She meets some interesting people along her adventure and the incidents can be entertaining, but the reality of what has become of some of the places is saddening.  While I enjoyed this book, I cannot imagine someone unfamiliar with the Little House books muddling through this memoir.  Fans of the TV show may find it interesting but beware, the TV series and the books don’t have much in common.  Those interested in history may enjoy the reminiscence of pioneer life.  For die hard literary fans of Laura’s this tale is full of nuance and nostalgia.  It made me want to dig my Little House on the Prarie books out of storage and read them from cover to cover yet again.  If you have no idea who Almanzo is, where the Big Woods are, or the event Pa’s fiddling was, I would skip this one.  But if you ever dreamed of being called Half Pint, this is the book for you.  7 out of 10!