pickThe choice to make this a pick is probably going to shock some people, but that‘s okay.
I‘ve heard people say “if you love the Little House books, don‘t read this book.” I don‘t think it matters. Either you‘re open to the possibility that those books are actually works of fiction, or you‘re not. Either you‘re open to the possibility that Laura doesn‘t always believe in doing the right thing, or you‘re not. 👇🏻👇🏻👇🏻
GingerAntics If you‘re not, this won‘t change you‘re mind. It will just be a waste of your time. If you are, you‘re in for a wild ride. Neither Laura nor Rose are particularly likeable women. Be prepared for the “always do the right thing” family to commit tax fraud and recommend tax evasion. Quite frankly, the word that comes most readily to mind when thinking of these women is: vile. 👇🏻👇🏻👇🏻 4y
GingerAntics The views expressed by Rose and Laura aren‘t even consistent within themselves. Everyone just needs to work hard in order to be successful is followed by some people are just too low born to have any hope of bettering themselves, no matter how hard they work. This is followed by, those who are not successful are getting what they deserve. 👇🏻👇🏻👇🏻 (edited) 4y
GingerAntics So according to the Ingles Wilder/Wilder Lane logic, hard work makes everyone successful, unless you‘re too low born, then there is no helping you, but it‘s your fault you were low born. Their entire world view is based on a misunderstanding (that still exists today) of the Horatio Alger Myth. Rose has pointed out the flaw in her own thinking and hasn‘t even realised it. 👇🏻👇🏻👇🏻 4y
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GingerAntics Not everyone can pull themselves up by their boot straps because not everyone is born with boots. Unlike Horatio Alger‘s characters, not everyone born without boots has someone come along and hand them boots. 👇🏻👇🏻👇🏻 4y
GingerAntics I have only one complaint about the actual book itself (Woodside‘s writing). The book argues that Rose was a self made intellectual. She implies on at least a few occasions that Rose Wilder Lane was a classic autodidact. So why does Woodside reduce her to a number on the scale/the size of her waistline when she could have just said Rose had noticeably aged? 👇🏻👇🏻👇🏻 4y
GingerAntics Woodside has photos in the back. People could have figured it out for themselves. Instead, she called her “white-haired” and “overweight.” So even thought Woodside is arguing that this woman is brilliant and made herself that way with no outside help, she‘s still only as valuable as her weight. Why does her appearance make any difference? It makes no sense. #ChristineWoodside #LibertariansOnThePrairie #WomenAlsoKnowHistory #LauraRoseReadathon (edited) 4y
Kelly_the_Bookish_Sidekick This isn't a book I would read but it's been fun reading the quotes you highlighted and your thoughts. 4y
GingerAntics @Kelly_the_Bookish_Sidekick you and me both. If it hadn‘t been on sale ($2), another litten hadn‘t started a group read of it, and there wasn‘t a moment I was apparently feeling a bit crazy, I wouldn‘t have read it either. Not that you mention it, I have no idea how on Earth I ended up reading this book. How did I get here? What day is this? (Seriously thought it was Sunday when I woke up this morning.) 🤣😂🤣 4y
Bette 😳 wow. 😯 Having grown up with those books your review is eye opening. Thanks for sharing. 4y
GingerAntics @Bette luckily I never could get into the books, but I was obsessed with the show. At first, I was able to view the show as more of a Michael Landon creation and very separate from the books, because really it is, but I‘m starting to see the subtle messaging in the show, too. It‘s hard to realise something you loved as a child, something you idolised, would label you “low born” and that there was no use in someone like me trying. 4y
GingerAntics @Bette good thing I didn‘t listen to the RL people in my childhood who said those things, so knowing one of my favourite shows was also saying it probably would have just made me not like the show. Still, that madness shouldn‘t be in a children‘s show. Period. 4y
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