The Wilder LIfe by Wendy McClure

genre: non-fiction, memoir

For Wendy, the Laura of the Little House books is a childhood friend, such a prominent feature that part of who she is is wrapped up in these prairie stories.  As her mother gets sick and passes away, suddenly becoming acquainted with all there is to do with Laura and her real life.

Real life is not, of course, the same as stories and Wendy's experiences in "Laura World" are hilarious, disappointing and strangely satisfying, sometimes all at the same time.  She travels to Minnesota and the plains of South Dakota, to Missouri and Iowa, following the path of Laura's life and always searching for what it is that she felt so connected with as a girl.  Along the way, we learn what from the books is actual fact and what is embellishment, out of chronological order or just plain fiction. Not only that, but she also tries her hand at being a "prairie girl" herself, trying the skills and recipes that were a part of Laura's experience.

While I wasn't in love with it, I did find this one entertaining, especially as I was preparing to visit several of the same sites - it helped me to know a little bit of what to expect/not expect.  She's got a great way with words and a couple times I did laugh out loud.  I liked how she wrapped up her ideas at the end and while sometimes her internal monologue got a bit overwhelming/long winded, I'm still glad I gave it a try.