Prairie Fires: The American Dreams of Laura Ingalls Wilder

WINNER OF THE PULITZER PRIZE, WINNER OF THE NATIONAL BOOK CRITICS CIRCLE AWARD, WINNER OF THE CHICAGO TRIBUNE HEARTLAND PRIZE FOR NON-FICTION, ONE OF THE NEW YORK TIMES BOOK REVIEW'S 10 BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR

Caroline Fraser's biography, "Prairie Fires," provides a comprehensive historical account of the life of Laura Ingalls Wilder, the beloved author of the Little House on the Prairie books. Millions of readers have come to know Wilder as the pioneer girl who endured the harshness of life on the Great Plains, but Fraser's work unveils the true, unvarnished story behind the iconic books.

Drawing from unpublished manuscripts, letters, diaries, and financial records, Fraser masterfully fills in the gaps in Wilder's biography, revealing the challenges and struggles of her adult life. Contrary to the triumphant spirit portrayed in the Little House series, Wilder's real life was marked by relentless hardship, rootlessness, and poverty.

It was only in her sixties, after losing nearly everything in the Great Depression, that Wilder turned to writing children's books, recast her hardscrabble childhood as a celebratory vision of homesteading, and achieved fame and fortune – a remarkable rags-to-riches episode in American literary history.

Fraser's work also sheds light on Wilder's complex relationship with her journalist daughter, Rose Wilder Lane, addressing the long-standing charges of ghostwriting that have surrounded the Little House series. The author's meticulous research and insights provide a fresh perspective on American history and the national mythology of self-reliance.

Spanning nearly a century of epochal change, from the Indian Wars to the Dust Bowl, Wilder's dramatic life offers a unique vantage point from which to examine the evolving American experience. With its groundbreaking revelations and new discoveries, "Prairie Fires" is a must-read for fans of Wilder's iconic books, as well as anyone interested in the complex interplay between personal narrative, history, and the shaping of national identity.

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