Laura Ingalls Wilder and Rose Wilder Lane: Authorship, Place, Time, and Culture Book

Interesting story of dynamics of mother/daughter relationship. I love Laura and I find so many things about her daughter revolting, not the least of these her politics. Writing about the Ingalls family history criss-crossing post Civil War American, picking up homesteads and baby-sitting railroad supplies while screaming anti-new deal slogans is a little like those old white guys yelling about Obamacare while also saying "hands off my medicaid".

I get that Rose Wilder Lane was the more experienced writer and that starting the series in her 60's, Laura needed help with the structure and editing of her stories. But the stories are uniquely hers and RWL's books lack the first person narrative and emotions that we love about the Little House books.

I am firmly on Team Laura in the argument about who actually should get the credit for the Little House series. Children's book editors state clearly that Rose's contribution were no more or less than any editor would do. Having said that, the letters between these two are hilarious. This was an interesting relationship for many reasons but in my opinion Rose thought her mother wasn't nearly as impressed with her lifestyle and choices as she thought she ought to be. Laura thought Rose demeaned her life choices as well.

I'm not going to give Rose Wilder Lane the feminist cred she actually deserves because I think she was a really awful person, and not a very good writer, either.