The Prairie Bride; or, the Squatter's Triumph

by Mrs. Henry J. Thomas, Chris Enss (Introduction)

A fight breaks out over a claim in this action-filled homesteading story. The hardships of covered wagon life, the danger of the prairie fire, and the romance of the young bride's new home made this a best-seller in 1869.

One of the things that made dime novels so popular was the lurid cover art. These scandalous imaged caught the attention of readers and, indeed, the ellicit nature of the stories was most appealing. Publishers capitalized on the interests of young female readers, especially, bringing tales of strong, willful heroines to life between the cheap paper covers of these books.

112 pages, Paperback

First published July 1, 2006

Reviews

[Jodie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Huge fan of Little House on the Prairie and all things to do with covered wagons and settlers in the west. Found this in a catalog for a few dollars and thought it sounded interesting. It did not disappoint. The history behind this series and its publishing company was fascinating too.

[Sharon · Rating 3 out of 5]

I found this little gem at Three Island Crossing State Park in Glenn's Ferry, Idaho. A reprint of a classic dime novel, this book provides a chance to dip into history's bookshelf. Dime novels were the cheap, mass-market books of the 1860s-1890s. With lurid, sensational plots, often set in the untamed West, these were the books that captured kids' imaginations and offered affordable reading to adults. Among other things, they were designed to promote expansion to the American West.

I was pleasantly surprised by the quality of the writing and the story, both of which were better than I expected. The dialogue is often painfully stilted, and at least some of the plot twists are predictable, but overall this was an enjoyable read. The Prairie Bride is not great literature, but it is a valuable addition to the library of anyone seriously interested in American history, particularly the opening of the West.

[Lori Shafer · Rating 4 out of 5]

I chose this title because of it's introduction author, Chris Enss. I have read a couple of Enss's nonfiction books and thoroughly enjoyed them. I must say I was a bit confused about the novel. It took me a while to realize it was a reprint of an old classic dime novel. Once I realize that fact, much of my confusion was ended.

The novel itself is typical of the writings of the time period. It reminds me of the Laura Ingalls Wilder books. It is simple and an easy read.