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The Three Faces of Nellie: The Real Story Behind Laura Ingalls Wilder's "Nellie Oleson"
Whether you love her, hate her, or love to hate her, Nellie Oleson is one of most recognizable literary figures of the 20th century. But Laura Ingalls Wilder, author of the Little House on the Prairie series in which Nellie appears, had a secret. . .Nellie wasn’t a real person! Instead, she was a composite character created from three girls Laura knew from Nellie Owens, Genevieve Masters, and Estella Gilbert.
The Little House character of Nellie Oleson is snobbish, selfish, and thoroughly unpleasant. But the real women behind Laura’s creation? An intriguing mix of the not-so-nice and the unexpectedly redeemable. In short, they were human.
Discovering the true stories behind Nellie, Genevieve, and Estella has been a fascinating journey. All three ended up on the West Coast at one point. . .true westward movement! One was widowed twice, one ended up divorced, and one died way too young. Two only had one child, and one had three, though she outlived her youngest by a very long time. There’s even some “Nellie-like” drama in Embezzlement. Lying on censuses. Shady land deals.
But there are some beautiful things, too. . .like the enduring love of a husband after his bride died. Or the rare closeness of a mother and daughter who shared their lives as adults. Or the strength of a young widowed mother who not only cared for her son, but headed out west, in true pioneer fashion, while she did so.
Laura Ingalls Wilder did a masterful job of creating the character of Nellie Oleson. But the three real-life women behind that iconic character are, in my opinion, infinitely more intriguing.
The Little House character of Nellie Oleson is snobbish, selfish, and thoroughly unpleasant. But the real women behind Laura’s creation? An intriguing mix of the not-so-nice and the unexpectedly redeemable. In short, they were human.
Discovering the true stories behind Nellie, Genevieve, and Estella has been a fascinating journey. All three ended up on the West Coast at one point. . .true westward movement! One was widowed twice, one ended up divorced, and one died way too young. Two only had one child, and one had three, though she outlived her youngest by a very long time. There’s even some “Nellie-like” drama in Embezzlement. Lying on censuses. Shady land deals.
But there are some beautiful things, too. . .like the enduring love of a husband after his bride died. Or the rare closeness of a mother and daughter who shared their lives as adults. Or the strength of a young widowed mother who not only cared for her son, but headed out west, in true pioneer fashion, while she did so.
Laura Ingalls Wilder did a masterful job of creating the character of Nellie Oleson. But the three real-life women behind that iconic character are, in my opinion, infinitely more intriguing.
142 pages, Kindle Edition
Published November 28, 2016
41 people are currently reading
309 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 47 reviews
December 15, 2018
I usually am a fiction reader, especially in my spare time and my leisure reading. I am also a fan of the Little House on the Prairie TV series, have been since I was a little girl. In fact a couple of years ago I received for a gift a boxed set of the whole series along with the specials in a really cute box that is shaped just like the little house. So I was very interested in reading the non-fiction book, The Three Faces of Nellie. Filled with bits of information about the three women that influenced the character of Nellie Oleson, a villain I disliked right along with Laura.
It was very interesting to read about three seemingly ordinary women, who probably did not know what an influence they would have on Laura’s writing and now their real lives have become very interesting. There were certainly some surprises along the way and after reading this it has only enhanced the fictional character for me.
Not a long book and one I think most fans of LHOP, books and series would enjoy reading.
I received a copy of this book from the author. I was not required to post a positive review and all views and opinions are my own.
https://pausefortales.blogspot.com/20...
It was very interesting to read about three seemingly ordinary women, who probably did not know what an influence they would have on Laura’s writing and now their real lives have become very interesting. There were certainly some surprises along the way and after reading this it has only enhanced the fictional character for me.
Not a long book and one I think most fans of LHOP, books and series would enjoy reading.
I received a copy of this book from the author. I was not required to post a positive review and all views and opinions are my own.
https://pausefortales.blogspot.com/20...
December 14, 2018
I grew up watching "Little House on the Prairie". I stil watch it this day if I can catch a re-run on Hallmark or the Inspiration Channel. When I saw this book I was very intrigued. Nellie. The character that you love to hate, but eventually grows on you as she gets older. This book has been well researched into the 3 childhood aquaintances that were woven together to become Nellie. One of the things that stands out to me most is the fact that the author researched each of the girls geneology and was able to locate distant relatives. I love a book that you can learn from. I love that the author took qualities of each girl and created Nellie Olseon. This book is not a story, it's the fruit of the research that the author has spent a great deal of time on. It is well written. The audience that she is writing for is those who are Little House/Laura Ingalls fans. I enjoyed this book
I was provided a copy of this book by Celebrate Lit blogging program, all thoughts are my own.
I was provided a copy of this book by Celebrate Lit blogging program, all thoughts are my own.
December 9, 2018
In The Three Faces of Nellie, we learn about the girls who gave us someone we loved to hate. Except that since she’s based on real people and events, I don’t think it’s right to let myself hate her. Drat. Just kidding.
This isn’t a storybook.
If you expected a compelling narrative depicting the lives of these three girls, you may be disappointed in the book. This book was obviously written by and for people who are fascinated with the life of Laura Ingalls Wilder.
Through meticulous research, Robynne Elizabeth Miller peels away the ambiguity surrounding these girls and lets us see who they were and why Laura Ingalls so disliked them.
One of the things I loved most about the book was reading the actual accounts of things I’d read as a story in the series. So many are almost indistinguishable from the versions I’d read as a girl, while others are very similar but with different motives, or in the case of Nellie, people.
There has been some criticism of the dry factual nature of the book, and it’s valid—if you expected a story. I didn’t. I expected research on these people, and I got it.
Where my criticism lies is that there was actually more about the three Nellies’ families (parents and children) than there was about them.
Still, I think any LHOTP lover will find the book fascinating.
It may not be one of those books that you read straight through on a Sunday afternoon, but it was fascinating to see both the information Ms. Miller discovered about each of these ladies and the research process she must have gone through to discover it all. I'm glad I requested a review copy.
Recommended for genealogy buffs and Ingalls aficionados, The Three Faces of Nellie will never win awards for its riveting narrative, but it will keep you digging to know more about Willie (Owens) Oleson, about potential land fraud, and more!
This isn’t a storybook.
If you expected a compelling narrative depicting the lives of these three girls, you may be disappointed in the book. This book was obviously written by and for people who are fascinated with the life of Laura Ingalls Wilder.
Through meticulous research, Robynne Elizabeth Miller peels away the ambiguity surrounding these girls and lets us see who they were and why Laura Ingalls so disliked them.
One of the things I loved most about the book was reading the actual accounts of things I’d read as a story in the series. So many are almost indistinguishable from the versions I’d read as a girl, while others are very similar but with different motives, or in the case of Nellie, people.
There has been some criticism of the dry factual nature of the book, and it’s valid—if you expected a story. I didn’t. I expected research on these people, and I got it.
Where my criticism lies is that there was actually more about the three Nellies’ families (parents and children) than there was about them.
Still, I think any LHOTP lover will find the book fascinating.
It may not be one of those books that you read straight through on a Sunday afternoon, but it was fascinating to see both the information Ms. Miller discovered about each of these ladies and the research process she must have gone through to discover it all. I'm glad I requested a review copy.
Recommended for genealogy buffs and Ingalls aficionados, The Three Faces of Nellie will never win awards for its riveting narrative, but it will keep you digging to know more about Willie (Owens) Oleson, about potential land fraud, and more!
December 16, 2018
Cue the Little House theme music and roll down that hill with me as we take a peek at the three real-life people who were the basis for the villain we all love to hate – Nellie Oleson. As an enduring fan more of the books than the TV series, I was very curious to learn more about these three historic ladies.
The Three Faces of Nellie is a very quick read and covers a lot of research that can be pieced together from Ancestry.com and similar sources. The point, though, is that most people don’t have time or patience or money to track down all this info ourselves, so it’s nice that the author has done all of this for us. She has also taken time to reference Laura Ingalls Wilder’s personal letters and recollections on the subject and uses these to help orient us as to which ‘Nellie’ appears in which of Wilder’s Little House books. I was fascinated to learn more about each of the three, in particular the girl who appeared to be the main inspiration for most of Nellie’s antics.
As someone who has also done a lot of research on my own family history and enjoyed writing summaries of the various family lines for my own relatives (I inherited my history-geekiness from my paternal grandfather’s sister who began this research before Ancestry.com existed), I could also sympathize with the author’s comments on the erroneous/conflicting information often found in census records and other people’s research. One thing I’ve found is that you can’t assume, just because someone else has these parents belonging to this child from this country on this birth date, that it’s accurate. You have to think logically and compare dates and do some math (yuck!) to verify anything you find. Still, research like this can be incredibly fascinating and yield fun results (William Shakespeare is my 1st cousin, 14 times removed).
Bottom Line: The Three Faces of Nellie is easily read in an evening or weekend, depending on your reading speed (it took me about an hour and a half) and will appeal to anyone who is a fan of the show or the Little House books. It’s written more like a genealogy but there are a lot of interesting facts to glean and you’ll never see Nellie Oleson in quite the same way!
(I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book)
first seen at Reading Is My SuperPower
The Three Faces of Nellie is a very quick read and covers a lot of research that can be pieced together from Ancestry.com and similar sources. The point, though, is that most people don’t have time or patience or money to track down all this info ourselves, so it’s nice that the author has done all of this for us. She has also taken time to reference Laura Ingalls Wilder’s personal letters and recollections on the subject and uses these to help orient us as to which ‘Nellie’ appears in which of Wilder’s Little House books. I was fascinated to learn more about each of the three, in particular the girl who appeared to be the main inspiration for most of Nellie’s antics.
As someone who has also done a lot of research on my own family history and enjoyed writing summaries of the various family lines for my own relatives (I inherited my history-geekiness from my paternal grandfather’s sister who began this research before Ancestry.com existed), I could also sympathize with the author’s comments on the erroneous/conflicting information often found in census records and other people’s research. One thing I’ve found is that you can’t assume, just because someone else has these parents belonging to this child from this country on this birth date, that it’s accurate. You have to think logically and compare dates and do some math (yuck!) to verify anything you find. Still, research like this can be incredibly fascinating and yield fun results (William Shakespeare is my 1st cousin, 14 times removed).
Bottom Line: The Three Faces of Nellie is easily read in an evening or weekend, depending on your reading speed (it took me about an hour and a half) and will appeal to anyone who is a fan of the show or the Little House books. It’s written more like a genealogy but there are a lot of interesting facts to glean and you’ll never see Nellie Oleson in quite the same way!
(I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book)
first seen at Reading Is My SuperPower
June 15, 2021
I'd been interested in this book having been a long-time fan of Laura Ingalls Wilder and Little House on the Prairie. As a person also interested in Psychology and villainy, this seemed a great option for me to read! While it was interesting and informative, it was also rather dry. There was no sense of story involved - just facts. This was mostly a matter of an incorrect and therefore unmet expectation. While I appreciated the research that went into this one and found it to be a good resource on Little House on the Prairie, I was hoping for something that felt more like a biographical story than a listing of facts. If you're looking for a reference book, this is a good one! However, if like me, you'd be more interested in the stories behind the people, I'd pass on this one.
March 12, 2017
This is a quick read, and at 129 pages still manages to be overly long with some repetition and two many rhetorical questions for the reader. (There were a lot, don't you think? Yes. Yes I do.) HOWEVER. It is your one stop shopping place for all info re: Nellie Oleson. I already knew some of this, but I had to read a lot of books and do a lot of Internet research to learn it. And I still missed some interesting facts, like Willie Owens being partially blinded as a child (in a very Willie Oleson type accident.) It starts to feel long when the author gets into Stella Gilbert's grandparents, but she promised full histories and that's what you get.
December 16, 2018
I grew up reading every book in The Little House on the Prairie series. I dreamed that I was there in the little school house siting in my desk with my slate ready to write. I did not like the snotty Nellie Oleson one bit. When this book came up for review, I was so excited to revisit my friends who helped me get through my childhood.
I was fascinated by the author's very detailed account of Nellie that was really Laura's creation of three very intriguing women named Nellie, Genevieve and Estella. It was a secret that Laura had composed Nellie from three different girls that Laura knew. What was I reading? Did Laura make up Nellie? It seems that Laura has combined three girls she knew into one character, named Nellie. I am shocked to learn that Laura made up Nellie from three characteristics of her friends. I wonder why this secret was hidden for so long?
The author has piqued my interest in a series I treasured as a child and still do. There is a lot of facts in the book that at times made me get overwhelmed and lost. I guess I was expecting more details about Laura and the Three Nellie's and less about family history. The family history bogs the story down a bit, but not enough for me to turn away from the book. I loved getting to know The Three Nellie's and thought how brilliant Laura was in writing a story comprised of a character that still fascinates us.
Laura and Nellie never liked each other, but as the book says about Nellie, " She was clearly loved by her children and did have many moments of grief that she faced in her life." In the end three women made a story come to life through the eyes of a young girl. They each played a part in the story that many loved and still do. I now have this desire to pick up the series at the library and reread the books. In there I will find three very fascinating girls that became one very important character in a series that has been loved for generations.
I received a copy of this book from Celebrate Lit. The review is my own opinion.
December 12, 2018
I have loved Laura Ingalls Wilder’s Little House books for decades, and I’m also interested in all things about Laura. So, reviewing this book was a natural for me. I had heard that Nellie was a composite character based on several girls Laura had known, but that’s about it. The author here has done a lot of work searching out the three Nellie models’ genealogy. Members of my own family are doing genealogy on our ancestors, and are having plenty of challenges in locating people. So the fact that this author could locate distant relatives of the “Nellies” is really impressive.
The first Nellie inspiration in the Little House books is Nellie Owens. She is the inspiration for the stories about a young Nellie Oleson (memorably, to me, the girl who Laura got back at by leading her into the creek with leeches). Interesting fact: Nellie Owens’ dad ended his life in the Oregon State Insane Asylum, where “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest” was filmed. The author discovered that Nellie, her mom, and other women listed as “widowed” on several censuses were actually divorced. Interesting.
The next Nellie was Genevieve Masters — she was the Nellie of DeSmet. Genevieve came from the East and struck tomboyish Laura as a bit snooty. The Nellie tales from “Little Town on the Prairie” and “These Happy Golden Years” can be attributed to Genevieve.
The final Nellie inspiration was Estella Gilbert. Her main “meanness” seems to be that she appeared to develop a liking for Almanzo, who Laura eventually married. The book ends with bits about each of Estella’s several siblings and her grandparents, and I confess that I realized here that I just wasn’t that interested in the details of the Nellies’ families’ lives. Still, this book is a valuable contribution for those who are. And I know that there are many Laura-crazy folks out there who devour every detail.
Overall, I found this book an enjoyable read that definitely improved my knowledge of the source of “Nellie Oleson” in Laura’s books.
The first Nellie inspiration in the Little House books is Nellie Owens. She is the inspiration for the stories about a young Nellie Oleson (memorably, to me, the girl who Laura got back at by leading her into the creek with leeches). Interesting fact: Nellie Owens’ dad ended his life in the Oregon State Insane Asylum, where “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest” was filmed. The author discovered that Nellie, her mom, and other women listed as “widowed” on several censuses were actually divorced. Interesting.
The next Nellie was Genevieve Masters — she was the Nellie of DeSmet. Genevieve came from the East and struck tomboyish Laura as a bit snooty. The Nellie tales from “Little Town on the Prairie” and “These Happy Golden Years” can be attributed to Genevieve.
The final Nellie inspiration was Estella Gilbert. Her main “meanness” seems to be that she appeared to develop a liking for Almanzo, who Laura eventually married. The book ends with bits about each of Estella’s several siblings and her grandparents, and I confess that I realized here that I just wasn’t that interested in the details of the Nellies’ families’ lives. Still, this book is a valuable contribution for those who are. And I know that there are many Laura-crazy folks out there who devour every detail.
Overall, I found this book an enjoyable read that definitely improved my knowledge of the source of “Nellie Oleson” in Laura’s books.
May 2, 2018
I am an absolutely Laura Ingalls Wilder FANATIC. If you aren't one also, please pass on this book. "The Three Faces of Nellie: The Real Story Behind LIW's Nellie Oleson" is a short little book that focuses on the three very real women who combined together formed the "Nellie Oleson" character from Laura's semi-autobiographic novels and in turn that nasty old Nellie in the Little House on the Prairie t.v. show. I was intrigued to learn more about Nellie Owens, Stella Gilbert and Genevieve Masters. And I absolutely did learn more about this in this book. The problem is the source date on these women is pretty scarce. So what the author did present was mostly speculation and assumptions based upon what she could find from old articles and historical research sites like Ancestry.com. The author did an amazing job at this research and putting it together for readers like I. I want to know everything LIW but I'm sure not able to put in the time and research for a project like this. I think this book is absolutely the best it could be based on the subjects involved but it just doesn't provide a lot of content.
December 8, 2018
Many know the iconic character of Nellie Olsen, but few probably realize that Nellie wasn’t part of the fictional aspect of Laura’s stories. She was a combination of real people. I found this book to be fascinating and well detailed in sharing the stories behind Nellie. Nellie was a character that I really loved to hate when I read the books, then when I was watching the reruns of Little House on the Prarie I was able to see Nellie come to life as the spoiled brat that tormented the Ingall girls.
Reading the back details behind how this character came to be was pure fun for me. It was really interesting to learn about the three women that were combined together to make Nellie. As a fan of the series in book and tv form, this was the perfect book to enjoy in one sitting.
December 23, 2018
I thoroughly enjoyed this book! It was so good! Miss Robynne did such a fantastic job of putting all her information into this book without it being dry and dull. I've loved the story of Little House on the Prairie since I was a little girl. I loved the movies and the books. This book explained the character of Nellie Oleson that we all know of really well. So many things were different then how I'd originally thought they were! But it was so fun to see the truth behind the character. To see what she was really like. Lovers of Laura Ingalls Wilder's books definitely need to check this one out!
November 15, 2018
Who hasn’t read the Little House on The Prairie series or watch the famous TV series, well now this author has given us an in-depth look into the lives of whom the character of Nellie Olsen was based on, and it a combination of three.
This is really a genealogy look into their lives and those of the ancestors, and more. Loved the author’s humor as she gives the facts and more, and made for an enjoyable book.
Although, it is redundant in places, I found a lot of the information interesting and could see why Laura made Nellie as she was.
I received this book through Celebrate Lit, and was not required to give a positive review.
This is really a genealogy look into their lives and those of the ancestors, and more. Loved the author’s humor as she gives the facts and more, and made for an enjoyable book.
Although, it is redundant in places, I found a lot of the information interesting and could see why Laura made Nellie as she was.
I received this book through Celebrate Lit, and was not required to give a positive review.
August 15, 2023
Extremely good and fast read. It was way better than I thought it would be, I was afraid it would be dry. I really enjoyed reading it and I learned a lot.
December 6, 2023
An informative book about the three real-life people who make up the character of Nellie Oleson in the Little House Book Series by Laura Ingalls Wilder. The book is well-researched and helps to paint a picture of the women who made the character we love to hate!
December 14, 2018
I have loved Laura Ingalls Wilder since I was a child. My father first introduced me to her books. I have read all of them and have the complete set on my bookshelf.
I visited DeSmet last year so it was quite interesting to read this book now. I loved getting to know the real women behind the characters in Laura's books. It shows how Laura used her artistic license to create Nellie Oleson.
It made me want to pick up one of her books and read it once again. Great stories that have lived in and on through the years.
I received this ebook free from Celebrate Lit to review.
About the Book
Book: The Three Faces of Nellie
Author: Robynne Elizabeth Miller
Genre: Non-fiction, Historical
Release Date: November, 2016
Publisher: Practical Pioneer Press
Whether you love her, hate her, or love to hate her, Nellie Oleson is one of the most recognizable literary figures of the 20th century. But Laura Ingalls Wilder, author of the Little House on the Prairie series in which Nellie appears, had a secret. . .Nellie wasn’t a real person! Instead, she was a composite character created from three girls Laura knew in childhood: Nellie Owens, Genevieve Masters, and Estella Gilbert.
The Little House character of Nellie Oleson is one-dimensional: snobbish, selfish, and thoroughly unpleasant. But what about the real women behind Laura’s creation? They were an intriguing mix of the not-so-nice and the unexpectedly redeemable. In short, they were human.
Discovering the true stories behind Nellie, Genevieve, and Estella has been a fascinating journey. All three ended up on the West Coast at one point. . .true westward movement! One was widowed twice, one ended up divorced, and one died way too young. Two only had one child, and one had three, though she outlived her youngest by a very long time. There’s even some “Nellie-like” drama in there: Embezzlement. Lying on censuses. Shady land deals.
But there are some beautiful things, too. . .like the enduring love of a husband after his young wife died. Or the rare closeness of a mother and daughter who shared their lives as adults. Or the strength of a young widowed mother who not only cared for her son, but headed out west, in true pioneer fashion, while she did so.
Laura Ingalls Wilder did a masterful job of creating the character of Nellie Oleson. But the three real-life women behind that iconic character are, in my opinion, infinitely more intriguing.
Click here to purchase your copy!
About the Author
Robynne Elizabeth Miller is a speaker, writing coach, and author of multiple books, articles, and essays. Her larger projects include From the Mouth of Ma, Pioneer Mixology, The Three Faces of Nellie, and Nonfiction, Memoir, or Fiction? Dissecting the Works of Laura Ingalls Wilder.
Robynne speaks nationally at writing and historical venues and teaches at writer’s workshops and conferences. She also serves as the Board President of Inspire Christian Writers, as well as their Director of Leadership, and leads two Northern California critique groups.
She holds an undergraduate degree in English Literature from Westmont College and a Masters of Fine Arts in Creative Nonfiction and Fiction from Ashland University.
She lives with her wonderful British husband and the youngest of their four cheeky children in the snowy woods of the Sierra Nevada mountains. When not writing, Robynne loves singing, felling trees, and making bacon from scratch.
Guest Post from Robynne
Nasty Nellie Oleson. One of the most iconic literary characters in literature. Whether you loved her … or hated her … or loved to hate her, she probably left a lasting impression on you. At least if you were a fan of the Little House books by Laura Ingalls Wilder like I was growing up!
As a young girl, I loved Wilder’s tales of wagons, prairies, and grand westward adventures. Strangely, growing up didn’t change my love for all things Little House one tiny bit. But I did become deeply curious about the real life people behind some of the more fascinating Little House characters.
Namely, Nellie Oleson.
As I began to research Nellie, I learned a ton of interesting things. She wasn’t one person, for example. Laura Ingalls Wilder wove three girls she knew in childhood into one composite character for her books. One of the first “Nellie’s,” Nellie Owens, did have a brother named Willy, but did you know that he went blind from two separate incidents, one in childhood and one in adulthood? And did you know that all three of the “Nellies” ended up on the west coast at one point? Talk about true westward movement! One married a man who eventually went to prison for embezzlement, one did some shady land deals, and one shouldn’t have been a “Nellie” at all.
I suppose I was hoping for a good, old-fashioned redemption story. Wouldn’t it have been wonderful if the mean girl in Wilder’s stories grew up to work with orphans or rescue unwanted animals? Alas, that’s not exactly what happened. But the stories of these three women were fascinating all the same.
I hope you have as much fun discovering the real stories behind the famous Nellie Oleson as I did!
Blog Stops
Reading Is My SuperPower, December 6
Blogging With Carol, December 6
multifarious, December 7
Carpe Diem, December 7
Bibliophile Reviews, December 8
The Morning Chapter, December 8
Just the Write Escape, December 9
Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, December 9
A Reader’s Brain, December 10
Abba’s Prayer Warrior Princess, December 10
Maureen’s Musings, December 11
A Baker’s Perspective, December 11
Girls in White Dresses, December 12
Artistic Nobody, December 13
Connie;s HIstory Classroom, December 14
Jeanette’s Thoughts, December 14
Tell Tale Book Reviews, December 15
Pause for Tales, December 15
Book Bites, Bee Stings, & Butterfly Kisses, December 16
Texas Book-aholic, December 16
Stories Where Hope and Quirky Meet, December 17
Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, December 17
Janices book reviews, December 18
margaret kazmierczak, December 18
Lots of Helpers, December 19
Bigreadersite, December 19
Giveaway
To celebrate her tour, Robynne is giving away a grand prize of a Little House Treasures basket that includes an authenticated piece of the original Loftus Store is De Smet, authenticated sand from Laura’s Plum Creek in Walnut Grove, a Loftus Store slate and slate pencil, chokecherry preserves from De Smet, a Christmas Tree ornament from De Smet, a corn-cob doll kit, a tin cup, maple syrup, a set of pioneer recipe books, Laura Ingalls Wilder’s actual gingerbread recipes, and other treasures from various Little House sites!!
Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries in to the giveaway! Click the link below to enter. https://promosimple.com/ps/d774/the-t...
I visited DeSmet last year so it was quite interesting to read this book now. I loved getting to know the real women behind the characters in Laura's books. It shows how Laura used her artistic license to create Nellie Oleson.
It made me want to pick up one of her books and read it once again. Great stories that have lived in and on through the years.
I received this ebook free from Celebrate Lit to review.
About the Book
Book: The Three Faces of Nellie
Author: Robynne Elizabeth Miller
Genre: Non-fiction, Historical
Release Date: November, 2016
Publisher: Practical Pioneer Press
Whether you love her, hate her, or love to hate her, Nellie Oleson is one of the most recognizable literary figures of the 20th century. But Laura Ingalls Wilder, author of the Little House on the Prairie series in which Nellie appears, had a secret. . .Nellie wasn’t a real person! Instead, she was a composite character created from three girls Laura knew in childhood: Nellie Owens, Genevieve Masters, and Estella Gilbert.
The Little House character of Nellie Oleson is one-dimensional: snobbish, selfish, and thoroughly unpleasant. But what about the real women behind Laura’s creation? They were an intriguing mix of the not-so-nice and the unexpectedly redeemable. In short, they were human.
Discovering the true stories behind Nellie, Genevieve, and Estella has been a fascinating journey. All three ended up on the West Coast at one point. . .true westward movement! One was widowed twice, one ended up divorced, and one died way too young. Two only had one child, and one had three, though she outlived her youngest by a very long time. There’s even some “Nellie-like” drama in there: Embezzlement. Lying on censuses. Shady land deals.
But there are some beautiful things, too. . .like the enduring love of a husband after his young wife died. Or the rare closeness of a mother and daughter who shared their lives as adults. Or the strength of a young widowed mother who not only cared for her son, but headed out west, in true pioneer fashion, while she did so.
Laura Ingalls Wilder did a masterful job of creating the character of Nellie Oleson. But the three real-life women behind that iconic character are, in my opinion, infinitely more intriguing.
Click here to purchase your copy!
About the Author
Robynne Elizabeth Miller is a speaker, writing coach, and author of multiple books, articles, and essays. Her larger projects include From the Mouth of Ma, Pioneer Mixology, The Three Faces of Nellie, and Nonfiction, Memoir, or Fiction? Dissecting the Works of Laura Ingalls Wilder.
Robynne speaks nationally at writing and historical venues and teaches at writer’s workshops and conferences. She also serves as the Board President of Inspire Christian Writers, as well as their Director of Leadership, and leads two Northern California critique groups.
She holds an undergraduate degree in English Literature from Westmont College and a Masters of Fine Arts in Creative Nonfiction and Fiction from Ashland University.
She lives with her wonderful British husband and the youngest of their four cheeky children in the snowy woods of the Sierra Nevada mountains. When not writing, Robynne loves singing, felling trees, and making bacon from scratch.
Guest Post from Robynne
Nasty Nellie Oleson. One of the most iconic literary characters in literature. Whether you loved her … or hated her … or loved to hate her, she probably left a lasting impression on you. At least if you were a fan of the Little House books by Laura Ingalls Wilder like I was growing up!
As a young girl, I loved Wilder’s tales of wagons, prairies, and grand westward adventures. Strangely, growing up didn’t change my love for all things Little House one tiny bit. But I did become deeply curious about the real life people behind some of the more fascinating Little House characters.
Namely, Nellie Oleson.
As I began to research Nellie, I learned a ton of interesting things. She wasn’t one person, for example. Laura Ingalls Wilder wove three girls she knew in childhood into one composite character for her books. One of the first “Nellie’s,” Nellie Owens, did have a brother named Willy, but did you know that he went blind from two separate incidents, one in childhood and one in adulthood? And did you know that all three of the “Nellies” ended up on the west coast at one point? Talk about true westward movement! One married a man who eventually went to prison for embezzlement, one did some shady land deals, and one shouldn’t have been a “Nellie” at all.
I suppose I was hoping for a good, old-fashioned redemption story. Wouldn’t it have been wonderful if the mean girl in Wilder’s stories grew up to work with orphans or rescue unwanted animals? Alas, that’s not exactly what happened. But the stories of these three women were fascinating all the same.
I hope you have as much fun discovering the real stories behind the famous Nellie Oleson as I did!
Blog Stops
Reading Is My SuperPower, December 6
Blogging With Carol, December 6
multifarious, December 7
Carpe Diem, December 7
Bibliophile Reviews, December 8
The Morning Chapter, December 8
Just the Write Escape, December 9
Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, December 9
A Reader’s Brain, December 10
Abba’s Prayer Warrior Princess, December 10
Maureen’s Musings, December 11
A Baker’s Perspective, December 11
Girls in White Dresses, December 12
Artistic Nobody, December 13
Connie;s HIstory Classroom, December 14
Jeanette’s Thoughts, December 14
Tell Tale Book Reviews, December 15
Pause for Tales, December 15
Book Bites, Bee Stings, & Butterfly Kisses, December 16
Texas Book-aholic, December 16
Stories Where Hope and Quirky Meet, December 17
Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, December 17
Janices book reviews, December 18
margaret kazmierczak, December 18
Lots of Helpers, December 19
Bigreadersite, December 19
Giveaway
To celebrate her tour, Robynne is giving away a grand prize of a Little House Treasures basket that includes an authenticated piece of the original Loftus Store is De Smet, authenticated sand from Laura’s Plum Creek in Walnut Grove, a Loftus Store slate and slate pencil, chokecherry preserves from De Smet, a Christmas Tree ornament from De Smet, a corn-cob doll kit, a tin cup, maple syrup, a set of pioneer recipe books, Laura Ingalls Wilder’s actual gingerbread recipes, and other treasures from various Little House sites!!
Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries in to the giveaway! Click the link below to enter. https://promosimple.com/ps/d774/the-t...
January 3, 2018
This is a fascinating look into the composite character of "Nellie Oleson" from the Little House series by Laura Ingalls Wilder. It reads similar to a history thesis paper, which I found riveting. The author's research is spot-on, and she provides a wonderful snapshot into people who influenced Wilder's young life. I look forward to picking up other books by this author.
August 20, 2017
Interesting information about the "real" Nellies.
December 21, 2018
The three women who inspired a villainess...
Nellie Oleson, probably one of the most recognized villainesses from out childhoods. Generations have grown up reading the Little House books and watching the TV, either when it first aired or in reruns. Though, I was born after the TV show was long into reruns I was first introduced to Laura, Mary, Ma, Pa, Carrie, Grace, Almanzo, and, of course, Nellie Oleson, when my mom started reading the Little House books to me as a little girl. Later on I read them again for myself and loved them just as much.
Cue The Three Faces Of Nellie, as soon as I read the blurb I knew it was a book I wanted to read. As wonderful as Laura Ingalls Wilder's books are I knew that they were fictionalized and she had taken artistic license in their writing so I was intrigued by the idea of learning the real story behind the story.
Author Robynne Elizabeth Miller has well researched the real Nellies; Nellie Owens, Genevieve Masters, and Estella Gilbert. That last name I find a little ironic since the actress who played Laura on TV also had the surname of Gilbert. Citing sources from Findagrave to censuses in more than one country, from Polk Directories to newspapers, this book paints a fascinating, and frequently tragic, story of the three women who would inadvertently go down in history for their jealousy, spitefulness, and just plain childish meanness.
A fairly quick and easy read, I was finished in just a couple of hours, this book is perfect for any fan of the Little House series. You'll get the chance to find out what happened to them later, who their parents were, and where their children went. If you loved the books and/or the TV show this is a book you won't want to miss!
(I received a copy of this book from the author/publisher. All opinions are entirely my own.)
Nellie Oleson, probably one of the most recognized villainesses from out childhoods. Generations have grown up reading the Little House books and watching the TV, either when it first aired or in reruns. Though, I was born after the TV show was long into reruns I was first introduced to Laura, Mary, Ma, Pa, Carrie, Grace, Almanzo, and, of course, Nellie Oleson, when my mom started reading the Little House books to me as a little girl. Later on I read them again for myself and loved them just as much.
Cue The Three Faces Of Nellie, as soon as I read the blurb I knew it was a book I wanted to read. As wonderful as Laura Ingalls Wilder's books are I knew that they were fictionalized and she had taken artistic license in their writing so I was intrigued by the idea of learning the real story behind the story.
Author Robynne Elizabeth Miller has well researched the real Nellies; Nellie Owens, Genevieve Masters, and Estella Gilbert. That last name I find a little ironic since the actress who played Laura on TV also had the surname of Gilbert. Citing sources from Findagrave to censuses in more than one country, from Polk Directories to newspapers, this book paints a fascinating, and frequently tragic, story of the three women who would inadvertently go down in history for their jealousy, spitefulness, and just plain childish meanness.
A fairly quick and easy read, I was finished in just a couple of hours, this book is perfect for any fan of the Little House series. You'll get the chance to find out what happened to them later, who their parents were, and where their children went. If you loved the books and/or the TV show this is a book you won't want to miss!
(I received a copy of this book from the author/publisher. All opinions are entirely my own.)
July 14, 2025
By now, most fans of the books and the television show know that Nellie Oleson is a composite of three historical figures from Laura Ingalls Wilder's life: Nellie Owens, Genevieve Masters, and Stella Gilbert. In her 2016 book, The Three Faces of Nellie: The Real Story Behind Laura Ingalls Wilder's "Nellie Oleson," Robynne Elizabeth Miller dives deeply into the three young women who became Nellie Oleson to the world. In addition, she shares biographical information about their families, including dates of birth and death, occupations, marriages, and so much more!
Nellie Oleson became a fascinating character from the moment readers first met her in On the Banks of Plum Creek. Thanks to future books and the Little House on the Prairie television series, she continued to be the character everyone loved to hate. As brought to life in fiction, Nellie Oleson protected the identities of others and allowed Wilder to create one arch-nemesis for the entire series.
The Three Faces of Nellie begins with Nellie Owens and her family, moves onto Genevieve Masters, and ends with Estella "Stella" Gilbert. Along the way, Miller provides insight into how much each historical figure influenced the Nellie Oleson character. Readers learn details about their lives that required loads of research--clearly cited in the extensive bibliography at the end--that supports the author's belief that, "Their lives, individually, and collectively..." are worth more than simply being "one of the most iconic and enduring antagonists in literary history."
If you are a lover of Laura and her work, you need to own a copy of The Three Faces of Nellie.
Nellie Oleson became a fascinating character from the moment readers first met her in On the Banks of Plum Creek. Thanks to future books and the Little House on the Prairie television series, she continued to be the character everyone loved to hate. As brought to life in fiction, Nellie Oleson protected the identities of others and allowed Wilder to create one arch-nemesis for the entire series.
The Three Faces of Nellie begins with Nellie Owens and her family, moves onto Genevieve Masters, and ends with Estella "Stella" Gilbert. Along the way, Miller provides insight into how much each historical figure influenced the Nellie Oleson character. Readers learn details about their lives that required loads of research--clearly cited in the extensive bibliography at the end--that supports the author's belief that, "Their lives, individually, and collectively..." are worth more than simply being "one of the most iconic and enduring antagonists in literary history."
If you are a lover of Laura and her work, you need to own a copy of The Three Faces of Nellie.
December 10, 2018
Oh Nellie Oleson - not a more notorious antagonist in my mind than this rich, snooty, spoiled girl. I can see her in my mind now from the hit series- curls, dresses from Boston, china dolls, and an unhealthy dose of ego and conniving. When I saw this book was up for review, I was shocked to find that the Nellie from the classic book was not one, but 3 very different women who were truly individuals that just happened to come into Laura's life and make a (mostly negative) lasting impression. To add to the enjoyment, I am a history buff so all the research our author did to bring us the story behind each of the "Nellies" was truly intriguing. The truth behind how Laura gave the "Nellies" a harsh persona because they rubbed her the wrong way (sometimes in part to Laura's retaliation and instigation) made me laugh. Laura truly was the mischievous happy little country girl I always hoped she would be if I had ever been able to meet her in person. If you like intriguing history, this book is full to the brim with facts (and sources for those facts) that really make the real Nellie come to life. If you just love LHOP, you should read this book to understand more about the talent of Laura Ingalls Wilder in her storytelling, and the real-life events behind much of her books' premises. I thoroughly enjoyed getting to the know the real "Nellies."
I received a complimentary copy of this book, and all opinions given are my own.
I received a complimentary copy of this book, and all opinions given are my own.
December 18, 2018
I really wanted to like "The Three Faces of Nellie"by Robynne Elizabeth Miller, and I did but not as much as I wanted to. I knew the book was nonfiction but it was more like a history book. I did like learning the real stories behind the famous Nellie Oleson. I have always liked "Little House on the Prairie" television show and of course I read all the books.
I am "Nellie Oleson" wasn't one person but three girls combined. It makes me glad to know that one girl wasn't really that mean and despiteful.
The thing that really surprised me the most was when the author was taking about a certain scene in the show and the book, it brought the actual episode to my mind and I was actually seeing it again. The scene I am talking about is when Laura finds Nellie and Almanzo together in his carriage. I won't stay anymore because if a reader doesn't know the story I don't want to give a spoiler alert.
This book gives lots of facts about the three girls that Laura Ingalls Wilder combined to make Nellie. It is not a book in the " Little House" fashion but a complete look at the three women's life including their parents and siblings and their marriage and their children. In all it was a fascinating read.
I recommend this book to any fan of "The Little House on the Prairie" television show or books.
I was given a complimentary copy by the author and Celebrate Lit. These opinions are my own.
I am "Nellie Oleson" wasn't one person but three girls combined. It makes me glad to know that one girl wasn't really that mean and despiteful.
The thing that really surprised me the most was when the author was taking about a certain scene in the show and the book, it brought the actual episode to my mind and I was actually seeing it again. The scene I am talking about is when Laura finds Nellie and Almanzo together in his carriage. I won't stay anymore because if a reader doesn't know the story I don't want to give a spoiler alert.
This book gives lots of facts about the three girls that Laura Ingalls Wilder combined to make Nellie. It is not a book in the " Little House" fashion but a complete look at the three women's life including their parents and siblings and their marriage and their children. In all it was a fascinating read.
I recommend this book to any fan of "The Little House on the Prairie" television show or books.
I was given a complimentary copy by the author and Celebrate Lit. These opinions are my own.
December 11, 2018
I loved reading Little House on the Prairie when I was growing up. As much as I loved reading about Laura's adventures, there was just something about Nellie that captured my attention. Probably because she's the villain that everyone loves to hate, and I do love reading a good villain. When the opportunity came to read about the story behind Nellie's character, I was so excited.
First of all, I learned so much in this book. In fact, while reading and discovering the back story to Nellie, I must say that it made me appreciate her character even more. I had assumed, probably like the rest of the world, that Nellie's character was based off of one person, not three. As Miller takes you on the journey of learning about each individual person Nellie is based off of, you can see her character come to life. You can understand why Laura chose to write it as one character rather than three. Each person had an important role in Nellie's creation, and I feel the author explained this wonderfully.
The Three Faces of Nellie is a fun, educational read. Little House on the Prairie fans will devour it. Be warned.....you may want to go back and read all of those books when you're done! I received a complimentary copy of this book. I was not required to write a favorable review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
First of all, I learned so much in this book. In fact, while reading and discovering the back story to Nellie, I must say that it made me appreciate her character even more. I had assumed, probably like the rest of the world, that Nellie's character was based off of one person, not three. As Miller takes you on the journey of learning about each individual person Nellie is based off of, you can see her character come to life. You can understand why Laura chose to write it as one character rather than three. Each person had an important role in Nellie's creation, and I feel the author explained this wonderfully.
The Three Faces of Nellie is a fun, educational read. Little House on the Prairie fans will devour it. Be warned.....you may want to go back and read all of those books when you're done! I received a complimentary copy of this book. I was not required to write a favorable review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
December 11, 2018
Growing up, I can remember reading the “Little House on the Prarie” series of books by Larua Ingalls Wilder and being fascinated by the stories she told. I loved reading about Pa playing his fiddle and all the adventures she had. But there was one character I could not stand – Nellie Olsen, so when I found out about this book tour, I knew I wanted to read this book.
I was amazed to learn that Nellie Olsen was actually created from three different girls who interacted with Laura Ingalls Wilder. The idea of changing names to protect or prevent people from knowing who Laura Ingalls Wilder was actually writing about intrigued me.
This book is not a story, instead, it is facts and is not written for entertaining the reader. Instead, it is meant to provide the reader knowledge and information about the three individuals who actually resulted in the character of Nellie Olsen: Nellie Owens, Genevieve Masters, and Estella Gilbert. This book provides family information and other facts about these characters. The author does an excellent job of illustrating the true human attributes of these three individuals. She also does a masterful job of portraying the real human nature of Laura Ingalls Wilder as well.
So if you are someone who desires to learn more about the individuals behind the character of Nellie Olsen, check out this book for yourself.
I was amazed to learn that Nellie Olsen was actually created from three different girls who interacted with Laura Ingalls Wilder. The idea of changing names to protect or prevent people from knowing who Laura Ingalls Wilder was actually writing about intrigued me.
This book is not a story, instead, it is facts and is not written for entertaining the reader. Instead, it is meant to provide the reader knowledge and information about the three individuals who actually resulted in the character of Nellie Olsen: Nellie Owens, Genevieve Masters, and Estella Gilbert. This book provides family information and other facts about these characters. The author does an excellent job of illustrating the true human attributes of these three individuals. She also does a masterful job of portraying the real human nature of Laura Ingalls Wilder as well.
So if you are someone who desires to learn more about the individuals behind the character of Nellie Olsen, check out this book for yourself.
December 8, 2018
Were you a Little House on the Prairie Fan? Me, too! I loved watching the television show and imaging that way of life. What did you think about the character Nellie Oleson? She certainly wasn’t one of my favorites at the beginning. However, she grew up and I remember her changing into a much nicer person.
In her book “The Three Faces of Nellie Oleson” author Robynne Elizabeth Miller enlightens readers on the real people whom Nellie was. Interestingly, Nellie was a compilation of three different people and not an individual. Nellie Owens, Stella Gilbert and Genevieve Masters were the women that together made up Nellie.
This is a rather short book that will probably only interest fans of Little House. It is very well researched and organized. In fact, it reads a lot like a research paper or project. References are cited, there is much data presented, and some speculation. I am not sure what I was expecting, but this was a surprise. It is more of a history lesson.
I would only recommend this to fans of Laura Ingles and Little House on the Prairie. It took me a bit to finish even though it was short. I rate it a 3.5 out of 5 stars. I was given a copy by Celebrate Lit but under no obligation to write a review. This is my own, honest opinion.
In her book “The Three Faces of Nellie Oleson” author Robynne Elizabeth Miller enlightens readers on the real people whom Nellie was. Interestingly, Nellie was a compilation of three different people and not an individual. Nellie Owens, Stella Gilbert and Genevieve Masters were the women that together made up Nellie.
This is a rather short book that will probably only interest fans of Little House. It is very well researched and organized. In fact, it reads a lot like a research paper or project. References are cited, there is much data presented, and some speculation. I am not sure what I was expecting, but this was a surprise. It is more of a history lesson.
I would only recommend this to fans of Laura Ingles and Little House on the Prairie. It took me a bit to finish even though it was short. I rate it a 3.5 out of 5 stars. I was given a copy by Celebrate Lit but under no obligation to write a review. This is my own, honest opinion.
July 27, 2023
This book explores the lives of the three women Laura Ingalls Wilder went to school with who inspired the character of Nellie Oleson in her books. Unfortunately there's not much to explore other than a lot of census data about where these women were born, where their parents were born, where they got married, where their husbands were born, how many children they had, various moves and careers they took and where they died.
It was well researched and the author obviously put a lot of love into researching and writing this book. Unfortunately Miller's casual style was off putting to me, as well as how she would try to entice the audience to have a certain opinion about the women who inspired the character of Nellie Oleson by making a statement and finishing it with "don't you agree?"
If you are a diehard fan or interested in doing your own historical research into the real lives of the people in the Little House books, then this book is indispensable and highly recommended. If you have a more casual interest, then the interesting bits of this book can be found in other sources, notably Pioneer Girl, without having to wade through the dry census stuff.
It was well researched and the author obviously put a lot of love into researching and writing this book. Unfortunately Miller's casual style was off putting to me, as well as how she would try to entice the audience to have a certain opinion about the women who inspired the character of Nellie Oleson by making a statement and finishing it with "don't you agree?"
If you are a diehard fan or interested in doing your own historical research into the real lives of the people in the Little House books, then this book is indispensable and highly recommended. If you have a more casual interest, then the interesting bits of this book can be found in other sources, notably Pioneer Girl, without having to wade through the dry census stuff.
December 16, 2018
Who knew?! I consider my self a huge Little House fan, but obviously I'm not as huge a fan as those who already knew this little tidbit: Apparently, Nellie Oleson of Laura Ingalls Wilder's Little House books was a character created by Laura, but was based on three different girls in her childhood. This book details those three girls' lives, such as when they traveled west, when they lived, when they knew Laura, and what they did in their adult lives. The author presented substantiated research, and acknowledged when there may have been gaps in the knowledge.
I was very impressed with the amount of research that went into this book. It was a fairly quick read, and sometimes was a little dry (think of the biblical begats), but yet fascinating to learn more of these girls who comprised the Nellie Oleson character.
It is worth the read for Little House fans, or others that appreciate genealogical research.
I received an ARC of this book from the author, through Celebrate Lit, for review purposes. The thoughts expressed here are my own.
I was very impressed with the amount of research that went into this book. It was a fairly quick read, and sometimes was a little dry (think of the biblical begats), but yet fascinating to learn more of these girls who comprised the Nellie Oleson character.
It is worth the read for Little House fans, or others that appreciate genealogical research.
I received an ARC of this book from the author, through Celebrate Lit, for review purposes. The thoughts expressed here are my own.
December 18, 2018
The three faces of Nellie
If you want to learn more about Nellie Oleson this is the book for you. The book explores how the character was actually made up from three persons. That was very interesting to learn but there was a little bit too much information for me. The author really gathers a lot of information. For this short book there was definitely a lot of research done. I really appreciate how much time the author put into this book. Has the history of each person, dates of their birth, marriage, death.
If you a fan of the Laura ingalls Wilder’s books, you may find this a very interesting book. I don’t remember reading much of the books, not sure why I didn’t because I love to read about that time in history. I did watch a lot of the TV show “little house on the prairie “ which was based on the books. I definitely remember how the character Nellie was on there.
I received an complementary copy of the book from the author through Celebrate Lit. I was not required to write an positive review. This is my own opinion.
If you want to learn more about Nellie Oleson this is the book for you. The book explores how the character was actually made up from three persons. That was very interesting to learn but there was a little bit too much information for me. The author really gathers a lot of information. For this short book there was definitely a lot of research done. I really appreciate how much time the author put into this book. Has the history of each person, dates of their birth, marriage, death.
If you a fan of the Laura ingalls Wilder’s books, you may find this a very interesting book. I don’t remember reading much of the books, not sure why I didn’t because I love to read about that time in history. I did watch a lot of the TV show “little house on the prairie “ which was based on the books. I definitely remember how the character Nellie was on there.
I received an complementary copy of the book from the author through Celebrate Lit. I was not required to write an positive review. This is my own opinion.
December 11, 2018
As one who has always enjoyed reading the Little House on the Prairie books, and have repeatedly seen the series on TV, this title caught my eye. I have many memories of times that I thought, and perhaps said out loud - How could she do that?....in reference to Nellie's behavior. I suppose Nellie was one of the original antagonists that we learned to 'hate'. However, in the words of Laura Ingalls Wilder, she was sure 'Nellie was much more unhappy than she ever made Laura'. The author has taken a great deal of time and research to tell us many details from numerous historical sources about life and death in those years. It was quite interesting to imagine what life was like with all three 'Nellies'.
I received this ebook through CelebrateLit and all impressions and opinions are my own.
I received this ebook through CelebrateLit and all impressions and opinions are my own.
December 7, 2018
The author paints a very real picture of Laura Ingalls Wilder, as both a girl/woman and an author. The Three Faces of Nellie is a character analysis as well as thorough biography of the three real life women who formed the basis for Wilder’s Little House fictional/composite character, Nellie Oleson. Completed from a wealth of research a fair amount of supposition, and earnest dedication to her topic, this brief book is ideal for fans of Laura Ingalls Wilder’s works and life.
Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy of this book. A favorable review was not required, no compensation was received, and all views expressed are my own.
Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy of this book. A favorable review was not required, no compensation was received, and all views expressed are my own.
January 19, 2019
This biography is of the three characters that made up the singular character on the most beloved classic, Little House series, Nellie Oleson.
Each character was told in relation to how they truly were, according to historical documents and Laura's own words from Pioneer Girl, another biography. Then they go into more detail about the person through historical documents, census, and obituary information. Then we learn about their husband, parents, and children.
This is a well researched book. Definitely history heavy. Yes they did a phenomenal job of trying to take dates, and history, things that are normally dry and dull and create a very interesting book from it.
Each character was told in relation to how they truly were, according to historical documents and Laura's own words from Pioneer Girl, another biography. Then they go into more detail about the person through historical documents, census, and obituary information. Then we learn about their husband, parents, and children.
This is a well researched book. Definitely history heavy. Yes they did a phenomenal job of trying to take dates, and history, things that are normally dry and dull and create a very interesting book from it.
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