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The First Four Years
2016 ♦Archives Buddy Read ♦
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Trea, Erica, & Cindy - Little House Series
Mod
I haven't read these since I was in elementary school so I'm really looking forward to revisiting them!
Erica, Cindy and I have been talking via PM, and we're planning on doing two books a month if that works for you?
Cindy wrote: "I haven't read these since I was in elementary school so I'm really looking forward to revisiting them!"Same thing goes for me...I'm 37, so it has been a long while for me!
Trea wrote: "Cindy wrote: "I haven't read these since I was in elementary school so I'm really looking forward to revisiting them!"Same thing goes for me...I'm 37, so it has been a long while for me!"
I just turned 40 yesterday so I totally understand! lol
Cindy wrote: "I just turned 40 yesterday so I totally understand! lol"Happy Belated Birthday!
How is everyone coming with this? I just started it, so am not too far into it currently.
Mod
Erica wrote: "Frantically trying to lay a few others to rest so I can get started. I read the first and third recently (the collector's set I bought had Farmer Boy second for whatever reason), but I will re-read..."I made it to the start of Chapter 4 last night...I had another buddy read that was supposed to start yesterday too, but I didn't get as far in that book.
I liked reading about how they lived back then, even from a child's point of view. I think I glossed over that when I was younger. And holding my old book in my hands was a very nostalgic feeling!
message 12:
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Erica, Quality Control Supervisor
(last edited Dec 24, 2016 03:52PM)
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rated it 3 stars
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Hoping to start this challenge today... a luxurious day of reading and not much else.
Done: 9/9 (11?)
July -
July -
August -
August -
September -
October -
November -
November -
January -
?? February - On the Way Home: The Diary of a Trip from South Dakota to Mansfield, Missouri, in 1894
?? March - West from Home: Letters of Laura Ingalls Wilder, San Francisco, 1915
I've been reading 3 chapters a day, as I had a buddy read that started Saturday and one that starts today. It's worked out well for me so far and I should finish it tomorrow.I'm leaning toward reading the second book in the latter half of the month, around the 20th or so, if that works for everyone.
Mod
Mod
I finished it this morning. I loved how detailed it was about how life was lived back then! I also enjoyed seeing how it went over a full year of life back then. It was a very good read for me!
I read LHBW Sunday and loved it! I really loved the descriptions of how they did things. Like when she told about smoking the meat and making the syrup and sugar. And how they put everything up for the winter. It made me a little sentimental for simpler times.I'm requesting LHP from the library tonight so hopefully I'll have it in the next week.
Erica wrote: "I made it through the first three chapters of Little House in the Big Woods this afternoon. It never ceases to amaze me how incredibly skilled people had to be in the 1800's just to stay alive. And..."I love that the kid's contributed but they still had time to play. I really liked how they made tea cups and saucers with acorn shells to play with in their play houses under the trees. And I liked it when Laura and Mary wanted to play "town" but they couldn't because they didn't know what town was like!
Progress: 2/9July
01. Little House in the Big Woods [07/03]
02. Little House on the Prairie [07/26]
August
03. Farmer Boy [10/17]
04. On the Banks of Plum Creek [10/18]
September
05. By the Shores of Silver Lake [10/19]
06. The Long Winter [10/28]
October
07. Little Town on the Prairie [11/27]
08. These Happy Golden Years
November
09. The First Four Years
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Erica, Quality Control Supervisor
(last edited Jul 06, 2016 11:59AM)
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rated it 3 stars
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message 21:
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Erica, Quality Control Supervisor
(last edited Jul 06, 2016 11:58AM)
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rated it 3 stars
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I hope we stay with just 2 books a month. They read quickly, but I have significant commitments to some other challenges that I want to keep up with too...
Mod
No Pioneer Girl? It's on my list to read, but it's gonna take awhile since it's basically a textbook :-PI've read all the other books several times already :-)
Mod
Erin wrote: "No Pioneer Girl? It's on my list to read, but it's gonna take awhile since it's basically a textbook :-PI've read all the other books several times already :-)"
I think Mod Denise just went with what was listed as Little House Series (If you click on the Grey Words in parenthesis after each title, it takes you to the series page and what is considered by Goodreads part of the series.), and didn't consider any other books.
Frankly, I wasn't considering books 10 and 11 part of the series, and after finding out that they're biographies more so than anything else, I really don't want to read them! I think I'll just stop with book 9 in November.
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Erica, Quality Control Supervisor
(last edited Jul 07, 2016 10:37AM)
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Erica wrote: "I'm good with that. I really just wanted to read the original series myself... So we're stopping with The First Four Years in November, right? Frankly, that also helps me because the rest of my rea..."Yeah, that's where I plan to stop, but you each are welcome to continue with them if you wish and post about it here. I'll plan to keep this in my Buddy Read Sign Up post through December in either case.
Mod
Hey, Cindy? You up for starting our BR of Little House on the Prairie a little early? Erica and I have been PMing about Dusty Bookshelf and she mentioned she could get to this in a bit, and since I've only got one book going currently, I can jump in with the first few chapters as well.
Mod
Erica wrote: "Okay, these are just addictive. Started LHP today and I can't put it down!! I am struck by the immense courage of Laura's parents to strike out for the unknown west, far from family."I totally agree with you! I read the first 5 chapters this morning, and Caroline's courage in the "creek" was just amazing!
Trea wrote: "Hey, Cindy? You up for starting our BR of Little House on the Prairie a little early? Erica and I have been PMing about Dusty Bookshelf and she mentioned she could get to this in a bit, and since I..."Yes, I'm getting it from the library this week so we can start whenever ya'll are ready. And I agree to stopping after book 9 as well.
Mod
Cindy wrote: "Trea wrote: "Hey, Cindy? You up for starting our BR of Little House on the Prairie a little early? Erica and I have been PMing about Dusty Bookshelf and she mentioned she could get to this in a bit..."Cool, grab it and run, girl!
Mod
I finished this one earlier today. I remember wondering about this when I was a child, and it still makes no sense to me today. Why did the Ingalls family leave so quickly when they learned that they were 3 miles over "the line". Why wouldn't they wait and see how long it took the soldiers to get to them, perhaps harvest the food they had planted? It didn't sit well with me.
Mod
- Ma and Pa are clearly very orderly people who do everything "just so." The thought of being unceremoniously shagged off their property by soldiers whose arrival could be at any time may have been incomprehensible to them.
- It was fairly early in the spring, and since their wagon could only hold a limited amount of reserve supplies it was essential to move on to the next location quickly to give them enough time to prepare for the next winter.
- They had just witnessed the departure of the Osage Indians, who had protected them. There was no guarantee that the other tribes who had wanted to kill them would not return.
- Possibly Laura's memory (or reporting) of the event is dramatized a bit. Maybe Ma and Pa had a bit more warning that the territorial boundaries might be an issue, and had been discussing the matter for more than a half day before they made their plan.
I enjoyed this one, but felt a lot of insecurity for their well-being throughout the book. I can't imagine living in such circumstances with precious few neighbors around for help if it was needed.
Erica wrote: "I just finished myself, and have been thinking about your comment Trea. It occurs to me that a few things could be part of the Ingalls' decision to leave so quickly:- Ma and Pa are clearly very o..."
You made quite a few good points here, and I hadn't thought of any of them!
I see your point about their well-being...case in point was the Fever'n'Ague chapter! They had malaria and were dying and it was only sheer luck that they all survived!
Definitely good points, Erica. I was thinking myself last night as I was reading that it's possible of course that Laura's recollection or reporting could be dramatized a bit. And the point about leaving early early in the spring so that they could get to their next location with enough time to set up ample stores for the winter was on my mind too. I think about the everyday noises that come with living in a neighborhood. Things that fade into the background for us. Dogs barking, lawn mowers, kids playing, car doors closing, and a hundred other sounds that come with living surrounded by other people. I know that if there was an emergency I could count on my next-door neighbor. I can't imagine them not being there. Even if they like to party a little loudly on the weekends. lol
When would we like to start this? I've got a Buddy Read starting right on the 1st, but I could start this at the same time, since I break it up into chapter bites.
Mod
Erica wrote: "I was waiting until August but could start as soon as I finish 12 Years a Slave (which is excellent, by the way)."I've got a few books left on my list for July, so I'm probably not going to be able to start this much before July 30th or so.
Mod
The 1st sounds good to me too; I'll go ahead a request it from the library tonight. For the second Aug book, I'm out of the country on a mission trip the 20th through the 27th.
Mod
Ooh, exciting! Where are you going??
To Jamaica. We're going to work in an orphanage there. Half of the group is doing repairs to the building and the other half of us get to love on the kids and teach vacation bible school. Can't wait!
Mod
Cindy wrote: "The 1st sounds good to me too; I'll go ahead a request it from the library tonight. For the second Aug book, I'm out of the country on a mission trip the 20th through the 27th."Cindy, would starting On the Banks of Plum Creek on the 12th give you enough time before you leave to read it?
I've been plugging away at this one, but not enjoying it as much as Laura's stories. Almanzo's sisters are so vain, and it always seems to be the same with him, "I want to be older so I can do [blah]."! Comes across a bit whiny.
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Books mentioned in this topic
Confessions of a Prairie Bitch: How I Survived Nellie Oleson and Learned to Love Being Hated (other topics)Confessions of a Prairie Bitch: How I Survived Nellie Oleson and Learned to Love Being Hated (other topics)
Little Town on the Prairie (other topics)
The Long Winter (other topics)
By the Shores of Silver Lake (other topics)
More...
01. Little House in the Big Woods
02. Little House on the Prairie
03. Farmer Boy
04. On the Banks of Plum Creek
05. By the Shores of Silver Lake
06. The Long Winter
07. Little Town on the Prairie
08. These Happy Golden Years
09. The First Four Years
10. On the Way Home: The Diary of a Trip from South Dakota to Mansfield, Missouri, in 1894
11. West from Home: Letters of Laura Ingalls Wilder, San Francisco, 1915