What's the Name of That Book??? discussion
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An Owl On Every Post
SOLVED: Non-Fiction
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SOLVED. Name of non-fictional book about family in early 1900's living on Colorado plains. [s]
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Lydia
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Dec 03, 2016 12:31AM
Hi I was hoping someone could help me out. I read a book that I can not remember the author or title of. The plot was this young girl and her family get some land from the government in Colorado I think it was for the homestead act. They move out there to the middle of nowhere on the Colorado plains. They grow broomcorn. The winters are really really harsh. They have some kind of weirdo neighbor. I think they lived in a sod house or some kind of dwelling that was built kinda underground. I believe the author was a female. If you think you may know please let me know. Thanks!
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Little House on the Prairie by Laura Ingles Wilder?
It seems like little house on the prairie but it is definitely not. But thank you for your responses!
If it's built partially underground, I think the proper term is dugout. They usually were dug partially into the ground with sod finishing the top. Willa Cather is another big name when it comes to homesteading on the prairie - though that's Nebraska, not Colorado.
I seem to remember there being dugouts and corn in My Ántonia. And, of course, Ántonia's family are somewhat strange neighbors - being Bohemian and the older ones unable to speak English.
It was thinking it may have not been Colorado. It could have been some other plains area. And yes I think dugout is the correct term. Thanks!
Was that the right book or should I keep browsing?
Also it's possible it wasn't fiction but it could be a little of both as well. I'm not sure.
Hi I'm not sure I'm browsing some results from what you told me. Thanks so much for your help!
Hi I am not sure if that is it. But it's definitely onto something. I feel like I have read this book before though. Let me think. My book had a mother who was really bored and wanted to make a friend and she met a neighbor lady she thought they could befriend each other. The family was really poor they often cooked some kind of flour bread or something. I'm the end they moved to some other place I think maybe the grandparents house.
With those added details, it doesn't seem as likely. I think the main character lived with an Aunt or Grandparent or such, not a mother. And Antonia's mother was a little too busy to worry about friendships too much.
Both the being poor and cooking bread is true - especially for Antonia's family - but those are probably really common plot elements in stories of this type.
The main character's family does move partway through the book - but it's just into town, not far away. And at the end, the kid grows up enough to go away to college.
So, most of it sort of fits, but not exactly. If you want to glance through a few pages to see if it rings a bell, you can read it here. http://www.gutenberg.org/files/242/24...
Thank you about to read that
Thanks so much, but I don't think it's the one. However I want to thank you for introducing me to this book because now I want to read it in its entirety.
Half Broke Horses by Jeannette Walls starts out with the narrator and her family living in a dugout.
Thank you for the list! And thank you for the book title I am looking into both.
It's not the Jeanette Walls book but thanks for that because I want to read her books now.
Frontier Fiction- that is what I am looking for.
Melanti, looking at the the Song Of The Lark reminded me of something. The image of the book looks like the image of the book I am thinking of. I think..... it was like some fence post and something about the birds on the post (fence post). I hope I am not confusing one book for another.
Ok a bit more memory. Something about having to sell the piano.
Lydia wrote: "Thank you for the list! And thank you for the book title I am looking into both."You're welcome Lydia. It's been a while since I read them but could the author be
Bess Streeter Aldrich?
Do you know about when you read this? Also, was it more of a children's book or an adult book?
Laurie, I will look into it and see it's along the lines of something she would write. Adele I read this about a year ago but I don't know when it was copyrighted I checked but I do not remember. I think it was more of an adult book.
Hi Laurie. I looked through her works and it doesn't appear to be her. But thanks so much!
You're welcome Lydia, I hope we can find it for you soon :D
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I posted recently about this but still don't think I have found the book. I may actually have two different stories that are similar mixed up in my mind but I truly think it is one story. Although there have been several suggestions that seem like it. And one may have been it but my memory is foggy. (It was read during a stressful time in my life) Ok so here is what I remember: set in the early 1900's in I think the plains of Colorado. A young child and family get offered land from the government in return for crops or something. The family was supposed to make something of the land. It was like 170 acres or something. They pack up to travel there and the wife wanted to take the piano. I believe they figured out how to get it there. When they get there they are greeted by Grandpa. It's a house that is built underground. One little room. A small bed and a stove. The piano gets in there I think. I also think at some point the piano was sold. There were two was out. There was a barn in the distance. Something happens in the barn. The winters are really tough. The family grows broomcorn. There is a neighbor that the kids are told to watch for he is creepy. The girl of the family goes to this mans house. The mother is lonely and wants a friend. She finds a nice family up the street. The whole family goes out for dinner one night to these people we home. The mother goes out of her way to buy the children proper clothing. The grandparents live by some creek on some slope of a hill. Eventually because life is too hard on the plains with the snowy, windy winters they move to the grandparents old home or something like that. It was near some Rocky ditch or something and the kids went exploring in it. That's all I got folks. Any help at all is much appreciated. Thanks for reading this!!!!
Thank you Lobstergirl!
Lydia wrote: "Melanti, looking at the the Song Of The Lark reminded me of something. The image of the book looks like the image of the book I am thinking of. I think..... it was like some fence post and somethin..."Putting together all the little details you have mentioned, I think I may have found it. This book is set in Colorado in the early 20th century, starts when the main character is a little girl, has a dugout, mentions the grandfather, blizzards, moving. It is frequently compared to My Antonia and . . . the title includes a bird on a post! I must admit I will be disappointed if this is not it. ;-)
Is it
Adele!!! Thank you a million times! You found my book! I thought it wouldn't be done but you know your stuff & you put the pieces together to help me. I am thrilled...Thrilled I say! Wow thank you Adele and thank you to all people who commented and looked into this trying to help me. The Goodreads community is an amazing place! Thank you Goodreads!!!! THANK YOU ADELE!!!!!!!
SOLVED! Thank You all!!!
So glad you found your book - I can't wait to read it either :D
Adele wrote: "Lydia wrote: "Melanti, looking at the the Song Of The Lark reminded me of something. The image of the book looks like the image of the book I am thinking of. I think..... it was like some fence pos..."Yay! I'm so glad this was the right one!
What's the Name of That Book???
Books mentioned in this topic
An Owl On Every Post (other topics)Half Broke Horses (other topics)
My Ántonia (other topics)
Little House on the Prairie (other topics)
Authors mentioned in this topic
Bess Streeter Aldrich (other topics)Jeannette Walls (other topics)
Laura Ingalls Wilder (other topics)
