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Letters of a Woman Homesteader Audiobook
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(3.02) - 1,722 listener ratings
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Publisher Description
Letters of a Woman Homesteader presents an outstanding first-person account of life on the American frontier. Elinore Pruitt Stewart took up homesteading in Burnt Fork, Wyoming, in 1909, to prove that a woman could ranch. Her captivating letters, sent to a former employer in Denver, reveal the isolation, the beauty, and the joy of working the prairie.
The basis for the acclaimed movie Heartland, this charming chronicle is part of our vanished past. Stewart's courage and her delight in the world around her cannot fail to capture the hearts of her listeners.
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"While not a novel as such, this is an interesting publication of a series of letters written by a homestead woman around 1909 in Wyoming. The letters were written to a former female employer and, apparently good friend, and chronicles her life during a short period of time and the struggles and optimism and her love of nature. No replies are recorded and the letters are written in a semi-diary format. The value of this book lies in the attitude of the writer, her self-sufficiency and her descriptions of a wide-open country life."
— Mike (4 out of 5 stars)
Letters of a Woman Homesteader Listener Reviews
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" I really enjoyed this book--the descriptions of the country and the life Stewart lead, and parts of it made me laugh out loud. "
— Courtney, 2/7/2014 -
" The format of this book/collection of letters left me feeling like the good parts got left out. "
— Marieke, 2/6/2014 -
" One of the best books I've read in awhile. Stewart's letters are vivid stories of ranch life on the frontier. Excellent! "
— Jayme, 2/6/2014 -
" A delightful find in the Amazon Kindle store's "free" section. Real letters from a single mother setting up her homestead in Wyoming to her former employer. This young woman had a definite gift for describing the wild and beautiful land around her. There are some real "characters" among the other homesteaders, herders, and travelers and she depicts them with a warm and humorous voice. If you are the sort of person who enjoyed the Laura Ingalls Wilder books as a kid, you will probably like this book. "
— Terry, 2/3/2014 -
" I thoroughly enjoyed reading this! The author moves to Wyoming to be a housekeeper for a cattle rancher. She shares stories about homesteading in the west and the adventures along the way. If you have ever lived in on a farm, had a garden, or ever lived in the country, I think you'll have a deeper appreciation of what life was like for her. "
— Hannah, 2/3/2014 -
" True story in letters...fast read that leaves you wishing that you could "homestead" still. The old west was full of colorful characters and this book includes many of them "
— Celeste, 1/23/2014 -
" What a sense of humor! "
— Joshlyn, 1/20/2014 -
" Loving it! Many laugh-out-loud moments and fabulous descriptions. Wish I'd found it sooner. "
— LaLine, 1/15/2014 -
" this book was a sort of interseting but I think it would have helped to have at least some of the letters she received from her friend to fill in the gaps. "
— Kimberly, 1/7/2014 -
" I found this book in a box and thought it sounded kind of interesting. It definitely was she is quite the character! Her real life stories depicted in letters are much more interesting then someone could create in a novel. Sometimes real life is just that good. "
— Catherine, 12/27/2013 -
" This was a fun book. She's got a talent for letter writing. Very interesting real-life characters. "
— Claire, 12/11/2013 -
" It was awesome and made me laugh out loud. "
— Ms, 11/17/2013 -
" A rare glimpse of a woman's struggles to be a homesteader in a man's world in early America. Very enjoyable and educational read. "
— Debra, 11/6/2013 -
" I just loved this book. She has such a spice for life. I loved reading about her ability to have a great attitude about triumphs and trials, taking life as it is, taking chances and going for it. I would recommend this over and over! "
— Mandy, 11/2/2013 -
" Cute letters telling of this woman's trials and adventures in homesteading. It's simple and sweet. She is either a good story teller or are these letters just made up? "
— Trinna, 10/25/2013 -
" A really interesting insight into 19th century western life and one super positive woman. "
— Cerese, 1/12/2013 -
" A nice quick story about life in the raw west. Interesting and fun. The free Kindle version appears to have a chunk of text missing at 98%. I'm guessing roughly five to ten pages. All in all an enjoyable read. "
— Jenna, 7/17/2012 -
" I loved this book! A wonderful, informative, historical description of life on a ranch in Wyoming. She made me feel like this could have been me if I had lived back in those times! I read this as a free book on Kindle. "
— Penny, 6/14/2012 -
" This book presents the diary of a woman who made a life for herself and her daughter in Wyoming in the early 20th century. I really liked this book. "
— Vikki, 5/25/2012 -
" May 2006 LP NA -- Good "
— Marsha, 3/15/2012 -
" A very homey, good feeling read. It makes you want to hear more about the adventures of a Wyoming Homesteader. If you are from Wyoming, it is a must read. "
— Carol, 3/13/2012 -
" What a great quick read - through letters to a former employer, I was so quickly drawn into her 1900's life in Wyoming. Makes my life look pretty darn cushy "
— Amanda, 5/14/2011 -
" So easy to read, compelling, exciting, with such a likable narrator. Way better than I expected and free to download on kindle! "
— Chiara, 5/14/2011 -
" One of the best books I've read in awhile. Stewart's letters are vivid stories of ranch life on the frontier. Excellent! "
— Jayme, 5/12/2011 -
" I only wish it had been longer! <br/> "
— Teamtweety, 5/9/2011 -
" Endearing story of, well, a woman homesteader. Don't think I would have made it back then. "
— Crys, 5/3/2011 -
" i thought that this book was pretty good. i liked that it was so realistic and the main character was awesome. i especially liked her because she was so awesomely funny. i actually think that it should be made into a movie. "
— Karen, 4/28/2011 -
" This book is a high-spirited treasure trove of history. These beautifully written letters made me laugh, imagine, and think. A delightful, quick read. Free on Kindle. "
— Kristina, 4/12/2011 -
" I loved this book. The sense of humor and creative writing of the "Woman Homesteader" was phenomenal, and totally unexpected. Very fun read. "
— Michelle, 4/10/2011 -
" A great read for grown-up farmer wanna-bes who feel a little silly re-re-reading Laura Ingalls Wilder. "
— Susan, 3/31/2011 -
" This is a wonderful book of letters written by a woman who had a much more difficult life than her letters express. Not intended for publication, we get an inside look at Elinore's daily life. What shines through is the soul of a courageous woman with a gift for writing. "
— Kristine, 3/30/2011 -
" Such a wonderful book. After reading a few dozen pages I wondered if the book was actually fiction, the stories are almost too perfect, but they are the real letters of a real homesteader from the early 1900s. This woman lived a life! "
— Mary, 3/26/2011 -
" Great book. Loved learning about life on a homestead on the early 1900's. "
— Marie, 3/25/2011 -
" I am always interested in the old west. So I enjoyed it. "
— Genneal, 3/24/2011
About Elinore Pruitt Stewart
Elinore Pruitt Stewart (1876–1933) was orphaned early in life. She and her brothers and sisters made their own way in the Indian Territory of Oklahoma, and in the absence of schools, she taught herself to read and write. After losing her husband in a railroad accident, she went to Denver, where she worked as a laundress, housekeeper, and furnace tender to support herself and her daughter. She heard about Wyoming from a friend while recovering from an illness. Two days later, she was on her way there. An ad placed in a newspaper quickly gained her empoyment as housekeeper for Clyde Stewart, a rancher, whom she later married.
About Rebecca Burns
Rebecca Burns is a published narrator of children’s books and books for young adult. Her published credits include Pollyanna, The Jungle Book, The Wizard of Oz, and numerous other classic titles.