Little Heathens: Hard Times and High Spirits on an Iowa Farm During the Great Depression by Mildred Armstrong Kalish Summary and Reviews
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Book Reviews of Little Heathens: Hard Times and High Spirits on an Iowa Farm During the Great Depression
Book Review: A wonderful story
Summary: 5 Stars
This is a wonderful story. I have loved reading this book and was sad when it ended. This book has given me questions to ask parents and grandparents and has helped me learn so much about them. I enjoyed the recipes and can't wait to start trying them out! Book Review: Little Heathens
Summary: 5 Stars
Reading this book, I relived my Iowa farm childhood. She is a gifted writer who made me smell the freshly plowed earth, hear the harnesses as the team of work horses pulled the corn planter, and feel the cold in the upstairs bedroom with frost on the inside of the windows from our breathing. I could hear the meadowlark singing, a song that I believed I had forgotten completely. This book remembered the positives of our times and did not dwell on the negatives. I enjoyed every page of it and although I lived in the other corner of the state, I could see her home as easily as I could remember mine. Highly recommended. Thank you.Book Review: Upbeat account of life on Iowa farm
Summary: 3 Stars
I was really looking forward to reading this book, but I was left disappointed. The New York Times rated this as one of their best non-fiction books of 2007, and I have to say that I am not sure why. It was like a real-life Little House on the Prairie, without all the covered wagons and moving from place to place, but not as interesting. Much of the chores were the same- milking, threshing, even making head-cheese. Even though this book takes place much later than the Little House books, the lifestyle it describes will be very familiar to readers of Laura Ingalls Wilder.
The writing was clunkier than I expected- much of the book ended up being a laundry list of chores and every-day occurances. While I got a great picture of what every-day life was like on the farm, I did not feel that I got to know the author at all. She does talk a little bit about her insecurities growing up, and her experiences after the farm, but only just a little bit.
One big positive of this book is that it is very cheerful and upbeat. The author is able to look at a very difficult time both economically and personally with a lot of warmth and fondness. I would recommend this book to anyone who likes Laura Ingalls Wilder books (because for its clunky and sometimes boring style, it isn't a long book and goes fast) or anyone who wishes to visit/revisit this time in a way that is nostalgically cheerful, which is unusual for the time period.
Book Review: Little Heathens
Summary: 5 Stars
Great little book! For those of us in the more "mature" range, we can easily relate to the events in this book. For those in the younger age brackets, maybe it will help them relate better to us while they take a hit to the funny bone. An enjoyable read and the recipes are a neat addition.Book Review: A realistic memoir
Summary: 5 Stars
I bought this for my mother, who was living on a farm about 100 miles from the author at the time. Mom thought that this was incredibly accurate and great to read. We both loved the author's perspective; life was tough, but there was a lot to celebrate in the world that they grew up in. No self-pity, but great enjoyment of the good things that they had.
Unlike other reviewers, I loved having the recipes and intend to try them. They remind me of my grandmother's cooking.
I'm buying another copy of the book to share with my (adult) kids. They will have a better appreciation of their grandparents' world.