I’ll admit
it. Laura Ingalls Wilder was my favorite
author when I was young. I read and
re-read the entire auto-biographical series of eight books about her life
growing up in the mid-west during the post-Civil War years. It starts when she is about 4 years old and
ends with her marriage. The details of everyday
life, such as using a corn cob for a doll, during this time period are
fascinating to me. There are several other books she wrote, released after her
death, including books on articles she wrote as a newspaper columnist. I read these too, eager to know anything
about this family.
This summer I
read the book that as a child, I dreamed about writing myself, Pioneer Girl:
The Annotated Autobiography by Pamela Smith Hill. This editor located the original version of
the one book that Mrs. Wilders intended to write. Using this version,
and several variations, researchers tracked each story, and discovered more
facts and tidbits that contributed details to what is previously known. I really enjoyed it.
On my summer
to-do list every year, is to read at least one non-genealogy book. This year, I read, one that I added to my
list of most favorite books. The Boys in the Boat: Nine Americans and Their Epic Quest
for Gold at the 1936 Berlin Olympics, by James Daniel Brown, is
the story of the University of Washington crew team. By just reading the title, or a quick google
search, you know the ending. The joy of
this book is in the details, the words and imageries the author used to
describe journey and hard work of these young men to reach the Olympics and
life choices necessary during the depression.
I realized that
both books have something in common.
Both are factual, but contain descriptions and mini-stories that keep
the reader captivated. Most of my family
are avid readers who recommend good books.
But I find that I only read non-fiction.
In my mind, if I’m taking the time to read a book, I want to fill my mind
with true facts. I’d guess that most
people feel that fiction is much more enjoyable. But not me, I want to learn something. I gravitate to biographies or histories of an
event or time periods. The Oregon Trail by Rinker Buck is my next book.
So all you
family researchers out there, which do you read? Fiction or non-fiction.
