Pioneers

[ItsMeYourCathy]

My guilty literary pleasure is fiction about women on the Oregon trail / pioneers/ Wild West, that kind of thing.
Anyone recommend any good'uns?
I just read The Tenderness of Wolves by Stef Penney (Canada, 1800s) and loved it. Also read Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers (Christian fiction - the setting was what attracted me).
I need some pointing in the direction of more please!

[maisie215]

If you're looking for something highbrow then try Willa Cather's O Pioneers which is an American classic but little known over here. It's great and heartbreaking.

Something much more lowbrow is Lesley Pearce. Two of hers have been about this "Never look back" and "gypsy". I can't tell you how badly written they are but she doesn't half spin a good yarn. Of all her books these are the best and genuinely worth a read.

[piebald]

No need to feel guilty about it. I will have to rack my brains, somewhere I have in there a memory of these type of books. Loved Tenderness of wolves ,in fact nearly bought a new copy yesterday to read it again (regret that i didnt too). I have read an old book called The Overlanders (i think) by a woman writer which is droving in Australia, The Lambing Flats which is another Oz or NZ. I know you said Oregon but these may have the same feel to them and i know i have read American ones, will try to recall titles

[ItsMeYourCathy]

Thank you fellow pioneers :) Great suggestions x

[DefiniteMaybe]

Keeping an eye on this thread, I like pioneer books too.

[carlajean]

My Antonia, by Willa Cather, is a really good read (better than Oh Pioneers, IMO).
More male-centred, but still great books in this area are Death Comes for the Archbishop by the same author. Dreadful title, great book.
Also the Pretty Horses Trilogy by Cormac McCarthy.

[carlajean]

did you enjoy Redeeming Love? I had to read it for a book group and thought it was one of the worst books I'd ever read.

[piebald]

One thousand white women and The last Apache girl by Jim Fergus. Both are fantastic reads. One thousand white women is an amazing story

[Esmereldada]

Bumping this one as keen to see other suggestions

I thought i was the only person mildly obsessed with pioneer life. Phew!

The tenderness of wolves is one of my favourites.

What i would love though is a Laura Ingles Wilder type book but written for/about adults iyswim.

[maisie215]

Don't know if it what you are looking for as you may specifically want to read early American literature. I also love Laura Ingalls Wilder and just ordered a book because it sounded like that sort of style. It is non fiction written in 1938 about a German woman who spends a year in the High Arctic. it is called 'A woman in the polar night' by Christiane Ritter. Haven't got it yet but it has good reviews and I thought it would appeal to my Ingalls loving side!

[dweezle]

I remembered reading a book called Children on the Oregon Trail when I was about 10 (and in the midst of reading all the Little House books) and loving it. Just googled it and it seems lots of adults are still reading it!

[ItsMeYourCathy]

I LOVE that I am in good company with the 'Pioneers' thing! Love, love, love it! Thank you for all your suggestions x

[Greatresult]

Not sure if it would qualify, but I am really enjoying The Snow Child by Eowyn Ivey. Set in Alaska circa 1850s.

[LastMangoInParis]

Ooh, thank you for starting and bumping this thread - and for recommendations.

I loved The Tenderness of Wolves, reminded of Willa Cather and want to read more and like the sound of The Snow Child.

Sounds like great reading - especially for autumn/winter - thank you!