The Ride of Her Life

 

“The Ride of Her Life:  The True Story of a Woman, Her Horse, and Their Last-Chance Journey Across America” by Elizabeth Letts

Published by Ballantine Books

Finished 6/13/21 – 3/5 stars

This is the story of Annie Wilkins’ journey across the United States on horseback.  She was 63, had just lost her family farm in Maine, and was told that she only had a couple years to live with the current condition of her lungs.  With very limited funds, she packed up what she could onto her horse and hit the road with her trusty dog.  This was in the mid-50s with no internet or cell phones so she had to rely on gas station paper maps, word of mouth, and the kindness of others.  Oh, and she started out in November with hopes of getting to warmer weather before winter hit.  When traveling at 3 or 4 miles per hour and starting off in Maine, that wasn’t a very realistic thought.  But she also thought she’s be in warmer weather once she hit Pennsylvania…..still makes me chuckle.

The author tells Annie’s story based on interviews of a friend she met along the way, those whose families took her in, and all the news stories about her journey.  I found it to be well written and flowed well, however, I just found it to be a little slow at times.

Thank you to Ballantine Books and NetGalley for a copy of this book.

The Four Winds

 

“The Four Winds” by Kristin Hannah

Published by St. Martin’s Press

Finished 6/1/21 – 5/5 stars

“A warrior believes in an end she can’t see and fights for it.  A warrior never gives up.  A warrior fights for those weaker than herself.  It sounds like motherhood to me.” 

Elsa is that warrior.  She fought for as long as she could to keep her family together and survive the Dust Bowl in Texas but eventually she had no choice but to pack up her children and leave her in-laws and the family farm behind to try to find a better life in California.  After all, that is what all the flyers had told them was possible.  But this was the Great Depression - there weren’t enough jobs for all the migrants and the farms job that could be found, didn’t pay nearly enough to live off of.  Plus, the Californians didn’t welcome the poor with open arms so there were obstacles to try to conquer around every corner.  But Elsa would do everything she could to keep her children safe, fed, healthy, and educated.  She was the warrior her children needed, whether they realized and appreciated it or not. 

 I greatly enjoyed this historical fiction and highly recommend it. Who knows….it might be the encouragement you need to be your own warrior.