The Ghost in the Little House: Life of Rose Wilder Lane (Missouri Biography Series) (Hardcover)

Little Farm in the Ozarks (Little House the Rose Years (Unnumbered Paperback)) by Roger Lea MacBride 5.0 out of 5 stars (1)

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Several generations of readers have been reared on Laura Ingalls Wilder's Little House books, books that have achieved a near mythological quality in the American literary imagination. What few people know, however, is that nearly every sentence of those classic books was shaped at the hands of a gifted ghostwriter: Wilder's daughter, Rose Wilder Lane. Over the years, as Laura Ingalls Wilder became a literary phenomenon, her daughter slipped quietly into obscurity. In this biography, William Holtz presents an intimate account of Lane's adventure-filled life as a writer, a daughter and a political theorist. Drawing on her letters and diaries, he traces her life from her own gruelling childhood on the prairie to her final journey overseas, this last trip as a Vietnam War correspondent at the age of 78. After beginning her career as a journalist, Rose Wilder Lane returned to her parents' Rocky Ridge farm in Missouri to aid them in a time of financial difficulty. As the Little House books began to win followers for her mother, Rose Wilder Lane's "editorial" role in them usurped more and more of her time. The secrecy of the collaboration, along with her parents' continued financial dependence on Lane, contributed to an increasingly thorny relationship between mother and daughter. In a tale that should surprise every fan of the Litte House books, Holtz chronicles Lane's painful and humiliating struggle to free herself from the emotional bondage to her mother that plagued her for much of her life. Between intervals with her mother at the farm, Lane continued her work as a journalist and free-lance writer, travelling throughout the United States and to such exotic localities as Albania and Baghdad. She wrote the biographies of Henry Ford, Charlie Chaplin and Jack London. As ghostwriter, she stood behind such figures as Frederick O'Brien and Lowell Thomas as well as her mother. As a political thinker, Lane held fast to a grass-roots libertarian view during the Roosevelt years and beyond, an effort that produced a protege who became a Libertarian presidential candidate in 1976. Rose Wilder Lane left no small legacy. Her silent contribution to the Little House books made them American classics. As a political thinker, she left a small but potent body of work that still stands as an inspiration for contemporary civil libertarians. In "The Ghost in the Little House", William Holtz reveals the passionate life of a singularly gifted woman struggling to find a centre of meaning in her life.

6 Reviews 5 star:    (0) 4 star:  (2) 3 star:  (2) 2 star:    (0) 1 star:  (2)           Average Customer Review 2.7 out of 5 stars (6 customer reviews)		Share your thoughts with other customers: Create your own review
Most Helpful Customer Reviews   5 of 5 people found the following review helpful: 4.0 out of 5 stars A tribute , to the Mother and daughter writing partnership, 30 Dec 2003 By  A Lomas (A ' Little House' fan from England) - See all my reviews What a refreshing, enlightening and, unexpectedly, emotional experience, reading, 'The Ghost in the Little House House: A Life of Rose Wilder Lane', was. The biographical perspective, by William Holtz, showed a sensitivity and understanding towards Rose and her moods. Based on Rose's prolific letters and Diary entries, especially those pertaining to her Mother, which are publised in this book for all to read for themselves, has lead, Mr Holtz, to perceive a 'cool', exploitative relationship by Laura of Rose. The dynamics in their Mother and daughter relationship was facinating and immensly interesting but I would understand, if some of, Laura Ingalls Wilder, fans reading this book, being upset. Mr Holtz, didn't give, Laura's, perspective to the events that Rose described in her writings of her Mother, but, this may not have been possible as it was Rose who wrote about her feelings and left a detailed account of her emotional experiences in life and not her Mother. To me, it is no insult to Laura's memory by Mr Holtz's suggestion that Rose helped to get the books published by heavily editing, the stories, giving artistic expression when needed. Surely, Rose wanted to help her mother become financially secure and writing creatively is what she did best. In all, this book is recommended reading, especially for those who like primary evidence of Diaries and Letters. Just wish we can have more details on why Laura used manipulation, rather than openess, when communicating with Rose. Perhaps there is a book some where explaining their Mother-daughter relationship more fully. Comment Comment | Permalink | Was this review helpful to you? Yes No (Report this)   5 of 5 people found the following review helpful: 3.0 out of 5 stars Co-author or fine editor?, 17 Nov 1998 By A Customer This review is from: The Ghost in the Little House: Life of Rose Wilder Lane (Missouri Biography) (Paperback) While I very much enjoyed reading this biography about Rose and reading excerpts of her own well crafted writing, this book disturbed me. The author of "Ghost" repeatedly tried to assert the merit of his own book by discrediting Mrs. Wilder's talent and character. He didn't need to. "Ghost" is a fine biography of a complex women in its own right. It seems to me that Rose's role in the Little House books was that of a skilled editor. I wouldn't deny that she had a crucial role, but to insinuate that she was somehow cheated out of her just billing as co-author seems overly sensational. Having read works attributed both to Mrs. Wilder and to Mrs. Lane, I see distinct differences in style. Rose's work is sophisiticated and crafted. Laura was a gifted storyteller. Both were strong, admirable women. Each in her own way paid a high price for her independent nature, and each in her own way made a significant contribution to literature. They competed enough in life; I would have preferred that author of "Ghost" not extend that competition into their legacies as well. Comment Comment | Permalink | Was this review helpful to you? Yes No (Report this)   5 of 5 people found the following review helpful: 1.0 out of 5 stars The only book I have ever been unable to finish, 27 Jun 1998 By A Customer I was thrilled to have found a book on Rose Wilder Lane in the public library as I had always wondered what happened to her after she grew up. Mr. Holtz' style made me sorry I went looking. It is painstakingly well researched indeed, as one other reader noted, but the emphasis is on the pain. I was extrememly interested in the subject matter, but the writer's need to write this BIOGRAPHY as if it were a research paper to be graded on accuracy put me off. It is quite a long book, and I'm sorry to say that just slightly before I made it half-way through I had to say "enough". The prose is rather staid, uninteresting and more like a textbook. I appreciate the fact that the research was done properly and well, but the footnotes were distracting and really should have been left out. I have never ever left a book half-finished before or since. I found it rather ironic to say the least that this story of a woman who spent much of her life making her mother's writings more interesting should have been documented in so boring a manner. Comment Comment | Permalink | Was this review helpful to you? Yes No (Report this) Share your thoughts with other customers: Create your own review › See all 6 customer reviews...		Ad feedback   Most Recent Customer Reviews 1.0 out of 5 stars Plodding, boring and a total waste of time As someone who has always been fascinated by the Wilder family, this book was a must-read for me. However, the style in which it was written is so tedious that it cannot... Read more Published on 22 Jun 1999 3.0 out of 5 stars Well-researched, but depressingly biased! A fascinating insight into the relationship between Laura Ingalls Wilder and Rose Wilder Lane. However, we all know that mother-daughter relationships can be complex and... Read more Published on 6 Jan 1999 4.0 out of 5 stars It's A Great Place To Start Untangling The Truth . . . This book really filled a void; Rose Wilder Lane was the unseen, unheralded hand behind the "Little House" phenomenon. Read more Published on 17 Oct 1998 Search Customer Reviews Only search this product's reviews › See all 6 customer reviews...

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