Description
As millions of Laura Ingalls Wilder fans know, religion played a recurring role in Little House on the Prairie. In both the book series and the television show, the Ingalls family attended church, Pa played hymns on the fiddle, and Bible references pop up occasionally. Less is known about the author’s personal faith. But in this meticulously researched biography, John J. Fry provides fresh insight into the philosophical influences and Christian communities that shaped Wilder’s stoic spirituality. Following her journey from the prairie to her eventual home in Missouri, Fry closely tracks the religious landscapes and practices that shaped both her own life and her iconic portrait of rural America in the late nineteenth century. Scholars, armchair historians, and curious enthusiasts will all learn something new from this engaging examination of Wilder’s life.
John J. Fry is professor of history and dean of faculty at Trinity Christian College. He grew up on a farm in western Pennsylvania and much of his research focuses on the history of the rural American West.
Paperback, 217 Pages
