Bold Spirit: Helga Estby's Forgotten Walk Across Victorian America

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Summary: The 14 year old real heroine of this story
Review: The theme of the book seems to be that Helga was a devoted mother who broke with tradition to save the family farm. For this she was shunned and her story was forgotten or covered up by the family.
I saw no evidence of her devotion to the children. Quite the opposite. I suspect that the main reason for her journey was that she was tired of the drudgery involved in her day to day existence. There was little ,if any, credit given to Bertha, the oldest girl who died from diphtheria during her mother's year long absence. At age 14, she must have had most of the responsibility for running the household. In the 1890's that meant cooking on a wood stove, raising your own vegetables and fruits, baking bread several times a week, carrying water to do laundry by hand, canning and preserving food for the winter, sewing and mending clothes, child care, household cleaning, etc. Helga's journey seems like a piece of cake compared to the situation she left at home. Her trip might have been necessary for her mental health but she left a huge burden for her children

Rating:
Summary: Compelling story...not just for women
Review: This compelling story gives a glimpse into America in transition at the end of the 19th century. It is a story of one woman's experience that will resonate with future generations... struggle, faith, loss, hope and the resilience of individuals. Interestingly, this story was completely silenced for 70 years. Linda Hunt offers a well researched initial telling of this tale that causes the reader to pause and consider how his own story will be remembered by future generations.

Rating:
Summary: read this book!
Review: Three cheers to Helga and Clara Estby! I was completely taken in by this book and had not expected to be. This book was a gift and I read it in one sitting, I could not put it down. The author shares the intriguing and wonderful true story of Helga and Clara's bold 4000+ mile WALK across the United States (in just over seven months) in 1896 and it highlights women's suffrage, Victorian views of women and the adventures of these two daring brave souls. Painstakinly researched, the author shares historical information with biographical sketches of both Helga and Clara. A great book and should be on your "to be read" list...you'll love this book!