The first terrible storm comes to the barren prairie in October. Then it snows almost without stopping until April. Snow has reached the rooftops, and no trains can get through with food or coal. The people of De Smet are starving, including Laura's family, who wonder how they're going to make it through this terrible winter. It is young Almanzo Wilder who finally understands what needs to be done. He must save the town, even if it means risking his own life.

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This thread is for discussing "The Long Winter"

I also find this book extremely depressing, but it does seem to make my troubles seem trivial.

the one the I don't have him, but I go soon
to order it on internet, him,
must really be terrific?

This isn't usually a favorite for people but it's one of mine. The steadfastness and determination of the Ingalls family is an inspiration to me! I have always read this book aloud to my children in the winter. It never fails to help us appreciate our own winter -which is never as bad as theirs!

I love the bravery of Almanzo and Cap! I think it's funny that Almanzo knew that Cap thought Almanzo was older than he really was but Almanzo didn't bother to correct him! (Almanzo appreciated the respect!)

Holly

This is one of my favorites too, and I do not find it depressing at all. Quite the opposite. It's a book where you learn about strenght, determination and hope. All this with the adding of a strong family love and heroism. It's an excellent book.

And the end is just wonderful.

Vanesa.

Hello again Vanessa!

The heroism is just wonderful!
Although I must admit that Caps' courage
meant more to me than dear old Almanzo's.
Almanzo's motives were not quite as pure.
(That seed wheat ya know!!)

I love cap! What a happy go lucky guy!
Could you tell that Laura liked him first?

Holly

Of course! She liked him first. And I can udnerstand why. He was very handsome and also heroic! May you have a more perfect guy? Almanzo was allright, but was a little more selfish than Cap.

Vanesa.

And of course Laura thought that Almanzo
was so much older- not even a consideration.
Laura was a school girl looking for fun-
not settling down to be some "old man's" wife! Ha!
My husband is 9 years older than I am so I can relate.

In the end though, you can see that
Laura and Almanzo were perfectly matched.
They suited each other.
Laura would have been way too boring for cap!
Oh, yeah- my husband and I are suited to each other too!


I think one of the reasons that Almanzo
liked Laura was because she liked his horses.
What do you think?

:cowgirl:

Yes...It could be. Men who loves horses are so concerned about them, that they wouldn't marry anyone not interested in horses. They are pretty similar to men that are just crazy about cars...They likes girls who would speak about cars too! These are kind of fanaticism!!! :haha:

I wish that the Show lwould portray that Laura liked Manly's horses first than himself. I would have been suited with Laura's tomboy character, that was a characteristic of her character at the TV Show . :scratch:

Vanesa.

This one was so hard to put down. I wish it would never had ended. (the book)

Even though I've read it so many times, I still get excited and/or filled with dread when that hateful cloud appears on the horizon and Almanzo and Cap are still out there on the prairie!

Yes, it had good suspense in it.

I hated this awful , awful grey cloud, and the wind that would go with it...When Laura depicts how the cloud was coming you may almost feel the terror and desperation of the whole situation. The first blizzard that caught the children at school when the teacher was Miss Florence Garland was specially frightening. Did you remember how the school shaked all over when the wind caught it? Awful! :faint2:

Vanesa.

Laura's descriptions are one of the reasons this is my favorite book out of the series. The cloud, the shaking of the buildings, the arduous task of hauling hay from the homestead into town, how raw their hands were from twisting hay for fuel, all draw the reader into the story.

I did a review of this book a while back. You can check it out here: http://thebookconnectionccm.blogspot.com/2007/07/long-winter-book-review.html, if you're interested.

Do you feel I captured its essence?

Cheryl

I'll check it out later- thanks for the link!

Sorry, Cheryl, I'm not registered yet, and I couldn't let the comment there, but here you have it:

"...I think you captured in few words, the essence of this book. You makes your readers feel like they MUST read "The Long Winter". You are able to make them feel the whole scare, hopes and desperation that Laura and her family felt these awful snowy days , from so long ago.

Laura's courage and love for life, Laura's hopes for a new day where sunshine should bright among the gray clouds of a terrifying blizzard, could be grasped in your excellent review about one of her best books.

But all "Little House Books" are this way: sunshine , a bright great sunshine appearing little by little, but without fadding away, among the gray clouds of a terrifying blizzard, announcing that if today things seems to turn to bad, tomorrow they must change to good. This is life too. And this is the eternal message of "Little House Books". Strenght; courage; hope for a new day, for a "Christmas in May" that could erase in a blink, all the bad moments experienced..."

Vanesa.

P.S: What a nice, nice review, Cheryl! One f the best I've ever read!

Thanks Vanesa. I'm glad you liked it that much. I do love that book. I guess it shows.

Cheryl

Vanessa, Yours was a pretty nice review, too!

Last night, I started reading through the series to my little boy.
We usually wait till the first day of Winter but not this year!

Thank you, Cheryl and Prairie Wind. But I must do better, since English is not my first language .

Vanesa.

Vanesa, I think you're doing fine!