West from Home by Laura Ingalls Wilder

Why read the book?

West from Home is a collection of letters Laura wrote to Almanzo back home in Mansfield while she visited her daughter Rose in San Francisco in 1915. Laura went to see the Panama-Pacific International Exposition, a grand World's Fair.

Laura had lived her whole life in small towns and on farms. Now she was seeing a big city for the first time. She wrote to Almanzo about the electric lights, the streetcars, the ocean, and the amazing buildings at the fair. She also wrote about what things cost and what she ate. You can hear Laura's voice in every letter, still the same curious girl from the prairie.

Favourite quote

I could spend days at the Fair and not see half of it. It is simply wonderful.

What I Loved

I loved reading Laura's letters because you could hear her real voice. She was amazed by everything in San Francisco. The city was so different from anything she had ever known. She told Almanzo about the streetcars and Chinatown and the Pacific Ocean. You could tell she missed him but was having the adventure of her life.

The best parts were when she described the fair. She was like a child again, wide-eyed and excited about everything she saw. But she also missed the farm and the quiet life. Laura always knew who she was, even in a big city. She never tried to be someone else. These letters show the real Laura, curious and honest and always thinking of home.

Key Takeaway

You can enjoy seeing the world and still love the simple life waiting for you at home.

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