Available for the first time and collected in one volume, the letters of one of America's most beloved authors, Laura Ingalls Wilder--a treasure trove that offers new and unexpected understanding of her life and work. The letters provide a vibrant, deeply personal portrait of this revered American author, illuminating her thoughts, travels, philosophies, writing career, and dealings with family, friends, and fans as never before. Gathered from museums, archives, and personal collections, the letters span over sixty years, from 1894 to 1956, and shed new light on Wilder's day-to-day living. Here we see her as a businesswoman and an author--through reflections on her beloved Little House books; her legendary editor, Ursula Nordstrom; and her readers--and as a wife and friend. In her letters, Wilder shares political opinions and reminiscences of frontier childhood. Also included are letters to her daughter, writer Rose Wilder Lane, who filled a silent role as editor and collaborator while the famous Little House books were being written. Wilder biographer William Anderson collected and researched references throughout these letters, and the result is an invaluable historical collection, tracing Wilder's life through the final days of covered wagon travel, her life as a farm woman, a country journalist, Depression-era author, and years of fame as the writer of the Little House books. Here we see her as a farm woman, a country journalist, and a Depression-era author.--Adapted from dust jacket.