Wilder

We’re back for a very special episode! It’s been a year since you last heard from us and so much happened. Thousands of people have listened to the show and continue to keep the dialogue about Laura’s life and legacy alive. Glynnis and Jo published books. But perhaps most importantly, the Little House on the Prairie TV show turned 50! To prepare for this momentous anniversary in early September (and Glynnis’ 50th birthday), Glynnis and our producer Emily got together to share memories from the road and reflect on the lessons we learned from making this show that we still think about every day. Plus, they share never before heard clips from the road trip that started it all and from interviews with some of the most beloved Little House actors who still play a huge role in keeping Laura’s legacy alive.  Buy Glynnis' book, I'm Mostly Here to Enjoy Myself [https://bookshop.org/p/books/i-m-mostly-here-to-enjoy-myself-one-woman-s-pursuit-of-pleasure-in-paris-glynnis-macnicol/20583374?ean=9780593655757], and Jo's book, The Sicilian Inheritance [https://bookshop.org/p/books/the-sicilian-inheritance-jo-piazza/20266161?ean=9780593474167]! See omnystudio.com/listener [https://omnystudio.com/listener] for privacy information.

Surprise! We’re back to share our extended interview with Alison Arngrim, aka everyone’s favorite mean girl: Nellie Oleson. She’s a powerhouse when it comes to keeping the Little House legacy alive, from her marathon re-read of the books on Facebook Live during the pandemic, to attending events at the Laura Ingalls Wilder homes and fan conventions across the country, to using her celebrity for meaningful activism. Beyond all that, she’s simply a delight and we hope you enjoy the interview! Read Alison Arngrim’s memoir, Confessions of a Prairie Bitch [https://bookshop.org/p/books/confessions-of-a-prairie-bitch-how-i-survived-nellie-oleson-and-learned-to-love-being-hated-alison-arngrim/17327627?ean=9780061962158] See omnystudio.com/listener [https://omnystudio.com/listener] for privacy information.

As we talked about in our very first episode, the last line of Big Woods reads, “Now is now, it can never be a long time ago.” That line might be the most accurate description there is of the Little House series. Little House on the Prairie might be about another time, but Laura’s stories are very much alive in our time. We can't seem to let her go. But of course, some of the ways in which Laura is relevant are painful to consider. The story she tells is narrow, contributing to a long held mythology of the American West that prioritizes white narratives. For a final look at Laura’s impact, Glynnis and Wilder producer Emily drive further west, beyond Laura’s homesteads, to understand what we’re missing when we hold on too tightly to one narrative. Could it be time to let Laura go? Go deeper:  More on Mount Rushmore and the Black Hills [https://www.nationalgeographic.com/travel/article/the-strange-and-controversial-history-of-mount-rushmore] More on the Gordon Stockade  [https://www.sdpb.org/blogs/images-of-the-past/the-gordon-stockade/] More on the Battle of the Little Bighorn [https://blog.nativehope.org/battle-of-the-little-bighorn] More on Buffalo Calf Road Woman [https://amazingwomeninhistory.com/buffalo-calf-road-cheyenne-warrior-woman/] More on Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women [https://www.nativehope.org/missing-and-murdered-indigenous-women-mmiw]  Follow us for behind the scenes content!  @WilderPodcast on TikTok @Wilder_Podcast on Instagram See omnystudio.com/listener [https://omnystudio.com/listener] for privacy information.

In all of our research for this show, one of the scholars who has most influenced our thinking on Laura and her work is Caroline Fraser, author of the Pulitzer Prize winning biography, Prairie Fires: The American Dreams of Laura Ingalls Wilder. Laura obsessives know that Prairie Fires is the motherload when it comes to understanding Laura’s life. It provides a detailed historical account of her childhood and takes a holistic look at the fraught personal and working relationship that Laura had with her daughter, Rose Wilder Lane. As we put together our final episode, we’ve been revisiting Caroline’s book and the amazing interview we did with her. Today, we wanted to share the extended interview with you, as a deeper dive into Laura’s life, and to help set the scene before Glynnis comes to some big conclusions in our series finale. Go deeper:  Caroline Fraser’s Prairie Fires [https://prairiefiresbook.com/] Follow us for behind the scenes content!  @WilderPodcast on TikTok @Wilder_Podcast on Instagram We want to hear from you! If listening to Wilder has changed your thinking on Laura Ingalls Wilder and the Little House books, send a voice memo to wilderpodcast@gmail.com [wilderpodcast@gmail.com]. You might be featured in our final episode ;)  See omnystudio.com/listener [https://omnystudio.com/listener] for privacy information.

We’re nearing the end of our series, but before we go we have a surprise for you. Is it tin cups and peppermint sticks? A pig’s bladder? No! It’s our extended interview with the one and only Melissa Gilbert! No one knows what it’s like to shoulder the legacy of Laura Ingalls Wilder quite like Melissa. 50 years ago, she was cast as Laura Ingalls on the Little House TV show at just 9 years old, which means Melissa has spent close to a lifetime with Laura and all of her complications. She talked to us about that experience, as well as what it was like working on the TV show, finding agency as a young actor, her business Modern Prairie, her activism, and even her thoughts on Rose. We hope you enjoy this interview as much as we did! Go deeper:  Melissa Gilbert’s memoirs Prairie Tale [https://bookshop.org/p/books/prairie-tale-melissa-gilbert/11555849?ean=9781416599173] and Back to the Prairie [https://bookshop.org/p/books/back-to-the-prairie-a-home-remade-a-life-rediscovered-melissa-gilbert/18526293?ean=9781982177188] Modern Prairie [https://www.modernprairie.com/] Follow us for behind the scenes content!  @WilderPodcast on TikTok @Wilder_Podcast on Instagram We want to hear from you! If listening to Wilder has changed your thinking on Laura Ingalls Wilder and the Little House books, send a voice memo to wilderpodcast@gmail.com [wilderpodcast@gmail.com]. You might be featured in our final episode ;)  See omnystudio.com/listener [https://omnystudio.com/listener] for privacy information.