 | Whether you love her, hate her, or love to hate her, Nellie Oleson is one of the most recognizable literary figures of the 20th century. But Laura Ingalls Wilder, author of the Little House on the Prairie series in which Nellie appears, had a secret. . .Nellie wasn’t a real person! Instead, she was a composite character created from three girls Laura knew in childhood: Nellie Owens, Genevieve Masters, and Estella Gilbert. The Little House character of Nellie Oleson is one-dimensional: snobbish, selfish, and thoroughly unpleasant. But what about the real women behind Laura’s creation? They were an intriguing mix of the not-so-nice and the unexpectedly redeemable. In short, they were human. Discovering the true stories behind Nellie, Genevieve, and Estella has been a fascinating journey. All three ended up on the West Coast at one point. . .true westward movement! One was widowed twice, one ended up divorced, and one |
died way too young. Two only had one child, and one had three, though she outlived her youngest by a very long time. There’s even some “Nellie-like” drama in there: Embezzlement. Lying on censuses. Shady land deals.
But there are some beautiful things, too. . .like the enduring love of a husband after his young wife died. Or the rare closeness of a mother and daughter who shared their lives as adults. Or the strength of a young widowed mother who not only cared for her son, but headed out west, in true pioneer fashion, while she did so.
Laura Ingalls Wilder did a masterful job of creating the character of Nellie Oleson. But the three real-life women behind that iconic character are, in my opinion, infinitely more intriguing.
But there are some beautiful things, too. . .like the enduring love of a husband after his young wife died. Or the rare closeness of a mother and daughter who shared their lives as adults. Or the strength of a young widowed mother who not only cared for her son, but headed out west, in true pioneer fashion, while she did so.
Laura Ingalls Wilder did a masterful job of creating the character of Nellie Oleson. But the three real-life women behind that iconic character are, in my opinion, infinitely more intriguing.
Genre: Non-fiction, Historical
Release Date: November, 2016
Publisher: Practical Pioneer Press
Release Date: November, 2016
Publisher: Practical Pioneer Press
Click here to purchase your copy!
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My Review
The three women who inspired a villainess...
Nellie Oleson, probably one of the most recognized villainesses from out childhoods. Generations have grown up reading the Little House books and watching the TV, either when it first aired or in reruns. Though, I was born after the TV show was long into reruns I was first introduced to Laura, Mary, Ma, Pa, Carrie, Grace, Almanzo, and, of course, Nellie Oleson, when my mom started reading the Little House books to me as a little girl. Later on I read them again for myself and loved them just as much.
Cue The Three Faces Of Nellie, as soon as I read the blurb I knew it was a book I wanted to read. As wonderful as Laura Ingalls Wilder's books are I knew that they were fictionalized and she had taken artistic license in their writing so I was intrigued by the idea of learning the real story behind the story.
Author Robynne Elizabeth Miller has well researched the real Nellies; Nellie Owens, Genevieve Masters, and Estella Gilbert. That last name I find a little ironic since the actress who played Laura on TV also had the surname of Gilbert. Citing sources from Findagrave to censuses in more than one country, from Polk Directories to newspapers, this book paints a fascinating, and frequently tragic, story of the three women who would inadvertently go down in history for their jealousy, spitefulness, and just plain childish meanness.
A fairly quick and easy read, I was finished in just a couple of hours, this book is perfect for any fan of the Little House series. You'll get the chance to find out what happened to them later, who their parents were, and where their children went. If you loved the books and/or the TV show this is a book you won't want to miss!
Tell Tale Book Reviews gives The Three Faces Of Nellie by Robynne Elizabeth Miller a 4.5 Bark rating.
Nellie Oleson, probably one of the most recognized villainesses from out childhoods. Generations have grown up reading the Little House books and watching the TV, either when it first aired or in reruns. Though, I was born after the TV show was long into reruns I was first introduced to Laura, Mary, Ma, Pa, Carrie, Grace, Almanzo, and, of course, Nellie Oleson, when my mom started reading the Little House books to me as a little girl. Later on I read them again for myself and loved them just as much.
Cue The Three Faces Of Nellie, as soon as I read the blurb I knew it was a book I wanted to read. As wonderful as Laura Ingalls Wilder's books are I knew that they were fictionalized and she had taken artistic license in their writing so I was intrigued by the idea of learning the real story behind the story.
Author Robynne Elizabeth Miller has well researched the real Nellies; Nellie Owens, Genevieve Masters, and Estella Gilbert. That last name I find a little ironic since the actress who played Laura on TV also had the surname of Gilbert. Citing sources from Findagrave to censuses in more than one country, from Polk Directories to newspapers, this book paints a fascinating, and frequently tragic, story of the three women who would inadvertently go down in history for their jealousy, spitefulness, and just plain childish meanness.
A fairly quick and easy read, I was finished in just a couple of hours, this book is perfect for any fan of the Little House series. You'll get the chance to find out what happened to them later, who their parents were, and where their children went. If you loved the books and/or the TV show this is a book you won't want to miss!
Tell Tale Book Reviews gives The Three Faces Of Nellie by Robynne Elizabeth Miller a 4.5 Bark rating.
(I received a copy of this book from the author. All opinions are entirely my own.)
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Guest Post
from Robynne
Nasty Nellie Oleson. One of the most iconic literary characters in literature. Whether you loved her … or hated her … or loved to hate her, she probably left a lasting impression on you. At least if you were a fan of the Little House books by Laura Ingalls Wilder like I was growing up!
| As a young girl, I loved Wilder’s tales of wagons, prairies, and grand westward adventures. Strangely, growing up didn’t change my love for all things Little House one tiny bit. But I did become deeply curious about the real life people behind some of the more fascinating Little House characters. Namely, Nellie Oleson. |  |
As I began to research Nellie, I learned a ton of interesting things. She wasn’t one person, for example. Laura Ingalls Wilder wove three girls she knew in childhood into one composite character for her books. One of the first “Nellie’s,” Nellie Owens, did have a brother named Willy, but did you know that he went blind from two separate incidents, one in childhood and one in adulthood? And did you know that all three of the “Nellies” ended up on the west coast at one point? Talk about true westward movement! One married a man who eventually went to prison for embezzlement, one did some shady land deals, and one shouldn’t have been a “Nellie” at all.
I suppose I was hoping for a good, old-fashioned redemption story. Wouldn’t it have been wonderful if the mean girl in Wilder’s stories grew up to work with orphans or rescue unwanted animals? Alas, that’s not exactly what happened. But the stories of these three women were fascinating all the same.
I hope you have as much fun discovering the real stories behind the famous Nellie Oleson as I did!
I suppose I was hoping for a good, old-fashioned redemption story. Wouldn’t it have been wonderful if the mean girl in Wilder’s stories grew up to work with orphans or rescue unwanted animals? Alas, that’s not exactly what happened. But the stories of these three women were fascinating all the same.
I hope you have as much fun discovering the real stories behind the famous Nellie Oleson as I did!
-Robynne Elizabeth Miller-
 Robynne E. Miller | Robynne Elizabeth Miller is a speaker, writing coach, and author of multiple books, articles, and essays. Her larger projects include From the Mouth of Ma, Pioneer Mixology, The Three Faces of Nellie, and Nonfiction, Memoir, or Fiction? Dissecting the Works of Laura Ingalls Wilder. Robynne speaks nationally at writing and historical venues and teaches at writer’s workshops and conferences. She also serves as the Board President of Inspire Christian Writers, as well as their Director of Leadership, and leads two Northern California critique groups. She holds an undergraduate degree in English Literature from Westmont College and a Masters of Fine Arts in Creative Nonfiction and Fiction from Ashland University. |
| She lives with her wonderful British husband and the youngest of their four cheeky children in the snowy woods of the Sierra Nevada mountains. When not writing, Robynne loves singing, felling trees, and making bacon from scratch. |
It's Time For A Giveaway!
To celebrate her tour, Robynne is giving away a grand prize of a Little House Treasures basket that includes an authenticated piece of the original Loftus Store is De Smet, authenticated sand from Laura’s Plum Creek in Walnut Grove, a Loftus Store slate and slate pencil, chokecherry preserves from De Smet, a Christmas Tree ornament from De Smet, a corn-cob doll kit, a tin cup, maple syrup, a set of pioneer recipe books, Laura Ingalls Wilder’s actual gingerbread recipes, and other treasures from various Little House sites!!
Click below to enter. Be sure to comment on this post before you enter to claim 9 extra entries!
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