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Available
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Collection
Publication
Random House Publishing Group
Description
Biography & Autobiography. History. Nature. Nonfiction. HTML:NATIONAL BESTSELLER �?� The triumphant true story of a woman who rode her horse across America in the 1950s, fulfilling her dying wish to see the Pacific Ocean, from the #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Perfect Horse and The Eighty-Dollar Champion �??The gift Elizabeth Letts has is that she makes you feel you are the one taking this trip. This is a book we can enjoy always but especially need now.�?��??Elizabeth Berg, author of The Story of Arthur Truluv In 1954, sixty-three-year-old Maine farmer Annie Wilkins embarked on an impossible journey. She had no money and no family, she had just lost her farm, and her doctor had given her only two years to live. But Annie wanted to see the Pacific Ocean before she died. She ignored her doctor�??s advice to move into the county charity home. Instead, she bought a cast-off brown gelding named Tarzan, donned men�??s dungarees, and headed south in mid-November, hoping to beat the snow. Annie had little idea what to expect beyond her rural crossroads; she didn�??t even have a map. But she did have her ex-racehorse, her faithful mutt, and her own unfailing belief that Americans would treat a stranger with kindness. Annie, Tarzan, and her dog, Depeche Toi, rode straight into a world transformed by the rapid construction of modern highways. Between 1954 and 1956, the three travelers pushed through blizzards, forded rivers, climbed mountains, and clung to the narrow shoulder as cars whipped by them at terrifying speeds. Annie rode more than four thousand miles, through America�??s big cities and small towns. Along the way, she met ordinary people and celebrities�??from Andrew Wyeth (who sketched Tarzan) to Art Linkletter and Groucho Marx. She received many offers�??a permanent home at a riding stable in New Jersey, a job at a gas station in rural Kentucky, even a marriage proposal from a Wyoming rancher. In a decade when car ownership nearly tripled, when television�??s influence was expanding fast, when homeowners began locking their doors, Annie and her four-footed companions inspired an outpouring of neighborli… (more)
User reviews
LibraryThing member Chrisethier
Disclaimer: ARC via a giveaway on Librarything.
Even today, a woman crossing America on a horse with just a dog for company would be a story. Jackass Annie - or Annie Wilkins to be more exact, did this in the 1950s. She wanted to see California before she died.
Elizabeth Letts’ new installment in
Letts does give the reader some backstory about Wilkins – her family’s history in Maine as well as what few personal details seem to be available. But the bulk of the book is about Wilkins’ journey across America with her horse (which becomes horses at a point) Tarzan and her dog Depeche Toi. And as much as she can, she gives the reader brief biographies of the animals as well.
In part, Wilkins seems a product of her time. She was able to do what she did because of the time period. It is difficult to imagine people today being so welcoming to a stranger, even with news coverage. (I type this from the city where the roving robot got destroyed). Additionally, because of her race and sex, she had less to fear from the police. In fact, one of the most interesting facets of the book is the fact that police stations were used as overnight stops or rooms for people. It should also be noted that Letts does address the difference in traveling that whites and African Americans would face at that time.
Wilkins’ travel wasn’t done as a form of protest or even a money-making grab, but simply because she wanted to and didn’t have many choices left to her after the loss of her land. It’s true that the trip did give her a degree of fame and that while she left with little money, she was helped along the way by strangers, some of whom have their own fascinating stories.
In all honesty, this is not, perhaps, the most exciting book to read. You know the outcome before you even pick up. It is too Lets’ credit that her prose makes reading the story a pleasure. This is also true of how the chapters are designed, making the book easy to dip in and out of.
There are people who are going to undoubtedly ask, why does the story merit a book. Here’s why. We live in a society that writes women off when they reach 50, at the very least. Letts’ book about a sixty plus year old woman taking herself across country is important because not only does it challenge us to be a kinder society, but also to realize that older people, in particular older women, still have much to offer.
Even today, a woman crossing America on a horse with just a dog for company would be a story. Jackass Annie - or Annie Wilkins to be more exact, did this in the 1950s. She wanted to see California before she died.
Elizabeth Letts’ new installment in
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history of the horse world book (look, I just made that up. It isn’t an official series, but it should be because she is one of the authors who writes it) is about Annie Wilkins’s trip. It isn’t a biography, more like a travel biography - a history of a trip.Letts does give the reader some backstory about Wilkins – her family’s history in Maine as well as what few personal details seem to be available. But the bulk of the book is about Wilkins’ journey across America with her horse (which becomes horses at a point) Tarzan and her dog Depeche Toi. And as much as she can, she gives the reader brief biographies of the animals as well.
In part, Wilkins seems a product of her time. She was able to do what she did because of the time period. It is difficult to imagine people today being so welcoming to a stranger, even with news coverage. (I type this from the city where the roving robot got destroyed). Additionally, because of her race and sex, she had less to fear from the police. In fact, one of the most interesting facets of the book is the fact that police stations were used as overnight stops or rooms for people. It should also be noted that Letts does address the difference in traveling that whites and African Americans would face at that time.
Wilkins’ travel wasn’t done as a form of protest or even a money-making grab, but simply because she wanted to and didn’t have many choices left to her after the loss of her land. It’s true that the trip did give her a degree of fame and that while she left with little money, she was helped along the way by strangers, some of whom have their own fascinating stories.
In all honesty, this is not, perhaps, the most exciting book to read. You know the outcome before you even pick up. It is too Lets’ credit that her prose makes reading the story a pleasure. This is also true of how the chapters are designed, making the book easy to dip in and out of.
There are people who are going to undoubtedly ask, why does the story merit a book. Here’s why. We live in a society that writes women off when they reach 50, at the very least. Letts’ book about a sixty plus year old woman taking herself across country is important because not only does it challenge us to be a kinder society, but also to realize that older people, in particular older women, still have much to offer.
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LibraryThing member BobVTReader
This book illustrates the difficulties of trying to write a biography without a lot of source material, especially first hand source material. The author, on the other hand does an admirable job of piecing the story together.
The biography is about Anne Wilkins; however, the book is about the rapid
This is definitely a book to read for one who has interest in this tie period.
The biography is about Anne Wilkins; however, the book is about the rapid
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changes occurring in America in the late forties and early fifties as seen through the eyes of a backwoods Maine woman. It was a time of great changes that resulted in the loss of many small towns and communities. This is definitely a book to read for one who has interest in this tie period.
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LibraryThing member bereanna
This book was a shining, hopeful travelogue story about a woman alone aspiring to travel from Maine on horseback with only her dog and her horses as traveling companions. Despite ill health and poverty her hopes are high. This is a book to restore your belief in the goodness of people and to
Interspersed with the kind and generous people she meets along the way, we see America as it was in mid-50’s and learn historical and geographical facts about each place she’s been. In addition to the book being a nonfiction that reads like a novel, I love the endnotes.
Read the book to learn if she and her guys (her male 4-legged companion) make it to California.
I read the advanced readers copy. Thanks LibraryThing and Net
Galley.
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relieve yourself from pandemic exhaustion.Interspersed with the kind and generous people she meets along the way, we see America as it was in mid-50’s and learn historical and geographical facts about each place she’s been. In addition to the book being a nonfiction that reads like a novel, I love the endnotes.
Read the book to learn if she and her guys (her male 4-legged companion) make it to California.
I read the advanced readers copy. Thanks LibraryThing and Net
Galley.
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LibraryThing member ladycato
I received an advance copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley.
Before this book, I'd never heard of Annie Wilkins and her incredible journey across America in the mi-1950s. What a story! What a woman! Annie was a stout woman in her early 60s, a long-time resident of Maine. With her family
Thing is, Annie had no idea the immensity of her task. She didn't think places south of Maine really got that cold. She didn't know how to get to California either, really--just to go south and west. She wasn't stupid, though--that she had only a 6th grade education was a simple fact for women of her time. She worked her way cross-country, relying on the kindness of strangers and the whims of the weather. Her haphazard route took her past New York City and Philadelphia, through Memphis and Little Rock, up through Cheyenne and Boise. Yes, her route to Southern California took her far north, where the Rockies, Cascades, and Sierras took her by surprise. She has close scrapes all along the way--truly, this is an intense read. You can't help but love Annie and her tenacity, exasperating as her ignorance is at times.
This book has incredible depth. You learn about Annie, a woman born in the 19th century who triumphs as the 'last of the saddle tramps.' You learn about America in the 1950s on a unique, intimate level, as a woman and her horse must navigate a world increasingly rules by cars. You learn about the kindness of people in that period--which I don't feel would be evident these days, not at all.
To me, this was a five-star book. The one shame in reading this as a galley is that it didn't yet include maps, though there were placeholders for them. Readers of the complete version will benefit from those illustrations.
Before this book, I'd never heard of Annie Wilkins and her incredible journey across America in the mi-1950s. What a story! What a woman! Annie was a stout woman in her early 60s, a long-time resident of Maine. With her family
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farm lost to back taxes and a doctor pronouncing her with a few years left to live, Annie resolved to fulfill a lifelong wish and dip her toes in the Pacific Ocean in Southern California. She couldn't drive, though. Instead, she bought a sturdy older horse named Tarzan, and with her little dog Depeche Toi, she set off for California.Thing is, Annie had no idea the immensity of her task. She didn't think places south of Maine really got that cold. She didn't know how to get to California either, really--just to go south and west. She wasn't stupid, though--that she had only a 6th grade education was a simple fact for women of her time. She worked her way cross-country, relying on the kindness of strangers and the whims of the weather. Her haphazard route took her past New York City and Philadelphia, through Memphis and Little Rock, up through Cheyenne and Boise. Yes, her route to Southern California took her far north, where the Rockies, Cascades, and Sierras took her by surprise. She has close scrapes all along the way--truly, this is an intense read. You can't help but love Annie and her tenacity, exasperating as her ignorance is at times.
This book has incredible depth. You learn about Annie, a woman born in the 19th century who triumphs as the 'last of the saddle tramps.' You learn about America in the 1950s on a unique, intimate level, as a woman and her horse must navigate a world increasingly rules by cars. You learn about the kindness of people in that period--which I don't feel would be evident these days, not at all.
To me, this was a five-star book. The one shame in reading this as a galley is that it didn't yet include maps, though there were placeholders for them. Readers of the complete version will benefit from those illustrations.
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LibraryThing member tamidale
I loved this book! It’s a wonderful non-fiction account of Annie Wilkins and her late-in-life adventure across the United States in the mid 1950’s.
At age 63, Annie’s doctor had given her two years to live. She also had a farm that she was going to lose to back taxes and she had no money
With her little dog, Depeche Toi and her horse Tarzan, they set off West with no map. Annie figured people along the journey would help them find their way west. The trio were able to spend the night in barns and homes of strangers, who often fed them and recommended other places to stay on their journey ahead.
By the time Annie got into Kentucky and Tennessee, she was given excellent advice about her horse and was also advised to get another to help carry the pack load. In Tennessee, Rex, a Tennessee Walker, was added to her group and from there they proceeded west.
Interestingly enough, as the group continue on their journey, Annie begins to feel better, other than a case of bronchitis or two. This was a wonderful story of a woman taking advantage of the time she has left in life to fulfill a lifelong dream. It also is a portrait of the innocence of the 50’s and illustrates the many changes that have taken place in our country since that time.
Every story I have read by Elizabeth Letts has been amazing and this is one of her best. I highly recommend to readers who love true stories about brave women.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group-Ballantine for allowing me to read an advance copy. I am happy to give my honest review.
At age 63, Annie’s doctor had given her two years to live. She also had a farm that she was going to lose to back taxes and she had no money
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stashed away. One of her dreams was to see the Pacific Ocean, so she decided to buy a horse and pack up for an adventure from Maine to California.With her little dog, Depeche Toi and her horse Tarzan, they set off West with no map. Annie figured people along the journey would help them find their way west. The trio were able to spend the night in barns and homes of strangers, who often fed them and recommended other places to stay on their journey ahead.
By the time Annie got into Kentucky and Tennessee, she was given excellent advice about her horse and was also advised to get another to help carry the pack load. In Tennessee, Rex, a Tennessee Walker, was added to her group and from there they proceeded west.
Interestingly enough, as the group continue on their journey, Annie begins to feel better, other than a case of bronchitis or two. This was a wonderful story of a woman taking advantage of the time she has left in life to fulfill a lifelong dream. It also is a portrait of the innocence of the 50’s and illustrates the many changes that have taken place in our country since that time.
Every story I have read by Elizabeth Letts has been amazing and this is one of her best. I highly recommend to readers who love true stories about brave women.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group-Ballantine for allowing me to read an advance copy. I am happy to give my honest review.
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LibraryThing member Loried
I'm so glad I had the opportunity to read an advance copy of this book. It's not my usual type of book, but I'm very happy that I took the time to read it. As a New Englander who was born in the year Annie's trip began, I found it fascinating to see how much life has changed since then. Of course,
One doesn't need to be a "horse person" to like this book. People who enjoy traveling in the United States, as well as armchair travelers, will appreciate this book. I highly recommend this inspiring book which brings to life recent history.
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she began in a remote part of Maine that didn't have modern conveniences like running water and electricity, so her life before this trip was quite different from many Americans even at that time. I was amazed at how little money she began with after selling her family farm, and how she managed financially during the trip. I was impressed by both her ambitious and arduous trip and the generosity and kindness of many of the people she encountered. It helps restore one's faith in humanity. I enjoyed learning about how different travel was in the 1950s and the history of the places she visited. I was surprised by how much new information the author provided about places where I've already traveled.One doesn't need to be a "horse person" to like this book. People who enjoy traveling in the United States, as well as armchair travelers, will appreciate this book. I highly recommend this inspiring book which brings to life recent history.
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LibraryThing member jbarr5
The Ride of Her Life Elizabeth Letts
Story is about Annie and how she grew up and when everyone has left her she decides after a health emergency she needs to see the west coast.
She collects her clothing, wearing most of it, along with her horse, a Morgan, and a dog.
It's in the early 1950's and
Back then the police allowed those without a home and just passing through to spend the night at the jail.
Love also the history of the times and about the specific areas that are just coming into play: turnpikes, cars and how they came about, who made them and why, etc.
Like how others along the way are allowing her to stay with them. A newspaper even wrote a story about her and it's gone viral and everybody wants to play a part in helping her get to the west coast.
Love hearing of the kids games created and the ones they played via Milton Bradley, game of life, etc.
Ice harvesting, we've seen this done at 1850's village we visit when touring locally.
Moving, emotional, touching story, tragic, purpose, brave and courageous.
Book contains chapters and also reference notes from diaries and personal notes from those who met her, author's note, dedication, acknowledgements and about the author.
Can't wait to read more from this author, so descriptive and detailed scenes and events of times long ago.
Received this book from Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine Books via NetGalley and this is my honest opinion.
#TheRideofHerLife #NetGalley
Story is about Annie and how she grew up and when everyone has left her she decides after a health emergency she needs to see the west coast.
She collects her clothing, wearing most of it, along with her horse, a Morgan, and a dog.
It's in the early 1950's and
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what fascinated me was that the police would meet her at the border of each town and escort her to the jail or a place where she could spend the night.Back then the police allowed those without a home and just passing through to spend the night at the jail.
Love also the history of the times and about the specific areas that are just coming into play: turnpikes, cars and how they came about, who made them and why, etc.
Like how others along the way are allowing her to stay with them. A newspaper even wrote a story about her and it's gone viral and everybody wants to play a part in helping her get to the west coast.
Love hearing of the kids games created and the ones they played via Milton Bradley, game of life, etc.
Ice harvesting, we've seen this done at 1850's village we visit when touring locally.
Moving, emotional, touching story, tragic, purpose, brave and courageous.
Book contains chapters and also reference notes from diaries and personal notes from those who met her, author's note, dedication, acknowledgements and about the author.
Can't wait to read more from this author, so descriptive and detailed scenes and events of times long ago.
Received this book from Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine Books via NetGalley and this is my honest opinion.
#TheRideofHerLife #NetGalley
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LibraryThing member Cats57
I TOTALLY RECOMMEND THIS BOOK TO ALMOST EVERYONE!!!
I am in awe of this book, Annie Wilkins, and even the time period. The early 1950s, when America was still unafraid to trust, loved an adventure, and wasn't glued to electronic devices! TV still wasn't as popular as it would get later in that
This was an adventure, as it says in the synopsis, of a 63-year-old woman, her horse (soon to be two horses), and her dog. When Annie finds out that she is losing her farm and perhaps her life she decided to see the coast. Now mind you, she lives in Maine -already on a coast right? Now she wants to see the West Coast before she dies. She takes what money she can make while sick, buys a horse packs up, and just--goes! No map, no GPS, nothing!
The history I learned in her travels was, well words just can't describe what I felt. I learned things I never knew I needed to know! I was thrilled to find out that she even traveled through my home state and believe me I am going to be doing some research about that.
If you like nearly lost causes, horses, American travel, American trivia, history, adventure, then you simply must read this book. I will say that it drags in some places and it does not have a happy ending for all concerned, but it is still well worth your time.
*ARC supplied by the publisher, the author, and NetGalley. With my humble thanks for being able to read this early-I will be going to buy my own copy and will be reading more by this author.
I am in awe of this book, Annie Wilkins, and even the time period. The early 1950s, when America was still unafraid to trust, loved an adventure, and wasn't glued to electronic devices! TV still wasn't as popular as it would get later in that
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decade.This was an adventure, as it says in the synopsis, of a 63-year-old woman, her horse (soon to be two horses), and her dog. When Annie finds out that she is losing her farm and perhaps her life she decided to see the coast. Now mind you, she lives in Maine -already on a coast right? Now she wants to see the West Coast before she dies. She takes what money she can make while sick, buys a horse packs up, and just--goes! No map, no GPS, nothing!
The history I learned in her travels was, well words just can't describe what I felt. I learned things I never knew I needed to know! I was thrilled to find out that she even traveled through my home state and believe me I am going to be doing some research about that.
If you like nearly lost causes, horses, American travel, American trivia, history, adventure, then you simply must read this book. I will say that it drags in some places and it does not have a happy ending for all concerned, but it is still well worth your time.
*ARC supplied by the publisher, the author, and NetGalley. With my humble thanks for being able to read this early-I will be going to buy my own copy and will be reading more by this author.
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LibraryThing member kimkimkim
Sixty-three Year Old Annie Wilkins was called many things, among them “Jackass Annie” and a tramp. She was living in Minot, Maine in 1954 in little better than a ramshackle farmhouse with no electricity, no running water, and heat only from a wood-burning cast iron stove. She had little
Elizabeth Letts has written a wonderful, if somewhat wordy, book about this humble and admirable woman. It is an interesting story that takes you back to a gentler time when people looked out for one another and often opened their homes to those in need. There was a tremendous amount of detail in the story and my only criticism is that there are too many tangents.
The book is well researched (check out the incredible Bibliography) and very interesting. Thank you Ballantine Books, LibraryThing and NetGalley for a copy.
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schooling, not much money and was in poor health. What she did have was a a belief in her fellow man and a desire to see what was beyond Minot, Maine in the little time she thought she had left. With a newly purchased horse, her little dog and about $32 she set off for California. Within the pages of this book is the story of the people she meets and her journey to California.Elizabeth Letts has written a wonderful, if somewhat wordy, book about this humble and admirable woman. It is an interesting story that takes you back to a gentler time when people looked out for one another and often opened their homes to those in need. There was a tremendous amount of detail in the story and my only criticism is that there are too many tangents.
The book is well researched (check out the incredible Bibliography) and very interesting. Thank you Ballantine Books, LibraryThing and NetGalley for a copy.
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LibraryThing member BettyTaylor56
This book is officially one of my all-time favorites. While it is nonfiction, it reads like a novel. Letts did extensive research, and it shows. I cannot say enough good things about this book.
In 1954, Annie Wilkins, 63-years old, was about to lose her home in Minot, Maine since she could not pay
The best part of the book for me was the relationship between her four-legged traveling companions: her little dog Depeche Toi, her horse Tarzan, and later the addition of Rex, a Tennessee walker. Their personalities were as well developed as the human characters in most books. I loved them!
I learned quite a bit of history along her journey: the origin of our interstate highway system, the early days of medical insurance (used as an incentive to get workers), the birth of the TV Western, the two great migrations to the West, how local jails were receptive to allowing travelers to spend the night in a cell, and Art Linkletter’s connection to Annie. Some may find that boring, but it is written in such a way that it flowed easily with the story.
Annie could not have made the journey without the kindness of strangers along the way. People allowed her to stay in their homes, bedded her animals, gave her food and medical help. I have to admit to feeling a bit nostalgic for an innocent America that no longer exists. She became a celebrity and was interviewed by the media all along her route. She took on the distinction of being the “last saddle tramp.” Annie truly had the wanderlust. Annie kept diaries along the way and the letters she received. These documents were used in the author’s research.
Overall, this book stole my heart. If you love adventure or love sweet animals, you should read this book.
In 1954, Annie Wilkins, 63-years old, was about to lose her home in Minot, Maine since she could not pay
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the back taxes. No money, no family, and her medical condition was such that she had been told she only had two years to live. So, she bought an older horse, loaded her belongings onto it and set out for California with her dog. She wanted to see the Pacific Ocean before she died. At that time there were no printed maps so she could plot her entire trip, so she took it state by state, not always taking the shortest route. She pushed through blizzards, flash floods, desert heat. As the modern interstate highways were just beginning to be built, the three travelers often had to share the road with speeding cars and trucks. There were times I was not sure she would make it to her destination.The best part of the book for me was the relationship between her four-legged traveling companions: her little dog Depeche Toi, her horse Tarzan, and later the addition of Rex, a Tennessee walker. Their personalities were as well developed as the human characters in most books. I loved them!
I learned quite a bit of history along her journey: the origin of our interstate highway system, the early days of medical insurance (used as an incentive to get workers), the birth of the TV Western, the two great migrations to the West, how local jails were receptive to allowing travelers to spend the night in a cell, and Art Linkletter’s connection to Annie. Some may find that boring, but it is written in such a way that it flowed easily with the story.
Annie could not have made the journey without the kindness of strangers along the way. People allowed her to stay in their homes, bedded her animals, gave her food and medical help. I have to admit to feeling a bit nostalgic for an innocent America that no longer exists. She became a celebrity and was interviewed by the media all along her route. She took on the distinction of being the “last saddle tramp.” Annie truly had the wanderlust. Annie kept diaries along the way and the letters she received. These documents were used in the author’s research.
Overall, this book stole my heart. If you love adventure or love sweet animals, you should read this book.
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LibraryThing member sdbookhound
The Ride of Her Life begins in Maine where Annie has been told she doesn't have long to live. She has little to no money and is going to lose her home. She decides to buy a good horse and along with her faithful canine companion heads for the California coast. This true story takes place in the
I found the idea of the trip Annie made amazing. She had to have been tough as nails! There was a lot of interesting information about the areas she traveled through and the people she met along the way. Annie felt that people were good and she would be able to find kindness and help on her journey. This proves to be true. While I found the book interesting, it read slow with a lot of information to digest. Overall it was well written and I'm glad I read it.
My sincere thanks to Ballantine Books and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read The Ride of Her Life and give my unbiased opinion of it.
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1950s.I found the idea of the trip Annie made amazing. She had to have been tough as nails! There was a lot of interesting information about the areas she traveled through and the people she met along the way. Annie felt that people were good and she would be able to find kindness and help on her journey. This proves to be true. While I found the book interesting, it read slow with a lot of information to digest. Overall it was well written and I'm glad I read it.
My sincere thanks to Ballantine Books and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read The Ride of Her Life and give my unbiased opinion of it.
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LibraryThing member TheQuietReader
Having been told she has only two years left to live, Annie Wilkins decides she is going to do something she has always wanted to do: see the Pacific Ocean. With little money to her name, she purchases a horse, packs the essentials, and sets off with her dog. Through blizzards, storms, and cities,
This really was a fascinating read. I cannot imagine the courage it must have taken to set off alone to cross the country. Without even a map, or even a set route in mind, Annie relied on the neighborliness of those she met to get where she wanted to go.
The author expands on the details of Annie's journey with the facts of what was happening in the wider world. At times, these details do slow the narrative, but not painfully so. At the end, the author explains where her research expanded on the account Annie wrote and published of her journey.
I think my favorite part was the different people Annie met. With them all, no matter their status or influence, she treated them all the same. The kindness she was shown along her journey is something not seen often.
This is an interesting account of an adventure that you seldom hear about. I would recommend it to readers looking for a glimpse of American life in the 1950's.
I received a free copy from NetGalley, and all opinions expressed are my own.
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Annie travels from Maine to California.This really was a fascinating read. I cannot imagine the courage it must have taken to set off alone to cross the country. Without even a map, or even a set route in mind, Annie relied on the neighborliness of those she met to get where she wanted to go.
The author expands on the details of Annie's journey with the facts of what was happening in the wider world. At times, these details do slow the narrative, but not painfully so. At the end, the author explains where her research expanded on the account Annie wrote and published of her journey.
I think my favorite part was the different people Annie met. With them all, no matter their status or influence, she treated them all the same. The kindness she was shown along her journey is something not seen often.
This is an interesting account of an adventure that you seldom hear about. I would recommend it to readers looking for a glimpse of American life in the 1950's.
I received a free copy from NetGalley, and all opinions expressed are my own.
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LibraryThing member nancyadair
Fact is stranger than fiction. Consider the story of a woman who lost everything and was given a diagnosis of four years to live and decides to mount a horse for the first time in thirty years to ride across the entirety of America. She wanted to see the Pacific Ocean.
She had never seen a movie or
She did have a sturdy Maine Morgan horse named Tarzan and a perky dachshund mix named Depeche Toi. And along the way, was gifted Rex, a Tennessee Walker.
Donning men's clothes, she packed up her bedroll, and with a few dollars set off in the autumn of 1954.
What Annie Wilkins did have was faith and persistence and a dream--and the love of her four-footed companions.
Annie found a country filled with people who believed in hospitality to strangers, people willing to care for her and her animals. She found the helpers.
Annie also found a country on the cusp of huge changes. Cars whizzed by without consideration, people were leery of strangers, a gang harassed her, and newspapers and celebrities lionized her.
Elizabeth Letts has written beloved books including The Perfect Horse, The Eighty-Dollar Champion, and Finding Dorothy. The Ride of Her Life is another triumph, a much needed inspiration in an America that has lost its sense of community. It was a joy to read.
I received a free ebook from the publisher through LibraryThing. My review is fair and unbiased.
She had never seen a movie or
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lived with electricity and indoor plumbing. She had an arthritis and a cough. She had little money. She had no map of the country, no flashlight, no cell phone, or GPS. She had no knowledge of the world. She had never traveled. Never seen a thruway. She didn't know how far south she had to travel to find warm weather.She did have a sturdy Maine Morgan horse named Tarzan and a perky dachshund mix named Depeche Toi. And along the way, was gifted Rex, a Tennessee Walker.
Donning men's clothes, she packed up her bedroll, and with a few dollars set off in the autumn of 1954.
What Annie Wilkins did have was faith and persistence and a dream--and the love of her four-footed companions.
Annie found a country filled with people who believed in hospitality to strangers, people willing to care for her and her animals. She found the helpers.
Annie also found a country on the cusp of huge changes. Cars whizzed by without consideration, people were leery of strangers, a gang harassed her, and newspapers and celebrities lionized her.
Elizabeth Letts has written beloved books including The Perfect Horse, The Eighty-Dollar Champion, and Finding Dorothy. The Ride of Her Life is another triumph, a much needed inspiration in an America that has lost its sense of community. It was a joy to read.
I received a free ebook from the publisher through LibraryThing. My review is fair and unbiased.
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LibraryThing member eduscapes
In 1954, Annie Welkin's Doctor tells her that she has only a few years to live. Her farm is being taken over by the bank. She is in her Sixties and has never traveled far from home, but dreams about seeing California and the Pacific Ocean. Annie raises a summer crop of cucumbers that she sells to a
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nearby pickle factory.She buys an old worn-out horse and loads up her few possessions - her dog, hay and grain for her horse, some canned food for herself. Without a map and a rudimentary sense of the journey ahead, she sets off in mid-November. A great travel story. Show Less
LibraryThing member LadyoftheLodge
This book told an amazing story about an amazing woman and her animal companions. When she undertook the horseback journey to the Pacific Ocean, this woman most likely did not expect to meet the many people and situations she encountered. Our world sadly needs the kind of neighborliness Annie
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encountered in her marvelous ride. This story evoked a feeling for the 1950's, a time that most likely we will never again experience. Show Less
LibraryThing member mlhershey
Fascinating story of 65-yr-old Maine farmer, who down on her luck, decides to ride a horse to California. Susanna Porter edited, Jennifer also credited.
LibraryThing member creighley
The triumphant true story of Annie Wilkins who at the age of 63 decides that she is going to ride across America from Maine and see the Pacific Ocean. She had no money, no family, and had just lost her farm, and her doctor had just given her a prognosis of living just two more years. She bought a
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cast-off brown gelding named Tarzan and headed south in mid-November, hoping to beat the snow. Annie didn’t really know what lay ahead for her. She didn’t even have a road map. She did have her faithful dog and ex-racehorse and the belief that Americans would treat a stranger with kindness. Show Less
LibraryThing member carolfoisset
Crazy true story! Interesting bits of history regarding the people and places that Annie interacted with on her trip.
Audio was pretty good.
Audio was pretty good.
LibraryThing member cbl_tn
When a doctor tells Annie Wilkins, a poor Maine farmer in her early 60s, that she has only a couple of years at most to live, she has a choice to make. She can either take the place the doctor offered her in the county home, or she can strike out on her own for the place she’s always wanted to
The author captures the mood of a vanishing era. Annie’s cross-country journey began in 1954, less than two years before President Eisenhower signed the legislation creating the U.S. interstate system. The author is occasionally a little too heavy on the trivia, straying too far from the central narrative. Letts appears to rely heavily on Annie’s book about her journey. As much as I liked reading about Annie’s journey in this book, I would have preferred to read the account in her own words. Sadly, Annie’s book is out of print.
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see – California and the Pacific Ocean. Annie finds herself a sturdy Morgan horse and, with her dog Depeche Toi, she sets off for California. In November. The trio meet many kind strangers along the way, while Annie’s health gradually improves throughout the journey.The author captures the mood of a vanishing era. Annie’s cross-country journey began in 1954, less than two years before President Eisenhower signed the legislation creating the U.S. interstate system. The author is occasionally a little too heavy on the trivia, straying too far from the central narrative. Letts appears to rely heavily on Annie’s book about her journey. As much as I liked reading about Annie’s journey in this book, I would have preferred to read the account in her own words. Sadly, Annie’s book is out of print.
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LibraryThing member thornton37814
Facing a dismal future both from financial and life expectancy viewpoints, Maine farmer Annie Wilkins set out with her dog Depeche Toi and a sturdy Morgan horse she purchased named Tarzan to travel across the United States to California. She didn't leave until late in the year and failed to
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adequately plan a route. She knew the general direction she needed to head and often got directions from those who welcomed her in her travels. When she first began the journey, she mostly spent the nights in jail cells unless invited to sleep in someone's home. She usually found a barn or pasture where her horse and dog could sleep. Tarzan and Depeche Toi often fended for each other. As Annie made progress in her journey, reporters began covering her story. Many towns anticipated her arrival and paid for hotel and meals. Someone created a way Annie could make money selling postcard autographs. By the time she got to Tennessee, she saw the need for a second horse to relive some of Tarzan's load. She was able to acquire a Tennessee walking horse named Rex. I don't want to give away too many details of their cross-country journey, but sometimes Annie didn't make the wisest route decisions. She often went to out-of-the-way places she was invited. I don't want to reveal too much of the experiences and thus spoil it for future readers. I enjoyed the story of Annie's travels. The author primarily used Annie's own memoirs and newspaper accounts to document the journey. The book concludes with Annie's appearance on Art Linkletter's television program and then an epilogue summarizing Annie's later life and that of her horses. Show Less
LibraryThing member CasSprout
Wonderful story, well written.
LibraryThing member LyndaInOregon
This true story of feisty 62-year-old Maine woman who embarked on a horseback journey to California in 1954 tells the remarkable tale of Annie Wilkins, whose hardscrabble life on a remote farm was snatched away by a combination of bad weather, bad luck, bad harvest, and failing health. Unable to
The one she chose was one no one could have seen coming -- she took the few dollars she could scrape together, bought a nondescript ex-riding-stable horse and set out for California, taking only what she could carry and accompanied by a pup of questionable lineage but charming personality.
Author Elizabeth Letts has re-told this remarkable story, based on Wilkins' own book about the journey, but enhanced by additional research into Wilkins' life and adding the perspective of 67 years.
The point of the book is not merely that this uneducated, unsophisticated woman, who seems to have had little comprehension of the true scale of the task she had set for herself, and even lacked decent maps to plan the trip, survived and succeeded. Equally important is that the journey occurred at a time in American history when the legacy of the wandering rider was not just disappearing but was being rendered impossible by the onset of the superhighway; more importantly, the era of easy hospitality for itinerant travelers was being replaced by caution, suspicion, and even hostility.
It seems utterly unbelievable that Wilkins could ride up a country lane, knock on the door of a strange farmhouse, and ask for a night's shelter in the barn for her animals and herself -- and almost always receive not only that, but an invitation to dinner and a layover if weather or health issues seemed to call for it.
Local -- and eventually, national -- news outlets picked up on the story, and during the later stages of the journey, Wilkins was often made the guest of whatever local Chamber of Commerce or booster organization saw the opportunity to get exposure for their community. Wilkins rode in the Cheyenne Frontier Days parade and appeared on national television with 1950s talk-show superstar Art Linkletter.
But she remained to the last just what she had always been -- a plainspoken, independent woman determined to make her own way. Her remarkable story is a look not only at the strength of the human spirit, but at an America that was vanishing even as she rode through it.
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pay the taxes on the land that had been in her family for generations, and faced with the medical opinion that she had less than two years left to live, her options were few. The one she chose was one no one could have seen coming -- she took the few dollars she could scrape together, bought a nondescript ex-riding-stable horse and set out for California, taking only what she could carry and accompanied by a pup of questionable lineage but charming personality.
Author Elizabeth Letts has re-told this remarkable story, based on Wilkins' own book about the journey, but enhanced by additional research into Wilkins' life and adding the perspective of 67 years.
The point of the book is not merely that this uneducated, unsophisticated woman, who seems to have had little comprehension of the true scale of the task she had set for herself, and even lacked decent maps to plan the trip, survived and succeeded. Equally important is that the journey occurred at a time in American history when the legacy of the wandering rider was not just disappearing but was being rendered impossible by the onset of the superhighway; more importantly, the era of easy hospitality for itinerant travelers was being replaced by caution, suspicion, and even hostility.
It seems utterly unbelievable that Wilkins could ride up a country lane, knock on the door of a strange farmhouse, and ask for a night's shelter in the barn for her animals and herself -- and almost always receive not only that, but an invitation to dinner and a layover if weather or health issues seemed to call for it.
Local -- and eventually, national -- news outlets picked up on the story, and during the later stages of the journey, Wilkins was often made the guest of whatever local Chamber of Commerce or booster organization saw the opportunity to get exposure for their community. Wilkins rode in the Cheyenne Frontier Days parade and appeared on national television with 1950s talk-show superstar Art Linkletter.
But she remained to the last just what she had always been -- a plainspoken, independent woman determined to make her own way. Her remarkable story is a look not only at the strength of the human spirit, but at an America that was vanishing even as she rode through it.
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LibraryThing member Carrieida
The biography of Alice Wilkins her horse and dog and their ride across the country from her home state of Maine to California. An absorbing read with details the author could find in her research. The story emphasizing the hospitality she received from ordinary folks who wanted her to finish her
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journey but also includes some difficulties and hardships she endured. Show Less
LibraryThing member Jacsun
What an amazing story teller! Elizabeth Letts takes us back to the 50s in the U.S. when life was so different just a few decades ago.
It's about a 62 year-old woman, Annie, who sells her inherited farm in Maine for $54.36 - about the cost of a take-out dinner for two these days. Her doctor says she
She decides to go on a journey from Maine to California where the weather would be warmer with more opportunities. She wears four pairs of pants and packs as much as her old horse, Tarzan, can carry along with her most beloved mutt, Depeche Toi. It's November, 1954 and she has no maps, no iPhone, no flashlight and no debit card. She just has trust that everything will work out as she hopes it will.
It's a total adventure that follows her through many states in New England, the Midwest, parts of the Northwest and then California with the illustration of maps of her route. Many people who were strangers embraced her by sharing meals and the hopes that her dreams would come true. The press wrote about her trip and the city mayors and officials would make her feel like she was a queen. Even a big-time gambler was betting for her success. Throughout her road trip, the reader learns all kinds of tidbits about the rapid changes taking place in the mid-50s with social justice, technology and automobiles taking over the new super highways.
It's a must read for everyone interested in the U.S. history. The author did an incredible amount of research centered on a true story. My thanks to Elizabeth Letts, Ballantine Books and NetGalley for allowing me to read this advanced copy.
It's about a 62 year-old woman, Annie, who sells her inherited farm in Maine for $54.36 - about the cost of a take-out dinner for two these days. Her doctor says she
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only has a few more years to live with a history of pneumonia. She's no longer married, her parents have passed and she has just a few friends left. She needs a job. Her dad always said to her: "keep going and you'll get there...have faith."She decides to go on a journey from Maine to California where the weather would be warmer with more opportunities. She wears four pairs of pants and packs as much as her old horse, Tarzan, can carry along with her most beloved mutt, Depeche Toi. It's November, 1954 and she has no maps, no iPhone, no flashlight and no debit card. She just has trust that everything will work out as she hopes it will.
It's a total adventure that follows her through many states in New England, the Midwest, parts of the Northwest and then California with the illustration of maps of her route. Many people who were strangers embraced her by sharing meals and the hopes that her dreams would come true. The press wrote about her trip and the city mayors and officials would make her feel like she was a queen. Even a big-time gambler was betting for her success. Throughout her road trip, the reader learns all kinds of tidbits about the rapid changes taking place in the mid-50s with social justice, technology and automobiles taking over the new super highways.
It's a must read for everyone interested in the U.S. history. The author did an incredible amount of research centered on a true story. My thanks to Elizabeth Letts, Ballantine Books and NetGalley for allowing me to read this advanced copy.
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Awards
DDC/MDS
| 920 |