I wasn't familiar with author Ralph Moody, but when I saw a row of distinctive Bison Books' spines peeking out at me from my library's bookshelves I had to pull a few out and see what they were all about. A cursory glance at the book blurbs and it was Mary Emma & Company that I brought back to my desk--less with my lost in the stacks posts in mind than the fact that I liked the sound of the protagonist in the story. Also, another of the books has a Nebraska setting and I've been looking for just such books for a work-related project.
One of the quotes offers a tempting glimpse into this story; "reading his books is like returning to Grandmother's kitchen with the heavenly smell of sugar cookies escaping from the oven." Doesn't that just paint a pleasant picture in your mind--a happy, warm and fuzzy one, and I'm all for books that can do that. A sugar cookie of a book has kind of a nice ring to it. And I do love sugar cookies.
As it turns out Ralph Moody was quite a prolific writer. Born in New Hampshire but raised in Colorado, his father died young and the family returned to the East Coast to live. He eventually travelled back through the Midwest working in a variety of places to help support his family. Largely self-taught and with a lifelong interesting in learning, he reminds me of Louis L'Amour. Later in life he took a writing class which began his career as an author.
I don't normally read a lot of western (am thinking here in terms of locale-Western US) fiction, but I do like the sound of these books and decided it wasn't a good idea to start reading in the middle of a series of books which sound somewhat autobiographical. His family saga begins with Little Britches: Father and I Were Ranchers, which he published in 1950. The book covers the years 1906-1910 when his father took the family to Colorado. The book begins:
"I never really knew my Father very well till we moved to the ranch on the Fort-Logan-Morrison road, not far from Denver. That was just after my eighth birthday--right at the end of 1906. When we lived in East Rochester, New Hampshire, he worked in the woolen mill, but it wasn't good for his lungs. He was sick in bed the winter before we moved--the one after Hal was a year old."
The story continues through a successive seven books through the 1920s when Moody puts an end to his "roving" days (I think by that point he gets married). Mary Emma & Company is somewhere in the middle of the series of books and is about his widowed mother and their life in Massachusetts when Little Britches had to be the "man of the family". I think I'd definitely prefer to read them in order now that I think about it.
The books have been in print continuously since their initial publication, and reading through some of the Amazon reviews they do seem much loved. I'm not sure really that the books are indeed lost in the stacks, but as I have never come across them online it seems worth mentioning him as someone whose works are worth exploring. It would be fun to read them aloud to children or classroom setting (or to just read them on my own for that matter). I suspect some of you will recognize Ralph Moody or will have read his books. If so, what do you think, should I embark on the the epic journey with this family? I have an unusual fascination (maybe not so unusual) for Depression-era America, and these do sound like fun, comforting reads.
Yes, I think you would like these books. They're very popular with homeschoolers that I know.
Posted by: Sherry | July 13, 2012 at 05:01 PM
Disney did a film from this book in 1970, with Ron Howard in the lead role. It's called THE WILD COUNTRY. As I remember it, more of an adventure ala OLD YELLER than a sugary-type story.
Posted by: LindaY | July 13, 2012 at 05:26 PM
I read Little Britches when I was a kid and LOVED it. Didn't know at the time that it was part of a series so I guess that means the library in my town didn't have them.
I picked up a used copy several years back but I haven't reread it yet. The university library here only has Moody's book on stagecoaches.
Posted by: Susan | July 13, 2012 at 05:39 PM
Danielle, I have seen this book, picked it up, put it down a time or two and now you compel me to pick it up and keep it and to say, yes, wee where Moody's books and the journey takes you - and let us know.
Posted by: Penny | July 13, 2012 at 07:40 PM
They seem like good stories to read aloud, so I'm not surprised that they are used in homeschooling. I think I'm going to have to give the first one a try--I'm so glad I reached for them on the shelf!
Posted by: Danielle | July 13, 2012 at 08:54 PM
I'll have to look it up. I'm glad to hear it's just good and not saccharine-style good! I'll have to look it up--it must be an older movie if Ron Howard was the lead!
Posted by: Danielle | July 13, 2012 at 08:55 PM
There are eight books that tell the story of his family--we have most or many of them anyway. I had never heard of him until the books caught my eye--Bison Books publish titles that are of local interest (among other sorts), so I often will pick them up if I see the logo--I'm glad I did now. I had a feeling these would likely be familiar to others, and I'm glad to hear they have been so well received.
Posted by: Danielle | July 13, 2012 at 09:00 PM
Penny--I'm sure I have walked by these books many, many times over the years and never noticed them on the shelf--I'm glad they finally caught my eye. I think I will have to start reading the first one as my curiosity is piqued.
Posted by: Danielle | July 13, 2012 at 09:01 PM
I like the picture of grandmother's kitchen and the cookie smell. It's nostalgic.
I don't read a lot of Western either but feel tempted occasionally.
Posted by: Caroline | July 14, 2012 at 06:18 AM
I read Little Britches several times as a child, and still have my copy from that time! I didn't know that it was the first in a series, however. I have happy memories of my teacher reading aloud from this book after lunch when I was in fourth or fifth grade.
Posted by: Kathy | July 14, 2012 at 07:57 AM
Nostalgic is the perfect word for it. I'm glad to hear from others it's good but not in a sentimental way--even with the sugar cookie comparison! :) I never read westerns either, but I like the family spin on the story, and the fact that one of the books is set partially in Nebraska where I live.
Posted by: Danielle | July 14, 2012 at 08:06 PM
How cool. I somehow managed to miss this one--big surprise (since I seem to have missed out on lots of good, popular books when I was younger). I remember having The Boxcar Children books read to me when I was in primary school--I still have fond memories of those!
Posted by: Danielle | July 14, 2012 at 08:07 PM
I've never heard of these books or this author before but apparently from the comments lots of others have. they look like slim books and will probably read fast and seem to be ones you'd enjoy especially given the era, so why not start at the beginning and see how it goes? what's one more book on your pile? ;)
Posted by: Stefanie | July 16, 2012 at 10:45 AM
Yes, they are great for reading aloud! Very sad at times, though, but funny at others.
We're reading Little Britches aloud for the second time, and I'm finding myself skipping a few words here and there. I also recall that I couldn't stomach the third book, the grandfather was so nasty.
These are great books, but they are gritty and a lot tougher emotionally than the Little House books. Keep that in mind if you're thinking of reading them aloud to sensitive kids.
Posted by: Annie Kate | July 16, 2012 at 07:45 PM
When you have so many books piled up like I do, one doesn't really make that much of a difference! ;) That's what I tell myself anyway. I would like to start reading the first one as a matter of fact.
Posted by: Danielle | July 16, 2012 at 11:10 PM
They sound like a good find. Unfortunately I don't have anyone I could read them, too, so was just thinking about reading them myself!;) I was thinking about the Little House books and how they would compare. Have you read the other books in the series?
Posted by: Danielle | July 16, 2012 at 11:11 PM
I love the idea of a book like a sugar cookie! These sound charming traditional reads. They make me think of the Great Brain stories by John D Fitzgerald that my son loved as a child. My husband had read them when he was young and was determined we'd track them down - no easy matter when they were not in print in the UK. But we got there in the end and they were very amusing. Sometimes that kind of story is extremely comforting.
Posted by: litlove | July 19, 2012 at 03:51 PM
It's a nice image, isn't it? All nice and cozy and warm. I do want to try this--it sits on my pile now waiting for me. It seems quite nostalgic and not sentimental from the sound of it--a good thing.
Posted by: Danielle | July 19, 2012 at 11:08 PM
I could almost swear that my parents had this book on our shelves when I was growing up because it sounds SO familiar. It sounds like a charming read.
Posted by: Kathleen | August 10, 2012 at 06:57 PM
I can easily imagine they might have--it sounds like a good family book and the story indeed does sound charming! :)
Posted by: Danielle | August 10, 2012 at 10:59 PM