why now?
Reading Judith Thurman's praises-for and rehashing-of William Holtz's Ghost in the Littlehouse (see sidebar link) made me wonder... Why is Thurman interested in Laura Ingalls Wilder now? Why jump on the Little House bandwagon now? Why Holtz?

After all, Holtz (the book and the man are inseparable in the brain beneath this bonnet) is something that Laura Ingalls Wilder researchers and enthusiasts of a certain age pretty much tired of dissecting and discussing over a dozen years ago, because HELLO! Of course Rose had a hand in the "Little House" books, and we're okay with that. Is it all the press for Little House on the Prairie, the Musical? Melissa Gilbert's The New York Times best seller, Prairie Tale? Or did Auntie Evelyn read "Little House" to young Judy and send her bonnets and tin cups and show her where butter comes from? (Okay, I don't know if they're related, but award yourself a few bonus points if you know who I was talking about.)

What I really want to know is if Thurman has the scoop about a definitive adult Laura Ingalls Wilder biography in the works; you know, one that is based on primary research for a change. I call myself a full-time Laura Ingalls Wilder researcher, but lord knows I veered off that track ages ago, and I rarely dabble in the Rose Wilder Lane world because there are plenty of others out there who do. (I also run with scissors and don't play nicely with others - scourge of collectivism and all that...) These days, I deal in "Little House" minutiae, A-Z: just how sick was Horace Woodworth; Minnie Johnson had how many children; what color was Big Jerry's other shirt?

But really? A book? With new information? And sources? Please say it's so!
[update: Read the questions submitted to Thurman, and her answers HERE.]
- posted by pioneergirl at 10:14 AM