Structure

The structure of the book is chronological. After beginning with a story of how the Dakota Indians were displaced from the Plains, Fraser traces the ancestry of the Ingalls and then covers the lives of Laura Ingalls Wilder's parents. Fraser then works through the life of Laura and then Laura's life when married to Almanzo, as well as her relationship with her daughter, Rose. The later chapters alternate between a narrative about Laura and a narrative about Rose. At times, the author discusses their collaboration. The structure of these alternating sections mirrors the relationship between Laura and Rose as adults, as they worked and lived separately at times but also worked and lived together at times, creating a relationship that close but conflictual.

Each section also places Laura's life against the backdrop of history. Fraser includes background information about the ecology of the Plains and about world...