An amazing story only slightly let down by the writing style.

This was the second top book in my Unsuggester list and so experimental fool that I am I had to buy it and I'm so glad that I did. My only worry is that despite me owning it and adding it it still appears on my unsuggester list (Heads off briefly to bug collectors).

The story is truly amazing of how a mother and her eldest daughter try to walk across America to win a wager that they desperately need. The story of the trek itself is well told but equally interesting is the reaction of the society in which they lived.

There are elements of adventure, social and feminist history and even politics within this story and whilst this is an interesting mixture I feel that it leads to problems with the writing style in that it can't ever really decide if it wants to be serious history, popular non-fiction or even sometimes reaching towards a fact based novel.

Buy it/borrow it/steal it/forget it? Buy it ( )

Interesting - strong story with great geographic and personal details. ( )

A Spokane pioneer, immigrant and mother takes a mysterious New York benefactor up on an offer that if successfully completed will bring her family $10,000 and the chance to pay off the mortgage of their farm rather than losing it. Along with her daughter, she follows the train tracks out of Spokane and begins a trek, unaided, and dressed in the scandalous "bicycle skirts" that the benefactor requires be worn. The two face weather, lack of food and bandits, and encounter generous strangers and meet celebrities and political big wigs, before reaching New York and the hope of a waiting check. All is not rosy, but the pioneers make the best of things.

Fascinating story, appalling that it's been all but erased from history. Gave me a great look into the lack of attention given to women's stories, especially women who stepped outside of the norm. Writing was so-so, somewhat repetetive, lacked a certain energy. ( )

Hunt's book chronicles Helga and her daughter Clara's walk from Spokane, Washington to New York City in 1896. Never heard of it? Neither had I, and there's a reason for that.

After the crash of 1893, times were hard. The Estbys (both Norwegian
immigrants) were behind on taxes and the mortgage. They had eight children
to feed. Helga's husband was injured and unable to work. Helga learned that
a mysterious sponsor would pay $10,000 to a woman who walked across America.
She knew that this was the only way to save their farm, put food on the
table, and pay for their children's schooling. (She was a firm believer in
higher education.)

Helga and Clara set out on a trip that would pass through fourteen
states--Indian reservations, Western boom towns, remote ranches and local
civic leaders. They would experience snowstorms, hunger, thieves and
mountain lions. They were armed with little more than a compass, red pepper
spray, a revolver and Clara's curling iron. According to the terms of the
sponsor, they were not allowed to carry more than $5 each and were expected
to earn their way across the country while not taking any other mode of
transportation than "shank's mare".

Their treacherous and inspirational journey challenged contemporary notions
of femininity and captured public imagination, but their trip had such
devastating consequences that the Estby women's achievement was blanketed in
silence for almost a century.

This is an engrossing, fast-moving story about two amazing women and the
overwhelming importance of family history--how stories of family
achievements and personalities define whom we are. Lastly, it's an
indictment of those who willfully and knowingly destroy history simply
because the historymakers do not fit their preconceived molds. I'm glad that
Helga has finally had her story told. I just wish that it could've been in
her own words. ( )