If any book will give readers a sense of perspective, it’s Laura Ingalls Wilder’s The Long Winter, the sixth volume in her Little House series. Many Wilder fans consider this semi-autobiographical novel to be the most exciting of her writings – for ample reason. In October, 1880, Laura and her family wake to an early blizzard howling outside their isolated South Dakota shanty. During the seven months of near constant snow and bitter cold that follows, the family subsists on potatoes and coarse bread before running out of food altogether. The true survival story will leave readers grateful for modern amenities.
