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Diary of Mattie Spencer by Sandra Dallas--March Selection

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The Diary of Mattie Spenser: A Novel 

by Sandra Dallas
Moderator: Ellen Folts
March 26, 2018

No one is more surprised than Mattie Spenser herself when Luke Spenser, considered the great catch of their small Iowa town, asks her to marry him. Less than a month later, they are off in a covered wagon to build a home on the Colorado frontier. Mattie's only company is a slightly mysterious husband and her private journal, where she records the joys and frustrations not just of frontier life, but also of a new marriage to a handsome but distant stranger. As she and Luke make life together on the harsh and beautiful plains, Mattie learns some bitter truths about her husband and the girl he left behind and finds love where she least expects it. Dramatic and suspenseful, this is an unforgettable story of hardship, friendship and survival.

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  1. ZachMay 21, 2018 at 9:24 AM

    I found the book worth reading, I enjoyed the story of Mattie - it was expansive and did a reasonably good job at discussing the movement westward during the mid-late 19th century. As far as relating to the story, I think students may be challenged at first, but getting into some more of the "drama" may be more relatable.

    As far as including the story in class - while I didn't look too deeply into the actual writing of the book, there's a lot could be taken into a US History class, discussing the hardships of moving West as well as the interaction with Native Americans - there's a lot that could be included in small vignettes almost.

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