A Book Review of Nothing Daunted

 

Nothing Daunted: The Unexpected Education of Two Society Girls in the West by Dorothy Wickenden is a charming book.  It’s the true story of two Victorian ladies from the East, bored with society life, who decide to head out West in 1916 to teach school for a year.  The book, written by a granddaughter of one of the women, is woven together from family letters, interviews and research to recount the tale of two remarkable ladies named Dorothy and Rosamond.

Accounts of western hospitality, moonlit sleigh rides, dances in the schoolhouse, and the students’ holiday parties are entangled with the recounting of the harshness of the elements, the poverty of some of the families, and the ruggedness and ingenuity required in being a pioneer.  What I found most inspiring was how these two friends were constantly looking for the good in their often-difficult circumstances.  Their plucky attitudes were what kept them from giving in to discouragement.

Besides the story of the girls’ adventures, the author gives a glimpse into the lives of the wealthy during the Victorian period as well as a fascinating look at some of the history of the development of the West.  After reading Nothing Daunted, I definitely have a new appreciation for the perseverance and courage it took to settle the West.

A delight to read -