Nothing Daunted

The Unexpected Education of Two Society Girls in the West

De: Dorothy Wickenden

Narrado por: Margaret Nichols, Dorothy Wickenden

From the author of The Agitators, the acclaimed and captivating true story of two restless society girls who left their affluent lives to “rough it” as teachers in the wilds of Colorado in 1916.

In the summer of 1916, Dorothy Woodruff and Rosamond Underwood, bored by society luncheons, charity work, and the effete men who courted them, left their families in Auburn, New York, to teach school in the wilds of northwestern Colorado. They lived with a family of homesteaders in the Elkhead Mountains and rode to school on horseback, often in blinding blizzards. Their students walked or skied, in tattered clothes and shoes tied together with string. The young cattle rancher who had lured them west, Ferry Carpenter, had promised them the adventure of a lifetime. He hadn’t let on that they would be considered dazzling prospective brides for the locals.

Nearly a hundred years later, Dorothy Wickenden, the granddaughter of Dorothy Woodruff, found the teachers’ buoyant letters home, which captured the voices of the pioneer women, the children, and other unforgettable people the women got to know. In reconstructing their journey, Wickenden has created an exhilarating saga about two intrepid women and the “settling up” of the West.

a good read

so I have a soft spot for Laura Ingalls and all the women who made it out west without the benefit of an airplane and an iphone, so picked this one up as easy summer read. impressed by how well researched and unexpected the story turned out, and I enjoyed the reading.

Fascinating

Detailed and gripping true story of two young society women from upstate New York who went to Colorado in 1916 in response to an advertisement for two teachers. Untrained as educators but well educated from Smith college and accustomed to an upper class life, they took to the rustic life on the frontier with fervor , enthusiasm and passion. This story based on their letters and other writings of the time was written by one of their granddaughters, a well renowned Editor of the New Yorker as well as the author of several books. One of the best socio historical biographies I’ve had the pleasure of reading.

Well researched, narration ulitmate bore

Would you recommend this book to a friend? Why or why not?

I purchased this audiobook months ago after being drawn to it at the local bookstore. Though well researched and documented, the ultimate mistake is having the author do the narration. I have left and returned to it numerous times, and am unable to finish it. The narration is colorless, without inflection or interest. Unfortunate as it could have been much more interesting. I keep thinking of the other narrators that call me back time and time again, no matter how well I know the story - not wasting the time struggling to stay awake through any more of this one.

What did you like best about this story?

The uniqueness of Dorothy and Rosamund's experiences.

How could the performance have been better?

A diffferent narrator.

If this book were a movie would you go see it?

Not in documentary form, unfortunately too dry in presentation.

Wonderful!

Grateful that we have books of the past that tell the stories of people who actually lived it. Well written and beautifully narrated.

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I enjoyed this book very much because I was interested in 3 things: Smith College because it is my Alma Mater, Colorado history because I spend time in Fort Collins, and the city of Auburn because my relatives live in that area. Without an interest in those 3 things, the story might not hold the interest of a reader. The narrator has an irritating habit of pausing before reading something that I assume is in quotation marks in the printed book.
But aside from those reservations, let me say that it is a terrific story of two courageous women and the people of the Colorado rockies.

Lives lived to their fullest.

I adore the local history and recollections collected via all persons involved. It was a beautiful collaboration of a magical time in our nations history and I am profoundly impacted by the bittersweet romance of memories presented in this story. It is a tribute and honor to those who experienced the journey, blessings and loss accompanied by the truest expressions of living. It was a privilege to be able to tap into such a remarkable moment in individuals lives. The fact that these details were recorded, shared & kept in such depth in a time when technology for most was limited to US mail & penmanship is phenomenal. What a treasure to be able to accompany these young women on all their adventures - from Auburn Ny and beyond. The Epilogue is a fitting tribute and ties up “the end” of the story perfectly and gives a sense of soul to the entire writing.

Interesting but not Great

What did you like best about Nothing Daunted? What did you like least?

I expected this to be a book about the two main characters, school teachers in remote Colorado in 1916-17, as told in their letters home. Instead it was a history of Colorado (railroad, Denver, education system, etc.) at the turn of the century, with the eastern women as characters in the overall drama of the development of the west. It was interesting and informative as a history of Colorado. I probably would have liked it better had I expected that. Very few quotations from the actual letters were included, which frustrated me. I give the book a moderate rating as an interesting story. The two main characters were strong women and worthy of reading about.

a fascinating tapestry

I loved this story, because it showed the impact our lives have upon others. It is a good sampling of what it was like to live in that time in that place. Never lurid, it has an appropriately respectful tone about the authoress' grandmother and her best friend. They lead ordinary lives, perhaps, but there are wonders to be found in each life and this one is well researched and detailed. Thanks to the authoress.

Not the story you expect

Would you say that listening to this book was time well-spent? Why or why not?

This book would be a better read than it is a listen, especially with this poor narrator who sounds more like a computer than a person.

How could the performance have been better?

The narrator seems to pause at the end of every line as she reads and has little inflection

Any additional comments?

The story is a good one, although it jumps from place to place in the initial chapters before the young women eventually find themselves in Colorado. What is unexpected is the detailed descriptions of historical events during the period which give the story a depth that most such stories lack.

I'm a U.S. History junkie, so I love these kind of

A great glimpse into life on the rapidly growing Colorado frontier 100 years ago. These two young women had a huge impact on the lives of their students forever.