The Three Faces of Nellie

The Three Faces of Nellie
$14.99
Author:
Genres: Biography, Nonfiction
Publisher: Practical Pioneer Press
Publication Year: 2016
ASIN: 069281258X
ISBN: 069281258X

Whether you love her, hate her, or love to hate her, Nellie Oleson is one of most recognizable literary figures of the 20th century. But Laura Ingalls Wilder, author of the Little House on the Prairie series in which Nellie appears, had a secret. . .Nellie wasn’t a real person! Instead, she was a composite character created from three girls Laura knew from childhood: Nellie Owens, Genevieve Masters, and Estella Gilbert.

Buy from Amazon
Buy from Amazon Kindle
Buy from Barnes and Noble
Buy from Barnes and Noble Nook
About the Book

The Little House character of Nellie Oleson is one-dimensional: snobbish, selfish, and thoroughly unpleasant. But the real women behind Laura’s creation? An intriguing mix of the not-so-nice and the unexpectedly redeemable. In short, they were human.

Discovering the true stories behind Nellie, Genevieve, and Estella has been a fascinating journey. All three ended up on the West Coast at one point. . .true westward movement! One was widowed twice, one ended up divorced, and one died way too young. Two only had one child, and one had three, though she outlived her youngest by a very long time. There’s even some “Nellie-like” drama in there: Embezzlement. Lying on censuses. Shady land deals.

But there are some beautiful things, too. . .like the enduring love of a husband after his bride died. Or the rare closeness of a mother and daughter who shared their lives as adults. Or the strength of a young widowed mother who not only cared for her son, but headed out west, in true pioneer fashion, while she did so.

Laura Ingalls Wilder did a masterful job of creating the character of Nellie Oleson. But the three real-life women behind that iconic character are, in my opinion, infinitely more intriguing.

About the Author
Robynne Elizabeth Miller

Robynne is the president of Inspire Christian Writers. She has written eight books, is a freelance editor and writing coach, and speaks and teaches at workshops, conferences, and events throughout the country. Robynne was awarded her MFA in Creative Nonfiction and Fiction in August 2018 and lives just outside Portland, OR with her husband and the youngest of their four children. Robynne is passionate about encouraging and equipping writers to bring the word of God to the world.

Look Inside