"Millions of devoted readers believe they know Laura Ingalls -- the pioneer girl who survived blizzards and near-starvation on the Great Plains and went on to write the famous autobiographical books. But the full saga of her life has never been told. Now Caroline Fraser, editor of the Library of America's Little House series, masterfully fills in the gaps. For all the hardships Wilder's books describe, her life was harder and grittier. With fresh insights and new discoveries, Prairie Fires reveals the complex woman whose classic stories grip us to this day."--Back cover.

A thoroughly researched biography of not only Laura Ingalls Wilder, but of her daughter, Rose. Using unpublished manuscripts, letters, financial records, and more, Fraser gives fresh insight into the life of a woman beloved to many.