Another Favorite Book

Lil's Courage is a book written by Bonnie Foell Olson the daughter of Lillian Agnew Foell.  Lillian kept a diary of her life and her daughter, Bonnie, worked very hard to edit the diaries into book form.  I'm so glad she did, because this book is a treasure. 



 

I first came across Lil's Courage in the Great Plains room of our local library.  I read the first chapter and loved it, but because it was a local history book, and the library only had one copy, I wasn't allowed to check it out.  Prices online for the book were quite a bit above my book budget.  Then, a few weeks ago I was lucky enough to find one for about half the price of what others were asking!  I was tickled pink and did not hesitate in ordering it!  

 

The diaries, or stories, start in the year 1924, and take place in and area of North Dakota, near Bismarck.  We learn a little bit about Lil's teenage years, her meeting her husband-to-be and their marriage in 1932, the birth of each child and all kinds of wonderful things in between.

There are so many interesting day-to-day details of life on the farm/ranch that Lillian was able to capture in her diaries.  There are stories about her garden, canning, and butchering times.  There were many entries about the food she prepared and ate, along with dances, card games, and plenty of visitors to the ranch.  There were also times of sickness, worries about the Second World War, and letters from loved ones near and far. 

I enjoy this kind of detailed, day-to-day history.  It is a "real history" that sometimes cannot be taught or learned from the more typical history book full of dates and national events.  If you get a chance to pick one up I highly recommend it!

 

That's all for now!  Until another time, have a happy vintage day!