The Ride of Her Life: The True Story of a Woman, Her Horse, and Their Last-Chance Journey Across America
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- Type：Epub+TxT+PDF+Mobi
- Create Date：2021-05-26 03:19:15
- Update Date：2025-09-07
- Status：finish
- Author：Elizabeth Letts
- ISBN：0525619321
- Environment：PC/Android/iPhone/iPad/Kindle
Reviews
Jean
，
I have not loved a book like The Ride of Her Life in a long time。 It could be because I read it while on a road trip exploring the backroads or that I am the same age as when Annie when she set out on her adventure。。 I have never heard of this true story of a Maine women riding her horse across the country。 What a story it is and how kind humanity was in the 1950's。 Her sheer grit， determination and ignorant of the unknown as well as her 4 legged companions helped her achieve her goal of riding I have not loved a book like The Ride of Her Life in a long time。 It could be because I read it while on a road trip exploring the backroads or that I am the same age as when Annie when she set out on her adventure。。 I have never heard of this true story of a Maine women riding her horse across the country。 What a story it is and how kind humanity was in the 1950's。 Her sheer grit， determination and ignorant of the unknown as well as her 4 legged companions helped her achieve her goal of riding from Maine to California。 What made me love this book is that how giving and supportive Americans were in the 1950's。 And how that changed with the advent of urbanization and modern conveniences like the television and interstate highway system。I am recommending this to our book club as we tend to read about strong women。Thank you， NetGalley， the author and publisher， for an advanced copy。 。。。more
Literary Redhead
，
Intriguing and inspiring！ A true story I’d not heard before but lapped up eagerly due to the author’s beautifully written narrative。 At 63， Annie Wilkins was broke， ill and unable to manage her Maine farm any longer。 She decided to chuck it all， and set off to see the Pacific Ocean， riding her horse named Tarzan while accompanied by her dog， Depeche Toi。 It was 1954。I felt as if I were there， astride a horse by Annie’s side， experiencing her remarkable journey as it unspooled。 Touched by the kin Intriguing and inspiring！ A true story I’d not heard before but lapped up eagerly due to the author’s beautifully written narrative。 At 63， Annie Wilkins was broke， ill and unable to manage her Maine farm any longer。 She decided to chuck it all， and set off to see the Pacific Ocean， riding her horse named Tarzan while accompanied by her dog， Depeche Toi。 It was 1954。I felt as if I were there， astride a horse by Annie’s side， experiencing her remarkable journey as it unspooled。 Touched by the kindness of strangers all along the 4，000-mile， two-year trip， clopping on new highways， through streams and up mountains， in blizzards and scorching heat， through large cities and small， to fulfill a final wish。 Not only is this Annie’s story， it is Midcentury America’s — fueled by a spirit bursting with life after surviving the Depression and two world wars。 Both tales woven deftly together by author Elizabeth Letts。 Brava！5 of 5 StarsPub Date 01 Jun 2021#TheRideofHerLife #NetGalleyThanks to the author， Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine， and NetGalley for the review copy。 Opinions are mine。 。。。more
Susanna
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Love this book！ E。 Letts writes such great nonfiction books about horses。。。 and so much more。 This holds true for this one as well， and although two very loveable horses feature large in this story， 63 year old Annie Wilkens is the main character， and you'll love her even more， and get so caught up in her brave and sometimes crazy-dangerous trip alone （except for her animal companions） across the U。S。， from her home in rural Maine all the way to the west coast。 So heart-warming， and you'll learn Love this book！ E。 Letts writes such great nonfiction books about horses。。。 and so much more。 This holds true for this one as well， and although two very loveable horses feature large in this story， 63 year old Annie Wilkens is the main character， and you'll love her even more， and get so caught up in her brave and sometimes crazy-dangerous trip alone （except for her animal companions） across the U。S。， from her home in rural Maine all the way to the west coast。 So heart-warming， and you'll learn about the America in the 1950s as well。 。。。more
Bev Sykes
，
I was fortunate to get an advance copy of this book， which will be published June 1。 It was one of those page turners that I could not put down and I finished it in a day and a half。 This book introduces you to Annie Wilkins， "the last of the saddle tramps，" a woman so interesting that when I finished the book I had to check out You Tube to see if I could find her there。 I did find her as a contestant on the Groucho Marx Show， in 1956。 [ https://www。youtube。com/watch？v=OlKWj。。。 ]Annie Wilkins， a I was fortunate to get an advance copy of this book， which will be published June 1。 It was one of those page turners that I could not put down and I finished it in a day and a half。 This book introduces you to Annie Wilkins， "the last of the saddle tramps，" a woman so interesting that when I finished the book I had to check out You Tube to see if I could find her there。 I did find her as a contestant on the Groucho Marx Show， in 1956。 [ https://www。youtube。com/watch？v=OlKWj。。。 ]Annie Wilkins， a native Maine resident， was 63 years old in 1954 when she was told that she had only 2 years to live， if she relaxed and took care of herself。 She had lost her farm to the bank， her family had all died， and she had no money， with winter coming and no place to stay。 So she decided to get a horse and ride to California！ She sold pickles and earned $32， paid $5 for a horse named Tarzan who was about to be put down， got a little dog named Depeche Toi， and set off 7000 miles to California， dressed in several layers of clothes to keep her warm in the approaching winter， with all of her bedding and equipment attached to the horse。Letts， who says she drove 10，000 miles in researching this story， has created a marvelous saga of Wilkins' trip across the country， a 2 year affair， riding along the highways and back roads， stopping at homes that had barns willing to let her put her horse up for the night， sleeping in the homes of people who invited her， or in the local jail， which would offer a bed to an itinerant like Wilkins。 Letts story is so compelling， you feel like you are on this trip with Wilkins， who has been described as "funny， quirky and bold。" There are happy scenes， beautiful scenes， and worrisome scenes as both Wilkins and her horses （she eventually got a second horse） had physical problems， but yes， she does make it to California， becoming a celebrity along the way， thanks go reports from local and national news reports。 Letts also reports on the life in this country at the time of Wilkins' journey， and gives a history of many areas， towns， and families。One thing I loved about this book is that it takes place in the mid 1950s， when I was growing up in San Francisco and the relationships Wilkins forms with all sorts of strangers across the country just made me remember what life was like in this country in the mid 1950s。 I doubt anybody could make this journey today。 This book will make you smile， cry， and root for the heroine， who lived many more years than the 2 she was given before she started her journey。 。。。more
Caren
，
I was so intrigued with this book， which is a true story。 In 1954 （which caught my eye， as it is the year of my birth）， Annie Wilkins （at age 63， so also a "woman of a certain age"）， left her farm in Maine to ride a horse to California。 Her mother had always wished to see the sunset in California， but have never made it there。 Annie， who had had a health scare the previous year， yet had recovered to work her meager farm alone， raising cucumbers for a pickle factory， simply saw no real future in I was so intrigued with this book， which is a true story。 In 1954 （which caught my eye， as it is the year of my birth）， Annie Wilkins （at age 63， so also a "woman of a certain age"）， left her farm in Maine to ride a horse to California。 Her mother had always wished to see the sunset in California， but have never made it there。 Annie， who had had a health scare the previous year， yet had recovered to work her meager farm alone， raising cucumbers for a pickle factory， simply saw no real future in her life as it was。 What did she have to lose？ She had no family to speak of， so she took her cucumber money， bought a horse， and set off。 I was very interested to see what this country was like in the year of my birth。 This year for the most part preceded the interstate highway system， so Annie was riding along a lot of smaller， two-lane roads。 So many people helped her and took her in for a meal and a warm bed。 She did have to do some camping out， but less often than you would think。 Only near Memphis， TN was she accosted by some young men， but she was quickly rescued， and that was her only experience with people who may have meant her harm。 Think of that！ Annie was woefully out of shape and unprepared for such a journey， but the kindness of strangers often saved her。 The journey took more than a year and the author takes the reader along， meeting the people Annie met and describing the places as they were then。 It was a wonderfully engrossing journey and I loved every minute！ [Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC。] 。。。more
Darla
，
Annie Wilkins was 63 when she began her journey。 She had been given 2-4 years to live。 Despite the lack of a planned route， she pointed her horse south and left her farm behind。 As Elizabeth Letts tells Annie's story， we also get a snapshot of our country in 1956。 Along the way there were many clues to the new normal that was making itself known。 Annie called herself the last Saddle Tramp。 The era of highway travel was barreling in and travelling on horse was going to become increasingly difficu Annie Wilkins was 63 when she began her journey。 She had been given 2-4 years to live。 Despite the lack of a planned route， she pointed her horse south and left her farm behind。 As Elizabeth Letts tells Annie's story， we also get a snapshot of our country in 1956。 Along the way there were many clues to the new normal that was making itself known。 Annie called herself the last Saddle Tramp。 The era of highway travel was barreling in and travelling on horse was going to become increasingly difficult。 When Annie packed for her trip she anticipate many nights out under the stars。 In reality she found that the kindness of strangers to provide accommodations in jail cells， stables， fairgrounds， fancy hotels， and guest rooms。 Often， her hosts would encourage her to stay with them indefinitely。 I am sure she was often tempted to just hang up the saddle and stay put。 She never gave in。 Her courage and determination pulled her back into the saddle to go onto the next town。 Readers will also find Annie's deep love and respect for her travelling companions to be an endearing facet of this story。 I can just see them: Tarzan （the Morgan horse） and Rex （the Tennessee Walker） with Annie on one horse and her dog Depeche Toi perched on the other。 I did not think a horse story could top The Eighty-Dollar Champion: Snowman， the Horse That Inspired a Nation， but I do believe this new title from Elizabeth Letts is my new favorite。Thank you to Ballantine Books and NetGalley for a DRC in exchange for an honest review。 。。。more
Candy
，
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an advance copy of this book in return for an honest review。Oh， I don’t give out 5 stars very often， but this book deserves every single one！ The story of Annie is one of triumph， and the writing is an eloquent message of hope， gratitude and kindness。 The journey of a lifetime is one taken by Annie Wilkins， her horse， Tarzan， and her dog， Depeche Toi。 It’s 1954， and Annie is living on a hard-scrabble farm without electricity in Minot， Maine。 Annie has Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an advance copy of this book in return for an honest review。Oh， I don’t give out 5 stars very often， but this book deserves every single one！ The story of Annie is one of triumph， and the writing is an eloquent message of hope， gratitude and kindness。 The journey of a lifetime is one taken by Annie Wilkins， her horse， Tarzan， and her dog， Depeche Toi。 It’s 1954， and Annie is living on a hard-scrabble farm without electricity in Minot， Maine。 Annie has had a tough life， and finds herself alone and penniless at 63 years old， in the midst of losing her farm when her doctor tells her he gives her about two years to live。 She has lung problems， perhaps due to complications from tuberculosis when she was younger。 The doctor offers her a place in a county-run charity home， but Annie has never been one to take charity。 Besides， she has never seen the Pacific Ocean。 Annie makes a plan， and she works hard to bring in one last crop to earn enough money to buy an old racehorse。 What a crazy plan！ I couldn’t decide if she was just a plucky woman who was determined to live and die on her terms， or just plain crazy。 About halfway through， I was thinking Annie is someone I’d invite to my Who Would You Invite to Dinner？ dinner party。The journey begins， and it’s much harder than Annie had thought。 First， there are her health issues and while she is no stranger to hard work， Annie is physically drained at the end of each day。 Tarzan is skittish around the cars whizzing by， and there are quite a few harrowing encounters with automobiles。 The weather is cold and snowy when the journey begins， and Tarzan is nervous on ice and bridges。 Annie’s bankroll is meager to say the least， and she depends on the kindness of strangers to stable her horse and give her a warm and dry place to sleep。 But “isn’t this just how life is anyway？ You could plan， but you couldn’t control much， except your own two feet and which way you chose to point them。” And Annie keeps them pointed toward the Pacific Ocean， on an adventure of a lifetime。 Annie is an inspiration， and thank you to Elizabeth Letts for bringing Annie’s uplifting story to life。https://candysplanet。wordpress。com/ 。。。more
DeAnn
，
4 journey of a lifetime starsThis true story is quite remarkable。 Annie Wilkins has just lost her farm in rural Maine and at age 63 she sets out for California which she has always heard is full of sunshine。 She’s got minimal money， her dog， and a trusty horse。 In 1954 there was no such thing as internet navigation， so she relies on gas station maps and word of mouth to navigate across the country。At about 10 miles per day， it takes her quite a while and as you might expect， it is more about the 4 journey of a lifetime starsThis true story is quite remarkable。 Annie Wilkins has just lost her farm in rural Maine and at age 63 she sets out for California which she has always heard is full of sunshine。 She’s got minimal money， her dog， and a trusty horse。 In 1954 there was no such thing as internet navigation， so she relies on gas station maps and word of mouth to navigate across the country。At about 10 miles per day， it takes her quite a while and as you might expect， it is more about the journey。 The author delivers mini-history lessons about landmarks along the way， and I enjoyed those。 It was also very interesting to see how many people welcomed Annie in along with stabling her horse along the way。She acquires a second horse to help carry the load and the quartet has quite a few adventures along the way – mountains to cross， flash flooding， road debris， and poison。 I worried at several points if she and the horses would make it to California。 She’s dressed in men’s clothing as it was unusual for a woman to travel alone in those days。 She frequently was welcomed to spend the night at the local jail as was the custom at the time for the homeless and travelers。The media catches wind of her story and there are frequent parades and speeches in many small towns along the way。 This one was meticulously researched， and I definitely enjoyed learning more about down-to-earth Annie Wilkins。 This made for a great buddy read with Marilyn。Thank you to Random House/Ballantine and NetGalley for the copy of this one to read。 This one is set to release on June 1， 2021。 。。。more
Jo Ann
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I received this book as an ARC from NetGalley。Annie believes that she only has a short time to live。 She is determined to see California and the Pacific Ocean before she dies。 So， she finds a horse， packs up her meager possessions and her dog and sets out from her native state of Maine。 Her travels through 1950s America highlight the activities and businesses that make each state she crosses unique。 As the reader follows her meandering journey， you learn about her successes， difficulties， and th I received this book as an ARC from NetGalley。Annie believes that she only has a short time to live。 She is determined to see California and the Pacific Ocean before she dies。 So， she finds a horse， packs up her meager possessions and her dog and sets out from her native state of Maine。 Her travels through 1950s America highlight the activities and businesses that make each state she crosses unique。 As the reader follows her meandering journey， you learn about her successes， difficulties， and the helpful people she meets all across America。 This is an interesting point in history， as the United States is moving from an agrarian society to a citified one。 The automobile is becoming more popular and the highway system is in its early stages of development。 This is well before cell phones， GPS， modern road maps， and the comfort of a heated and air-conditioned car！ 。。。more
Julie
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I honestly don't know what to do with this review。 The subject matter of the book interested me。 It was well-written。 But there was simply something about it that kept me from being able to say that I "liked" it。 I'm not sure that's the book's fault; I think its more about me and that it just wasn't my cup of tea。 I found much of it interesting， but I found an equal amount of it just boring。 I enjoyed reading about Annie; some of the more generic historical parts almost put me to sleep。 And whil I honestly don't know what to do with this review。 The subject matter of the book interested me。 It was well-written。 But there was simply something about it that kept me from being able to say that I "liked" it。 I'm not sure that's the book's fault; I think its more about me and that it just wasn't my cup of tea。 I found much of it interesting， but I found an equal amount of it just boring。 I enjoyed reading about Annie; some of the more generic historical parts almost put me to sleep。 And while I liked Annie， I also found myself not really relating to or understanding her。 I certainly didn't admire or appreciate her。 Again， I can't particularly blame it on the book。 It provided me every opportunity to like it， but I was never able to give in。 I'm clearly in the minority; there are so many other reviews here that absolutely rave about the book， which is why I'm inclined to just chalk this one up to "it's me， not you。"Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review。 。。。more
Mary
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What does a 63 year old woman do when she loses her farm， her health is failing， and she has no family？ For Annie Wilkins who lives in rural Maine in 1954 and finds herself in this situation， the solution is simple。 She bought herself a horse， packed up her dog， and a few supplies and set out to see California， the land of sunshine and warmth。 Author Elizabeth Letts takes us on a journey alongside Annie as she rides from state to state making her way across country。 Annie was an optimistic woman What does a 63 year old woman do when she loses her farm， her health is failing， and she has no family？ For Annie Wilkins who lives in rural Maine in 1954 and finds herself in this situation， the solution is simple。 She bought herself a horse， packed up her dog， and a few supplies and set out to see California， the land of sunshine and warmth。 Author Elizabeth Letts takes us on a journey alongside Annie as she rides from state to state making her way across country。 Annie was an optimistic woman and believed in the innate goodness of the American people。 She had little money， minimal supplies， and literally the clothes on her back， but she managed to ride all the way across the country with the assistance of many people scattered all across the United States。 Journey along with Annie as she rides her horse along the backroads and the highways of America on her way west！ A genuine feel good story with some grit that entertains from start to finish！ This novel is based on a real woman who journeyed across America for two years。 The story is filled with nostalgia and yet it definitely keeps the reader’s interest。 Don’t miss this heartwarming tale of a real flesh and blood woman who made a journey we can only imagine today。 This ARC copy was received from Ballantine Books and Netgalley。 The above thoughts and opinions are wholly my own。 。。。more
Rebecca
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***SPOILER ALERT*** While I'm reading this book， my review may contain spoilers。 Proceed at your own risk！（view spoiler）["Courage is just one thing—but right then， it was the only thing she had。" page 61"That was when Annie realized that she wasn't just riding for herself—she could carry other people's hopes and dreams along with her。" page 62（hide spoiler）]Location: ___I received an advance copy of this book。 All opinions are my own。 ***SPOILER ALERT*** While I'm reading this book， my review may contain spoilers。 Proceed at your own risk！（view spoiler）["Courage is just one thing—but right then， it was the only thing she had。" page 61"That was when Annie realized that she wasn't just riding for herself—she could carry other people's hopes and dreams along with her。" page 62（hide spoiler）]Location: ___I received an advance copy of this book。 All opinions are my own。 。。。more
Moonkiszt
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Amazing to think I never heard of this woman who I now wholeheartedly clasp to my bosom as a Hero！ I am so glad this book came to me and I read it。 。 。 slowly。 Traveling with Annie， her pup and her boys， beautiful horses。This is non-fiction， folks。 It really happened。 Annie had nothing to lose， she wasn't well， perched on the easternmost edges of our great nation and was the last of her line。 Didn't have long to live according to the medical folk who recommended she sit still and stay warm and s Amazing to think I never heard of this woman who I now wholeheartedly clasp to my bosom as a Hero！ I am so glad this book came to me and I read it。 。 。 slowly。 Traveling with Annie， her pup and her boys， beautiful horses。This is non-fiction， folks。 It really happened。 Annie had nothing to lose， she wasn't well， perched on the easternmost edges of our great nation and was the last of her line。 Didn't have long to live according to the medical folk who recommended she sit still and stay warm and she might last a little longer。 And from there， dear Reader， this story 。 。 。 this journey begins。 It really happened！ Crossing the nation， as we follow along on Annie's journey we run the serious risk of being filled with nostalgia for the Nation That Was Before， in the 50's。 Those places found along the roads before highways， the roads before they became backroads， with all the charms and challenges we haven't experienced in generations tossed in for good measure。 This is my 2nd Elizabeth Letts book， and I am even happier with this one， and I loved the last one。 In her dedication she says that "Not all Journeys are on Roads。" Amen to that， dear Elizabeth。 Some are in books。 Great books。 Thanks for wonderful ride！A sincere thanks to Elizabeth Letts， Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine， and NetGalley for an ARC to read and review。#TheRideofHerLife #NetGalleyPub date: 01 Jun 2021 。。。more
Robin
，
In 1950， Annie， found herself with a diagnosis of two years left to live， far in debt， and with no family。 She had lived in Maine her entire sorry life and decided she wanted to see the Pacific Ocean。 She scraped together enough to buy a horse and， along with dog， began a 5，000 mile journey across the pre-interstate America。 Cobbled together with Annie’s diaries， letters to friends， newspaper， and magazine accounts， the author recreated her story。 She also had notes from an interview given to a In 1950， Annie， found herself with a diagnosis of two years left to live， far in debt， and with no family。 She had lived in Maine her entire sorry life and decided she wanted to see the Pacific Ocean。 She scraped together enough to buy a horse and， along with dog， began a 5，000 mile journey across the pre-interstate America。 Cobbled together with Annie’s diaries， letters to friends， newspaper， and magazine accounts， the author recreated her story。 She also had notes from an interview given to a journalist friend about twelve years after the trip。 It was a clear look at the character of a woman of the 50s。 Thanks to NetGalley for providing this ARC in return for an honest review。 。。。more
MarilynW
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The Ride of Her Life: The True Story of a Woman， Her Horse， and Their Last-Chance Journey Across America by Elizabeth LettsThis well written book shows us the why sixty-three-year-old Annie Wilkins decided she had no choice but to make the naive decision to ride from her failing farm in Maine， to the state of California， in 1954。 Annie had lost her family farm， was broke and her doctor said she was dying。 She was too proud to go live in a charity home or with friends of her late family。 So Annie The Ride of Her Life: The True Story of a Woman， Her Horse， and Their Last-Chance Journey Across America by Elizabeth LettsThis well written book shows us the why sixty-three-year-old Annie Wilkins decided she had no choice but to make the naive decision to ride from her failing farm in Maine， to the state of California， in 1954。 Annie had lost her family farm， was broke and her doctor said she was dying。 She was too proud to go live in a charity home or with friends of her late family。 So Annie buys an aged Morgan horse， loads her belongings on her and her horse， Tarzan， and starts out for California， with her dog， Depeche Toi。 Sadly， Annie has no idea what she is asking of herself and her animals。 It's really only through the kindness of strangers， and her never give up attitude， that Annie makes it to California in 1956。 This story is full of the history of the places Annie has been and the places she travels through。 We learn so much about our country as she makes her way across the United States。 Annie met famous people along her route although she saw people as all the same so her only discomfort， when meeting people， was that she was dressed in dirty men's clothes， the garb of a tramp。 Along the way， Annie gained fans and she would entertain indivduals and groups with her stories of her past and her present。 Annie's entire life was one of hardship and barely hanging on。 That describes her trip too because， despite real offers of places to live， she always took to the road again， going after that dream of touching the Pacific Ocean。 Annie's grit and determination was inspiring but her stubborness was also dangerous and the story was often difficult for me to read。 The author does a great job of allowing us to travel with Annie and to allow us to be on her long and perilous trip。 Expected publication: June 1st 2021Thank you to Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine and NetGalley for this ARC。 。。。more
Debbie
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The Ride of Her Life by Elizabeth Letts， tells the moving and gritty story of 62 year old Annie Wilkins， who in 1954 was determined to have the adventure of a lifetime， a last ride， and the final say on the remaining years of her life。 When Annie lost her elderly Uncle Waldo and then fell seriously ill with the flu herself， future prospects started to look grim。 WIth no money， a farm in foreclosure and failing lungs， her only options were living with a friend or acquiring a room at the county ho The Ride of Her Life by Elizabeth Letts， tells the moving and gritty story of 62 year old Annie Wilkins， who in 1954 was determined to have the adventure of a lifetime， a last ride， and the final say on the remaining years of her life。 When Annie lost her elderly Uncle Waldo and then fell seriously ill with the flu herself， future prospects started to look grim。 WIth no money， a farm in foreclosure and failing lungs， her only options were living with a friend or acquiring a room at the county home。 Frustrated， embarrassed and determined， Annie found a way to farm a small crop one last time and post harvesting， with some cash in hand， pays off her debt and sells her farm。 Later， as Annie contemplated where to go and what to do with her remaining years an idea started to grow。 Annie became determined that she and her little dog， Depeche Toi would have one last adventure。 With her remaining cash she bought a horse named Tarzan， packed some supplies and decided to head to California。 Thus began the long adventure of Annie and her fur companions from Minot， Maine to Los Angeles， California。As Annie started her trip， she had no grand expectations。 With little money to spend she planned to be thrifty and work for a time if necessary。 Keeping her animals safe and fed became her top priority， as well as food， shelter and rest。 Along the way， Annie met many people fascinated by her story and without her knowledge， as she traversed across the country， her fame was growing。 Local newspapers spread her story and people looked for her as she came to each and every town。 She was offered meals， help when needed， as well as places to sleep and shelter her animals。 She was even granted an additional horse in Tennessee， a Tennessee walker named Rex， to ensure she completed her incredible journey。 At times her journey was arduous， but as the months went by， these four companions learned to love and rely on one another for companionship， safety and security。 Annie met every challenge （and there were many） with fortitude， and any assistance when given was met with gratitude。 Guts， determination and help from strangers and celebrities alike helped Annie to eventually succeed and cross into California almost 1 year after her journey began。 A great feat for Annie， who would permanently refer to herself as “one of the last saddle tramps”。This story given to us by Elizabeth Letts was a grand story on every level。 She captured the heart of who Annie was by allowing us insight into her life， her strengths and her vunerability。 What a gutsy woman she was to take on such an adventure and on horseback no less。 She had little money and at the start of her journey ailing health。 But what she did have was a lot of gumption， a good heart， faith in the goodness of people and a gift with animals。 I loved the horses and especially the spunk and heart of her little dog。 The author did such an amazing job detailing the beautiful relationship they had with each other。 I appreciated the details of all the people she met along the way and the pertinent information on world events and the changes happening across the USA as she journeyed west。 I also appreciated the epilogue and additional information on Annie and how her life progressed after California。 All in all this beautiful book can be enjoyed by any reader， no matter what genre they prefer to read。 I enjoyed it immensely and found myself cheering， laughing and even crying for this plucky senior。 I want to thank Random House Publishing - Ballantine Books and NetGalley for an advanced reader copy of The Ride of Her Life by Elizabeth Letts。 “The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own”。 。。。more
Cat
，
This is such a beautifully written and heartwarming true story of a spunky lady who， against all odds， rode a horse across America。 Starting in Maine， her only wish was to see the Pacific Ocean， a wish she’d heard her mother make， but was sadly never able to attempt。Knowing she was about to lose her family farm and with nowhere to turn for help， Annie Wilkins places an ad in the paper for a sturdy horse。 After seeing a few， she knew she’d met the perfect match in an older Morgan she named Tarzan This is such a beautifully written and heartwarming true story of a spunky lady who， against all odds， rode a horse across America。 Starting in Maine， her only wish was to see the Pacific Ocean， a wish she’d heard her mother make， but was sadly never able to attempt。Knowing she was about to lose her family farm and with nowhere to turn for help， Annie Wilkins places an ad in the paper for a sturdy horse。 After seeing a few， she knew she’d met the perfect match in an older Morgan she named Tarzan。 Along with her spunky dog Depeche Toi， Annie hit the road。Along the way， Annie found the best in people most of the time。 She realized well into her journey that she wasn’t traveling alone， there were many people closely following her travels with hopes of her success。With a beautiful glimpse into an Americana that once was， the author breathes life into the towns and people of 1950’s America。 The places Annie would rest for the evening， be it someone’s home， the local jail， a barn， or sometimes just out in a field restored her faith in people and her country。 I absolutely loved this book; each day was a new adventure for me and Annie。 But in the back of my mind， I had to keep reminding myself of a sad fact: this trip wouldn’t be possible in today’s America。 But try to block that out and enjoy the country as it once was， filled with mostly good people; people who wanted to see Annie succeed; people who still had love， patience， and trust in their hearts。Sincere thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group- Ballantine for an ARC in exchange for my honest review。 The publishing date is June 1， 2021。 。。。more
Beth Cato
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I received an advance copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley。Before this book， I'd never heard of Annie Wilkins and her incredible journey across America in the mi-1950s。 What a story！ What a woman！ Annie was a stout woman in her early 60s， a long-time resident of Maine。 With her family farm lost to back taxes and a doctor pronouncing her with a few years left to live， Annie resolved to fulfill a lifelong wish and dip her toes in the Pacific Ocean in Southern California。 She couldn't I received an advance copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley。Before this book， I'd never heard of Annie Wilkins and her incredible journey across America in the mi-1950s。 What a story！ What a woman！ Annie was a stout woman in her early 60s， a long-time resident of Maine。 With her family farm lost to back taxes and a doctor pronouncing her with a few years left to live， Annie resolved to fulfill a lifelong wish and dip her toes in the Pacific Ocean in Southern California。 She couldn't drive， though。 Instead， she bought a sturdy older horse named Tarzan， and with her little dog Depeche Toi， she set off for California。Thing is， Annie had no idea the immensity of her task。 She didn't think places south of Maine really got that cold。 She didn't know how to get to California either， really--just to go south and west。 She wasn't stupid， though--that she had only a 6th grade education was a simple fact for women of her time。 She worked her way cross-country， relying on the kindness of strangers and the whims of the weather。 Her haphazard route took her past New York City and Philadelphia， through Memphis and Little Rock， up through Cheyenne and Boise。 Yes， her route to Southern California took her far north， where the Rockies， Cascades， and Sierras took her by surprise。 She has close scrapes all along the way--truly， this is an intense read。 You can't help but love Annie and her tenacity， exasperating as her ignorance is at times。 This book has incredible depth。 You learn about Annie， a woman born in the 19th century who triumphs as the 'last of the saddle tramps。' You learn about America in the 1950s on a unique， intimate level， as a woman and her horse must navigate a world increasingly ruled by cars。 You learn about the kindness of people in that period--which I don't feel would be evident these days， not at all。To me， this was a five-star book。 The one shame in reading this as a galley is that it didn't yet include maps， though there were placeholders for them。 Readers of the complete version will benefit from those illustrations。 。。。more
Patty
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Many thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Random House for providing me with The Ride of Her Life by Elizabeth Letts in exchange for my honest opinion。Setting out from Maine in 1954 to travel across the US on horseback to see the Pacific Ocean， this is the true story of Annie Wilkins’ trip。 Elizabeth Letts has done a great job in piecing together Annie’s life and her famous journey that garnered national attention。 Full of courage， determination， and honesty， we learn about how Annie approached the q Many thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Random House for providing me with The Ride of Her Life by Elizabeth Letts in exchange for my honest opinion。Setting out from Maine in 1954 to travel across the US on horseback to see the Pacific Ocean， this is the true story of Annie Wilkins’ trip。 Elizabeth Letts has done a great job in piecing together Annie’s life and her famous journey that garnered national attention。 Full of courage， determination， and honesty， we learn about how Annie approached the quest， and stories from along the road。 Being of the same age as Annie when she set out， I can’t imagine taking on this challenge。The personal interactions with people along the way were my favorites。 It’s heartwarming to read about the kindness of people along the way。 。。。more
Kimberly Mussell
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I loved riding along with Annie on her journey。 No better way than with her four legged friends。 Such a heartfelt story with so much history imbedded！ Fantastic！ Thank you NetGalley and Ms。 Letts！
Shelly
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In November 1954， Annie Wilkins received the doctor's news that she had maybe two years to live at best。 Living on an isolated， rural， farm that in 1954 was still without modern conveniences - no electricity， no running water， no inside toilet， and heated by a cast iron wood fire stove - Annie was unafraid of hard work。 Sixty-two years old， divorced， with no living relatives and faced with selling the family's multi-generational farm in Maine to become a county charity case， Annie remembered her In November 1954， Annie Wilkins received the doctor's news that she had maybe two years to live at best。 Living on an isolated， rural， farm that in 1954 was still without modern conveniences - no electricity， no running water， no inside toilet， and heated by a cast iron wood fire stove - Annie was unafraid of hard work。 Sixty-two years old， divorced， with no living relatives and faced with selling the family's multi-generational farm in Maine to become a county charity case， Annie remembered her mother's dream to hitch a buggy and just ride to Californa to see the Pacific Ocean。 But her mother died without realizing that dream and Annie decided she wanted to live the remainder of her own life on her own terms。 With barely a plan， and despite not having ridden a horse in 30-years， Annie buys a rakish looking gelding， loads up her supplies， collars her dog， and hits the road， hoping to get far enough south ahead of the hard winter weather。 She had no map， no flashlight， and no real idea of what awaited her in the distance。 Dependent on the kindness of strangers， her own determination， the availability of stables and the old "tramp" style of sleeping in a town jail while passing through， Annie journeys into the unknown。 As Annie and crew make their way across the lower 48， the author fleshes out the context of time and place， between the changing culture， rural and urban， traditional and modern， when the Interstate Highways we are so familiar with today were being constructed。 Craftily written in a style that suits Annie: direct， informative， and descriptive， but not overly flowery， the strength of the narrative weaves Annie's life and journey with the mainstream America she didn't know。 Along the way， she encounters kindness， generosity， harrowing moments， injury， loss， and discovers her true grit as the last of the saddle tramps。Reading this book was as comfortable as Annie was uncomfortable during her journey。 Engaging and captivating， we are brought along on the Ride of Her Life without any fluff， curious observers caught up in the wanderlust and nostalgia of a country so different from our modern world。 Note， this is an observational biographical travelogue of what we might consider an impossible journey， not an in-depth analysis of 1950s culture from every aspect。 If you're looking for something more scholarly， keep going; however， if you like a good people story with a positive message， add this to your reading list。 You won't be sorry。 Five stars for the story， the comfortable writing style， the characters。 My NetGalley advance copy did not include the maps which is a sneaky way of making me want a hard copy of the book。 I had to stop reading to look up the journey on my phone maps app。 。。。more
Sue
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Elizabeth Letts’ The Ride of Her Life: The True Story of a Woman， her Horse， and Their Last-Chance Journey Across America tells the unforgettable story of Annie Wilkins， a poor 62-year-old Maine farmer who makes a life-changing decision to set out on horseback for California。 Knowing that she is about to lose her farm， she sells it for back taxes， takes a chance on a small horse named Tarzan， and with the little money left， no maps， and the decision to fulfill her long-deceased mother’s dream to Elizabeth Letts’ The Ride of Her Life: The True Story of a Woman， her Horse， and Their Last-Chance Journey Across America tells the unforgettable story of Annie Wilkins， a poor 62-year-old Maine farmer who makes a life-changing decision to set out on horseback for California。 Knowing that she is about to lose her farm， she sells it for back taxes， takes a chance on a small horse named Tarzan， and with the little money left， no maps， and the decision to fulfill her long-deceased mother’s dream to see the Pacific Ocean， Annie and a mutt named Depeche Toi head south in November 1954。Thinking the weather will get warmer after leaving Maine behind， Annie learns how mistaken she was。 However， winter weather is far from Annie’s only obstacle as she， Tarzan， and Depeche Toi slowly make their way from town to town， state to state， frequently traveling on busy highways。 Largely a loner who thinks her only companions will be the two animals， Annie discovers strangers along the way are far kinder than many neighbors back home。 Furthermore， the media get wind of Annie’s venture， offering opportunities Annie sometimes rejects， other times embraces。 As readers accompany Annie and her animal family on their eventful trek， Letts intersperses the narrative with cultural history， filling in interesting background facts that help the mid-1950s and the places through which Annie passes come alive。 Occasionally， some of the historical context seemed disruptive because I wanted to know what happened to Annie next， but Letts generally found ways to make the digressions relevant。Like me， most readers will never have heard of Annie Wilkins， and some might wonder if a poor Maine farmer’s story can hold a reader’s interest。 Rest assured， Letts knows how to bring a character to life， whether in biographical fiction or biographical non-fiction。 I certainly saw her bring Maud Baum to life in Finding Dorothy， as the 77-year-old widow of author L。 Frank Baum fought to see that Hollywood remained true to the spirit of her husband’s book， The Wizard of Oz。 Reading The Ride of Her Life， I quickly found myself caring for and worrying about Annie and her animal family and cheering them on as they ambled across the nation。 At the back of the book， Letts provides detailed notes describing her research process， which included 10，000 miles of driving from coast to coast in pursuit of Annie Wilkins' story。 In addition to all the information Letts provides， I wish she had mentioned her first discovery of Annie’s amazing trip—the spark that led to her research。 Perhaps the final copy of the book will satisfy my curiosity。 A helpful separate section documenting sources such as newspaper articles and interviews is organized chapter-by-chapter， and the early ebook copy indicates a map or maps to come in the published edition。Thanks to NetGalley， Ballantine/Random House， and Elizabeth Letts for an Advance Reader Copy of The Ride of Her Life， a captivating fragment of American history。 。。。more
Nancy
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What an interesting story！ Being close in age to Annie at the time of her journey， I can't imagine dressing in multiple layers， hopping on a horse in late autumn， and setting off to ride across the United States with little thought as to what was around the bend。 When there's a will， there's a way， I guess。 I've already suggested this book to several friends， and will be buying it for my parents for Christmas。 4。5 stars， rounded up to 5。 Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC。 What an interesting story！ Being close in age to Annie at the time of her journey， I can't imagine dressing in multiple layers， hopping on a horse in late autumn， and setting off to ride across the United States with little thought as to what was around the bend。 When there's a will， there's a way， I guess。 I've already suggested this book to several friends， and will be buying it for my parents for Christmas。 4。5 stars， rounded up to 5。 Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC。 。。。more
Cynthia
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Excellent book。 I really enjoyed this book。 A 63 year old woman faced with no future - except for the county charity home - decides to ride a horse from Maine to California instead。 She takes her dog and sparse belongings and has virtually no plan。 Along the way， she meets strangers who show her kindness and hospitality， encouraging her to go forward。 In Tennessee， she is even given a second horse。 This is an adventure story like no other I've read。 Annie is utterly charming in her practical， do Excellent book。 I really enjoyed this book。 A 63 year old woman faced with no future - except for the county charity home - decides to ride a horse from Maine to California instead。 She takes her dog and sparse belongings and has virtually no plan。 Along the way， she meets strangers who show her kindness and hospitality， encouraging her to go forward。 In Tennessee， she is even given a second horse。 This is an adventure story like no other I've read。 Annie is utterly charming in her practical， down-to-earth manner and in her willingness to take the dare and start an impossible journey。 This book also gives the reader a picture of life in America in the mid-fifties， just as cars began to dominate American culture and as travel on horseback began a thing of the past。 The hospitality shown by everyone Annie meets is truly heartwarming。 Highly recommended！ This would be great for book clubs or for light， feel-good reading。 。。。more
Regina Mastrogiacomo
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I absolutely adore this biography of a woman （Annie） in Maine， who finds out she has TB and may not have long to live and decides for the first time in her life to travel to California。 She does this not in a car or train， but by riding a horse and walking across the country with little money and no knowledge about modern convivence， Oh and by the way this in 1955。 Along the way， she finds people who want to help her succeed and who gives her and her companions shelter， food and kindness。 As I r I absolutely adore this biography of a woman （Annie） in Maine， who finds out she has TB and may not have long to live and decides for the first time in her life to travel to California。 She does this not in a car or train， but by riding a horse and walking across the country with little money and no knowledge about modern convivence， Oh and by the way this in 1955。 Along the way， she finds people who want to help her succeed and who gives her and her companions shelter， food and kindness。 As I read this story， I felt I was privileged to see the world through Annie's eye and live the history of 1955， but also a story of compassion for ones fellow human and the gratitude this woman had for all these people she met along the way。 I would give this book a hundred stars if I could。This is an amazing story and if you don't read Annie's journey you will miss out on an adventure of a lifetime but also lose out on all the warmth and love people in this country gave to a person they never knew but wanted to help。 I want to thank Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine Books and NetGalley for this wonderful and warm book that I will never forget。 BRAVO 。。。more
Anna Fox
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I enjoyed this book and I don't read nonfiction often。 I can't imagine riding a horse across country。 We learned some of what Annie went through， as well as， some of the history of the time。 What the towns would have been like， etc。 It was a very easy， interesting read。Thank you to the author， publisher， and NetGalley for my eARC in exchange for an honest review。 I enjoyed this book and I don't read nonfiction often。 I can't imagine riding a horse across country。 We learned some of what Annie went through， as well as， some of the history of the time。 What the towns would have been like， etc。 It was a very easy， interesting read。Thank you to the author， publisher， and NetGalley for my eARC in exchange for an honest review。 。。。more
Karen R
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Annie Wilkins sets off on horseback for a year and a half long cross-country journey in 1954 with few dollars， no maps and little possessions。 Annie decided it was time to leave her failing farm in Maine and begin this incredible adventure riding horseback from Maine to California as her dying wish was to see the Pacific Ocean。 So much could go wrong and she was no spring chicken， （in her 60’s）。 Annie bought an unfamiliar horse， naming him Tarzan， loaded up some gear， familiarized her dog Depech Annie Wilkins sets off on horseback for a year and a half long cross-country journey in 1954 with few dollars， no maps and little possessions。 Annie decided it was time to leave her failing farm in Maine and begin this incredible adventure riding horseback from Maine to California as her dying wish was to see the Pacific Ocean。 So much could go wrong and she was no spring chicken， （in her 60’s）。 Annie bought an unfamiliar horse， naming him Tarzan， loaded up some gear， familiarized her dog Depeche Tol with a leash and headed west into unknown territory。 The kindnesses and compassion of complete strangers providing meals， suggested paths forward and rest in homes and stables along the way were stunning。 Her animals were amazing and so perceptive and caring both to Annie and to each other。 This is an extraordinary true story， I felt that I was along for the ride and I am thankful that Annie Wilkins had the forethought to journal her experiences。 I received a complimentary copy of this book。 Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own。 。。。more
Missy
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The Ride of Her Life is a trivia buff's dream book。 Author， Elizabeth Letts， tells the thoroughly researched story of Annie Wilkins' 1950s solo horseback ride from Maine to California。 Along the way， she gives the history of many small towns， mid-century transportation， Milton-Bradley， and even the term "tramp。" The story is full of kindness and simple trust。 Although I skimmed through a lot of the trivia， I enjoyed this feel-good true story。I was given access by #NetGalley for my review。 #TheR The Ride of Her Life is a trivia buff's dream book。 Author， Elizabeth Letts， tells the thoroughly researched story of Annie Wilkins' 1950s solo horseback ride from Maine to California。 Along the way， she gives the history of many small towns， mid-century transportation， Milton-Bradley， and even the term "tramp。" The story is full of kindness and simple trust。 Although I skimmed through a lot of the trivia， I enjoyed this feel-good true story。I was given access by #NetGalley for my review。 #TheRideofHerLife 。。。more
Olive Fellows （abookolive）
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Review forthcoming in the Christian Science Monitor！
Linda Quinn
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