Mixed review
☆
☆
☆
☆
☆
“I’m mixed on my analysis of this podcast. On the one hand, I enjoy the narrator, particularly her love and the impact these books made on her as a child. I, too, loved them, even as a Mexican American girl because I loved the fictional depictions of Laura and Pa, as well as the historical imaginative inspired by the notion of pioneering prairie life.
On the other hand, there are a few contradictions and, dare I say, hypocrisies, although not necessarily by the narrator herself. One that particularly stands out is the repeated inclusion of an ad by Paris Hilton promoting her own podcast. Hilton is a noted and unapologetic racist and bigot whose screeds and insults toward African Americans and the LGBTQ+ community have been caught on film. The inclusion of such ads on a podcast pointing out the racism of others is simply unacceptable.
Additionally, in episode 7, a number of students and academics opine that Wilder’s books should not be taught or even made known to child readers; one interviewee expressed an opinion to the effect of ‘children should not be allowed access to them at all.’
As someone whose politics can be described as ‘all the way to the left,’ I found this notion appalling, especially in this age of renewed book banning and was shocked by its hypocrisy. We need to be better and more self-aware than this. We also need to understand that books can be complicated in ways that may contain both outdated ideologies and wonderfully relevant human emotions.
I can testify that despite their issues, these books helped build character and empathy in me as a child and made me a better person. Without perhaps intending to, they made me love the African American doctor George Tann and to view the Native American baby (and her fellow indigenous people) as sympathetic human beings with rich lives and culture. That purview and the ability to form my own opinions through access to a variety of literature, which included Wilder’s books, helped me to grow into an antiracist adult.
Finally, although well-produced, this podcast is far from being the first critics of these issues in Little House. Much scholarship exists on these topics that goes back decades, despite many comments from listeners here that suggest this podcast is treading fresh and newly-discovered territory, so to speak.”
CultureScholar via Apple Podcasts ·
United States of America ·
07/25/23
More reviews of Wilder
“Such a thought-provoking podcast. I hope the creators will examine more much-loved children’s books, TV, and films. But mostly books.”
GoAskMom via Apple Podcasts ·
United States of America ·
08/31/23
☆
☆
☆
☆
☆
“I’ve always been a fan of the book series, and part of that was because of the idealistic portrayal of this super close warm and fuzzy family. Particularly Pa! It’s interesting hearing how other people view the characters. Even if I disagree with a few things they think, no matter. It’s super...”Read full review »
Imissbread via Apple Podcasts ·
Canada ·
07/21/23
☆
☆
☆
☆
☆
“I wasn’t sure what to think about a Podcast about Laura Ingalls Wilder, but am so glad I was feeling nostalgic in the wee hours of the morning. This podcast has quickly emerged as one I look forward to the most with its blend of history/historical accuracy, and nostalgia. What’s REALLY...”Read full review »
BryTy1987 via Apple Podcasts ·
United States of America ·
08/07/23
Do you host a podcast?
Track your ranks and reviews from Spotify, Apple Podcasts and more.
Listen now
Artwork or description wrong?
Request an update »
Updates may take a few minutes.
Do you host a podcast?
Track your ranks and reviews from Spotify, Apple Podcasts and more.
