This is a feel-good story in every way, and Letts keeps the momentum lively, sprinkling in interesting historical tidbits that enrich the drama. The Ride of Her Life is an altogether quirky, inspiring journey that’s not to be missed.
... quirky ... The story is written with simple, familiar description unadorned by literary pretenses or poetic language; it’s as if the well-researched historical details were so numerous and fascinating that the author had to corral them into standard, expository segments in order to get a grip on the entire picture ... yet much of the fascination of this story rests in its context—the many details that recreate a changing America in the mid-fifties ... What is so appealing about this nutball adventure is that the reader is taken on a trip across the United States, small town by small town, during a radical shift from rural America (where in some locales, horses and buggies are still in use) to the modern automobile-determined landscape ... Wilkins opens our hearts as she puts this determination into motion on the back of a horse.
In describing the road conditions, towns, and people, including celebrities, Wilkins encountered on her four-thousand-mile journey, Letts creates a nostalgic travelogue and a vibrant history of life in 1950s America. Thanks to deeply sourced research and her own travels along Wilkins’ route, Letts vividly portrays an audacious woman whose optimism, courage, and good humor are to be marveled at and admired. Upbeat and touching, Wilkins’ story is the perfect pandemic escapist read.
... Letts has documented another fascinating, little-known slice of history ... Skillful prose and meticulous research combine to create a rich narrative and captivating character portraits of both Annie Wilkins and the people and places of the 1950s. Considering the popularity of her other nonfiction titles, the latest by Letts is likely to be on many hold lists.
While chronicling each leg of Wilkins’ journey, Letts provides ample, if occasionally distracting historical context, bringing the people she met and the places she visited to life on the page. A longtime equestrian herself, Letts touchingly communicates the connection between Wilkins and her horses over the nearly 16-month-long odyssey. The Ride of Her Life also serves up a hearty helping of Americana: Readers will enjoy a glimpse of the country at midcentury.
... uplifting ... This engaging folk-hero biography, which follows Wilkins throughout her grand adventure, also touches on the cultural history of mid-20th-century America. As Letts delves into the postwar prosperity that transformed the U.S. into a land of cars and endless highways, she celebrates the dying tradition of the 'American tramp or hobo' that Wilkins, the self-christened 'Last of the Saddle Tramps,' represented ... A heartwarming and nostalgic book to appeal to horse lovers and fans of the author’s previous books.
Letts’s attention to detail and clear admiration of her 'funny, quirky, and bold' subject light up the narrative and make it hard to put down. This story has it all: bravery, determination, and a whole lot of heart.
