I was given a copy of this book by Netgalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest opinion.

I grew up watching (and reading) Little House on the Prairie. The books are always better, but the show has always been a favorite, with Melissa Gilbert being front and center in that memory. This is the story of her second act - we are more familiar with her young exciting life, dating and marrying gorgeous men, acting, living like a movie star, but this is of her third marriage, which seems so much better than any before, and of moving to the country and learning to truly embrace her life as it is. I loved it. I loved her honesty about doing things on a budget, about aging, and about her life. I love that the most important thing in her life now is her family. This is just a sweet memoir that I encourage anyone who has watched her grow up before their eyes read.

I read this book pretty quickly. It reads like a magazine article but much longer. Mostly, I enjoyed getting to snoop with permission and learn about Melissa Gilbert's current lifestyle. She writes in a very accessible, conversational tone and gives an insider look at what she did during the pandemic lockdown. I'm kind of fascinated by these pandemic stories.

She and her husband moved into a fixer-upper in a cabin and learned how to not be movie stars. I was amused at the things she wrote about that were just normal but she made more dramatic in her description. She was raised in a family of actors and living a life of an everyday person was novel for her. This book was probably the result of a diversion for Melissa during a time when everyone found themselves with time on their hands. She wrote a book, made lots of soup, and started raising chickens.

A couple chapters in and Melissa Gilbert has all ready left a sour taste in my mouth about my love for Little House on the Prairie. I dare not continue and taint my love for this series any further.

I was a huge fan of Little House on the Prairie (both the television show and all of the books), so I jumped at the chance to read Back to the Prairie. Melissa Gilbert chronicles her life during the pandemic, which I found to be very relatable. Her husband, Timothy Busfield, wrote the foreward, adding his own perspective on his wife and their life together.

I was surprised to learn that Melissa Gilbert lives a very modest lifestyle. I found it interesting to hear about their move to the middle of nowhere, the struggles with getting their new place livable, and her successes with gardening and raising chickens. There is a little of "oh, woe is me" but mainly the memoir comes across very relatable and down to earth.

Back to the Prairie is inspirational in a way, showing how you can go out of your comfort zone to start something totally new. I would recommend this book to those who are looking to change their lives or those who are fans of the actress.

Disclaimer: I was given an Advanced Reader's Copy by NetGalley and the publisher. The decision to read and review was entirely my own.

This book was not on my radar until I heard Melissa speak about it at the recent Texas Library Association Conference. Melissa was so charming and funny and such a good storyteller I knew that I wanted to read it.

🌾I love memoirs like this because I feel like I get a glimpse of the person writing, of their life. (Celebrities are just like the rest of us...). Gilbert and her new husband were already looking to make a change by buying and renovating the Cabbage when COVID hit and they decided to embrace the land by planting a garden and raising chickens. But Gilbert was also deliberately moving away from Hollywood expectations and to a way of being as an older woman that she could live with and respect.

🌾Fans of Little House will finds lots to enjoy here (stories about animals and making a home) but I think others will find something they like too (building a relationship, a life in the face of COVID while literally being in physical pain and eschewing Hollywood expectations).

Thank you to the publisher and Net Galley for the advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest, personal opinion. I was a fan of Melissa Gilbert prior to reading this book and my opinion has not changed. Although she does speak about some potentially divisive topics such as Donald Trump and Covid, they are her personal opinions and I respect that. She also talks about accepting herself and I think a lot of people can relate to her process. All in all, an enjoyable read.

I have made it my life's work to read all memoirs written by any and all cast members of The Little House on the Prairie. When I saw that Half Pint wrote another book, I didn't hesitate to pick it up!

I adored the introduction by her husband Timothy Busfield, and I really did enjoy reading all about her discovery into a slower pace of life away from Hollywood as she discovers the joy and peace of a slower pace of life in her "Cabbage."

I enjoyed this book and will recommend it to others who also are big fans of all things Little House on the Prairie...both then and now!

You must admire Melissa for her enduring survival in a place that discourages rather than encourage. A woman who matured before under the watchful eye of Micheal Landon has grown beyond those halcyon days to a producer, admired actor, and humorous writer. It’s is a happy human account of a life just humming along.

I grew up watching Little House on the Prairie and I have always been a big fan of Melissa Gilbert. It was a breath of fresh air to read about her life presented in such an honest and down to earth way. This memoir demystified her for me. She is a regular person who has regular people problems and hopes and dreams. She is someone that I could easily have a cup of tea with and talk about a book or the latest home repair project. I thoroughly enjoyed this book.

Nope. Sorry. Couldn't get into this one at all. I'm sure people with more of an obsession with this time frame and memories in general might enjoy it more.

Didn't help I got approved for 35 things at once. (Slight exaggeration)
Oopsie!

4.5 ⭐️‘s
I really enjoyed this book. We hear many things about Hollywood and the "beautiful" people but it takes someone with beauty on the inside to talk about it honestly. Melissa was charming, relatable and genuine throughout the book. While she did delve into the political climate of the pandemic here and there I didn't find it offensive. I appreciated that she was able to speak her mind. 2020 was a year like no other and it was fun to explore with a family who truly was isolated from family & friends but found beauty in the ashes and a lot of humor along the way. There was hope, there was kindness, there was beauty and don't we all need some of that?

I received a free ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I started out loving this book. The forward was gorgeous and I’ve always loved Little House and Melissa Gilbert.

I was enjoying the story of Melissa and her husband. It was funny and honest and relatable. Then she threw her politics in. If I wanted to read political books, I would have picked up books touted as political. There was no reason to throw it into this book. It took a 5 down to a 2.

What a great biography. It was touching, loving and real. You really get a sense of her life and family.

Melissa Gilbert details her journey from stardom life to country wife in this highly readable offering. If you have ever dreamed of returning to the land and living the country lifestyle, this book will provide a glimpse into the lives of a couple who did just that. Although their voyage was not all smooth sailing, the details of their transition deliver a vicarious experience for readers of nonfiction. While this book can be classified as memoir or autobiography, it sometimes reads like a storybook. For readers who like a lot of detail in their memoir reading, this book will meet their needs.

I received this book from the publisher and from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. The opinions expressed here are entirely my own.

I was a huge fan of Little House on the Prairie growing up and adored Melissa Gilbert in her role as Laura. However, I haven't kept up much with Melissa Gilbert's personal life so I didn't realize how much politics would play into this book. Between her political views (I prefer to ignore politics completely), Covid-related experiences, and her ailments it didn't leave room for much else. Sadly, it wasn't the book for me.

Back to the Prairie by Melissa Gilbert is a fun book about her life. I have watched her in TV series and movies over the years and have enjoyed both. She always comes across as a great best friend and loving person.

Really enjoyed this memoir, very interesting as I watched Melissa Gilbert on Little house, really enjoyed learning about her life.

Everyone from my generation wants to be friends with Melissa Gilbert because of her childhood stardom from Little House on the Prairie. I loved this memoir of her life during the pandemic and, more broadly, her exit from the Hollywood lifestyle to embrace a simpler life off-grid. Excellent read!

I was interested to read this book and get a feel for Melissa Gilbert (Busfield), the actual person rather than the person I imagined her to be based on a character she played on Little House on the Prairie.

I've got to hand it for her, the Chick went for it! I am 53, and one of the better things about my 50's is the desire to drop the fear and be more authentic- like it or not, this is who I am. That being said, what I think isn't read by legions of people and she surely realized that her words would be polarizing and inflammatory for half the country, who just want her to continue being sweet little Half Pint.

It was pleasurable to read about the home that she and Busfield have created together. Her love and affection for him come clearly through the pages. I am so happy for both of them, to be in a relationship of mutual love and I wish them both the best. It was also fun to read about the changes they made to their home in the Catskills, their interactions with animals and plants, and their learning curve and many successes. And let's not forget the Pandemic and the changes that brought to all of us. Like Gilbert, I gained a new appreciation of my home as a place I want to return to rather than get away from.

Overall, this was an enjoyable read. I align with Gilbert pretty well politically although I don't tend to be quite as vehement in my words. That being said, I admit to laughing a couple of times when she was really ranting. I recognize that if I did not share her political leanings I would have been highly annoyed!

On a side note, I wonder what she thinks about the TikTok's that are out there about 70s and 80s kids and finding LHotP to be traumatizing. Mostly said in jest but not completely off base- Wake up blind? Sure! House burn down? Go for it! ;)

3.5 stars, rounded up. Review cross posted to Goodreads.

The flow of the book can be challenging at times. Melissa shares her point of view on some topics, which all readers will not agree with her. However, it doesn’t feel like she is trying to convince you; instead it comes across as her sharing her view.