Claiming Ground

A good memoir but does she really get a grip on her life or does she have the courage to tell it all? I think not. Give Ms. Bell credit for her desire for independence, her life style and her wanting to write about it...and she writes well with phrases and paragraphs I reread with pleasure. Many of us search for what she wanted and like her find it (or it finds us) but cannot muster up the effort to write about it. What is unsettled in this memoir, from my point of view, is that while she goes after a life of independence in Wyoming and secures it one way or another, she does not resolve many of her deeply felt personal issues, especially her relationship with men, and is unwilling or unable to add that facet to her tale. She hints at an abortion, at affairs, at attachments but never tells the whole or true story or the details, leaving the impression with the reader that she hasn't explored them profoundly enough to talk about them in a way that will bring some closure. Too bad. LASTLY, this is book that NEEDS an accompanying map to help the reader follow her around her in ramblings...how could she and her editor miss this. Google maps or cover maps are not enough.

In general, I liked this book. I thought it was an honest, insightful, thought provoking look at the author's life. However, the lack of continuity was very distracting to me. The author constantly jumped from one time period to another with no warning, not only from chapter to chapter but from paragraph to paragraph. I found myself frequently stopping to ask, OK, now when was/is this? Because of this, I found the reading stressful rather than relaxing. I really felt I should give it 3 stars but I'm not a very qualified critic so perhaps this wouldn't bother someone else and it was basically a good book, I thought.

I enjoyed the story. I just kept wanting to know why she choose the life...what happened to her to have her choose seclusion. I really liked her relationship with he parents who were very supportive of her. In the end, I am not sure I believed the story..She reinvented herself a lot. I liked the description of the ranching life, and the terrain.

I first heard of Laura's book thru a book review. One of the lines quoted from Laura's book caught my attention where she described Wyoming...."And how, when you're used to sheltering hardwoods and rolling hills, the bare-bones immensity of Wyoming can make you feel like a sacrifice left on a slab for the gods to pick clean." Having moved from back east to Wy.over 18 years ago, I felt that she captured my own feeling for this place. Its a place to be experienced not just seen, and she captures the humbling sense of a wild, rugged land that presents all of its beauty and dares you to stay. One of the first things I noticed about Wy. was the women, single women who had moved here, miles from a shopping center, and claimed it as there own. I was one of those women, so I can appreciate Laura's journey. I also knew some of the people mentioned in the book so it made it even more interesting for me to read. I loved her writing style. She says more in one sentence than most can say in a paragraph! If you've ever thought of stepping outside your comfort zone pick up this book and journey with her, you won't be disappointed.

This was a slow go at first. The first half of the book wasn't all that interesting. Lots and lots of descriptions about scenery. Too much description and nothing much else happening. I halfway wanted to quit reading it (listening to it actually on Audible) but I'm one of those people who hates to quit reading a book I've already started so I plugged on. Around the midway mark it finally started to become more interesting when she began to go into more details about her life. I did finish it. I really can't say I'd recommend it to anyone though.

Second time reading Claiming Ground and it was even better than first time. If you enjoy the journey, struggles and success of a real life women then you will not be able to put this book down .I smiled and cried and celebrated the author's successes and fears. Then there was the man thing. As if we/I can't identify....Only one issue, Laura please continue your story. I so look forward to another.Thank you.

What a lovely memoir. Her writing reminded me of other musings from the wide open spaces (Molly Gloss, Theresa Jordan, and Judy Blunt), yet having its own pathway. Threaded in with the descriptions of her manyvaried experiences as a ranch hand in the West, is the poignant unfolding of a bittersweet story of love, longing, and loss. I thoroughly enjoyed it and immediately passed it along to others I kbew would enjoy it as well.

Beautifully described and loved the perceived cadence of the scenery and experiences, however, a little too plain and repetitive for my taste.

Laura Bell sucht und findet ihren Platz und sich selbst und irgendwann auch eine gewisse Zufriedenheit und behauptet sich trotz manchmal tragischer und meistens widriger Umstände. Es gibt neben großen Verlusten die durch nichts aufgehoben werden können, auch viele kleine Kämpfe und Überlegungen, die am Ende doch einen inneren Frieden ermöglichen.Und über allem, immer, die wunderbare Landschaft, Berge, Bäche, wenig Menschen und ganz viel Leben und Miteinander, trotz der Einsamkeit.Angenehm anders als so oft in solchen biographisch inspirierten Geschichten, werden die Eltern hier zwar nicht immer perfekt aber liebenswert und liebenswürdig geschildert, mit einem sehr überzeugenden persönlichen Rezept wie man auch im Alter glücklich, körperlich und geistig lebendig bleiben kann. Hoffentlich gibt es bald eine deutsche Übersetzung, ich möchte dieses Werk ganz oft verschenken.