Bold Spirit

Helga Estby's Forgotten Walk Across Victorian America

By: Linda Lawrence Hunt

Narrated by: Pat Stien

In 1896, a Norwegian immigrant and mother of eight children named Helga Estby was behind on taxes and the mortgage when she learned that a mysterious sponsor would pay $10,000 to a woman who walked across America.

Hoping to win the wager and save her family's farm, Helga and her teenaged daughter Clara, armed with little more than a compass, red-pepper spray, a revolver, and Clara's curling iron, set out on foot from Eastern Washington.

Their route would pass through 14 states, but they were not allowed to carry more than five dollars each. As they visited Indian reservations, Western boomtowns, remote ranches, and local civic leaders, they confronted snowstorms, hunger, thieves, and mountain lions with equal aplomb.

Their treacherous and inspirational journey to New York challenged contemporary notions of femininity and captured the public's imagination. But their trip had such devastating consequences that the Estby women's achievement was blanketed in silence until, nearly a century later, when Linda Lawrence Hunt encountered their extraordinary story.

©2005 Linda Lawrence Hunt (P)2006 Books in Motion

Critic reviews

"Surprising, inspiring....Hunt skillfully brings this story alive." ( The Seattle Times)
"A thoughtful discussion of the social and psychological factors that often silence family stories....Fortunately [Hunt] has broken the silence of Helga's story to embolden the spirits of future generations." ( Bloomsbury Review)

Outstanding!

What an amazing woman and story! Has encouraged me to tell my kids and grandkids the stories of their great grandparents!

An incredible story hindered by average writing.

This book is an incredible story about a woman who walked across the USA in the 1800s with only her teenage daughter as a companion. They had no money; they carried no extra clothes or food; they found themselves accosted by men and followed by mountain lions. These women are the types of women I revere. They were strong, capable women breaking - no, shattering - barriers. I loved the story. However, the writing style feels more like a history report done in high school or at community college. It was difficult to get over the writing style and stay invested in the book. I stayed with it because I was intrigued by Helga and Clara. I still am.

Incredible story

Would you consider the audio edition of Bold Spirit to be better than the print version?

Haven't read it so can't compare the two versions

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

I was annoyed / disappointed in the reaction the family had. She should have been celebrated, not shamed for trying to save her family in the only way she could.

Norwegian boldness!

My mother, who is 104, is first generation Norwegian which was why I read this. This story is truly remarkable, considering all the challenges Helga faced before and after her amazing journey. I will recommend this book to all my friends - it portrays her bold spirit that can only inspire anyone that reads this to reach for anything that seems impossible!

Untold stories

Helga was an intriguing woman. I lament her children's silencing of her amazing journey and life. I agree with another reviewer this book had pretty dry writing that could have gone into more details to flesh out the story. The audio recording also has some interesting quality issues that are only distractions if you notice. Still highly recommend so you can hear about Helga!

Lost Opportunity

I was so looking forward to hearing about the exciting, colorful adventure of Helga and Clara's trek across the United States, but it was a complete disappointment. What an opportunity to learn about ordinary Americans and how they lived their lives, what they had opinions about, how they felt emotionally, etc at the end of the century. I don't know whose fault it was: whether it was Helga's limited ability to write about her experience or the person who may have helped her write about them, but there was not the excitement I expected it to be. The narrator didn't help: her voice was flat, emotionless. I was appalled by the lack of generosity of Americans to help them get back to their home as quickly as possible. In summary I'm sorry I wasted my time to listen to this sad tale.

Don’t waste your credits

If you enjoy listening to textbooks being narrated, you’ll like this. Save your credits. The narration on this book is so lame and flat and the writing is simple and lacks any development. It’s like listening to an encyclopedia - there’s no storyline and it’s basically a conglomeration of facts. Also seemingly a religious agenda, as “trust in god” is often referenced. Hard pass.