A Small Part of History

At twenty-seven years old Rebecca has just become the third wife of John Springer. Moving into her new home has had its ups and downs - her four step-sons like and obey her, she's getting used to her new husband's ways but Sarah, her step-daughter, is proving to be more difficult. And now, her husband has decided that the country is becoming 'too crowded' and they're going to pack up everything and travel thousands of miles across the USA.

As they travel across plains, mountains and rivers, through blistering heat and blizzards that lasted for days, Rebecca does her best to feed and care for her new family, despite appalling adversity. At first Rebecca and the fifteen-year-old Sarah find their fledgling relationship stretched almost to breaking point but, eventually, their bond deepens and becomes breakable only by death.

Fascinating and heartbreaking, this remarkable novel vividly depicts the hardship and danger these brave women endured to create the America we know today.

“'Thoughtful, thought-provoking and incredibly atmospheric'”

'Brilliant. I finished it in a few hours' - Martina Cole

- Kate Atkinson

Peggy Elliott has written extensively for both television and motion pictures and has produced and directed documentaries. She cross-country skis at her home in Idaho and does volunteer work for the United Nations Population Fund in Africa.

At twenty-seven years old Rebecca has just become the third wife of John Springer. Moving into her new home has had its ups and downs - her four step-sons like and obey her, she's getting used to her new husband's ways but Sarah, her step-daughter, is proving to be more difficult. And now, her husband has decided that the country is becoming 'too crowded' and they're going to pack up everything and travel thousands of miles across the USA. As they travel across plains, mountains and rivers, through blistering heat and blizzards that lasted for days, Rebecca does her best to feed and care for her new family, despite appalling adversity. At first Rebecca and the fifteen-year-old Sarah find their fledgling relationship stretched almost to breaking point but, eventually, their bond deepens and becomes breakable only by death. Fascinating and heartbreaking, this remarkable novel vividly depicts the hardship and danger these brave women endured to create the America we know today.

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