Trail of Thread: A Woman's Westward Journey

Trail of Thread #1

by Linda K. Hubalek

Taste the dust of the road and feel the wind in your face as you travel with a Kentucky family by wagon trail to the new territory of Kansas in 1854.

In the form of letters she wrote on the journey, Deborah Pieratt describes the scenery, the everyday events on the trail, and the task of taking care of her family. Stories of humor and despair, along with her ongoing remarks about camping, cooking, and quilting make you feel as if you pulled up stakes and are traveling with the Pieratts, too.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Fiction, Historical, Amazon

124 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1993

About the author

Linda Hubalek had written over fifty books about strong women and honorable men, with a touch of humor, despair, and drama woven into the stories. The setting for all the series is the Kansas prairie which Linda enjoys daily, be it being outside or looking out her office window.
Her historical romance series include Brides with Grit, Grooms with Honor, Mismatched Mail-order Brides, Rancher's Word, and the Clear Creek Legacy. Linda's historical fiction series, based on her ancestors' pioneer lives include, Butter in the Well, Trail of Thread, and Planting Dreams.
When not writing, Linda is reading (usually with dark chocolate within reach), gardening (channeling her degree in Horticulture), or traveling with her husband to explore the world.
Linda loves to hear from her readers and loves to know what they'd like to see her write next. Visit her website at www.LindaHubalek.com to contact her or read about all her books.

www.Facebook.com/lindahubalekbooks

Reviews

[Joyce · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have read several books by Linda Hubalek about pioneer families in Kansas. This one focused on the trip a family made from eastern Kentucky to northeast Kansas to settle a homestead in the 1850's. Although the book is fiction, it is based on letters and journals written by the author's great-great-great grandmother, Deborah Goodpaster Pieratt, who is the main character in this book. The book is written in the form of letters written by Deborah to the beloved stepmother she left behind in Kentucky. The book gives so much detail on what it was like for the women on these trips. It gives such a vivid portrayal of the hardships they endured. I love her books!

[Brenda · Rating 4 out of 5]

A few of what I would call editing errors, but since it is a diary of letters perhaps those can be chalked up to Deborah’s lack of education, which she mentioned herself.

I cannot imagine walking 750 miles alongside a covered wagon to homestead in a new territory. Somehow Deborah managed to find humor along the way. Either they were truly blessed, or she glossed over the hardships so as not to worry Betsy back in Kentucky. Quilters will enjoy the references to that craft.

[Karen Hogan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm a sucker for going West stories, as seen by the women on the journey. This is the story of Deborah who leaves her home in Kentucky to travel to Kansas with her husband and young children in the 1850's. I truly enjoyed her story told through her letters back home. It still amazes me how courageous and resourceful our ancestors were.

[Cathy Cole · Rating 4 out of 5]

It is amazing how much detail Hubalek packs in her narrative, and this wealth paints a clear picture of what travel was like at the time. Deborah Pieratt had no voice in the decision to move from Kentucky to Kansas; it was a "done deal" when the menfolk in her family told her what was going to happen. In her letters back home to family members, Deborah tells us how difficult it was to pack the wagons for the journey, how heartbreaking it sometimes was to make one choice after another: should it stay or can it go?

She tells of the hazards of crossing rivers and streams, of how fraught with danger stopping in towns along the way could be when the question of slavery was already in the process of ripping the country apart. If any reader has romantic notions of traveling in a covered wagon, Deborah Pieratt dispels them in her letters-- especially when talking about trying to get clothes clean and personal hygiene. Never-ending dirt and danger, uncooperative weather, trying to get meals cooked, sick children cared for, and waves of homesickness and longing for family and friends whom she would never see again-- all these things and many more comprise Deborah's journey west. Once in Kansas and finding the land they would call home, Deborah and her family have no time to rest. They immediately have to build some sort of shelter and get crops planted so they will be able to eat.

Trail of Thread is a fascinating little volume that sheds so much light on this period of expansion in America. I recommend it to anyone who is interested in pioneer life and women's history, and I'll be keeping an eye peeled for other books in the series.

[Arlene · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a book written in the form of letters from a mother whose life is uprooted when her husband and his brothers decide that Kansas is the promised land. They load belongings on wagons and leave in the spring of 1854 from Kentucky. She shared quilt patterns along the way with other travelers and settlers. Traveling 750 miles in 66 days, they walked the trails and thru various settlements along the way. Imagine crossing all those rivers on unstable rafts and boats. Waiting near Westport landing (modern day Kansas City) for her husband to return from a scouting trip into Kansas, she is in a large camp of wagons when a cyclone storm hits. Having lived through a tornado as a child in that area I can't imagine what it would have been like without any shelter except wagons which were so easy to tip over by a wind like that. Scary!
This book is a fictionalize version of the real trip to Kansas by the author's great-great-great grandmother in 1854. I loved this little book borrowed from my quilt guild.

[Cherei · Rating 5 out of 5]

I only meant to skim this book to get the flavor of it.. and then put it on my TBR pile. Much to my surprise.. I finished it in nothing flat. It reminded me so much of the Laura Ingall books that I loved as a little girl. It literally could be read from Ma Ingall's point of view as they headed to the Little House on the Prairie.

The trials and tribulations of every river crossing was just heartbreaking. To the "helpful" folks who would sell them cheese.. and then find out later down the road that the cheese was actually rotten. Most of all.. how they clinged to each other as a family.. while missing all of the rest of their family behind. Knowing that the last time they saw one another would truly probably be.. the last time they ever saw one another again.

This story will quickly work it's way into your heart. To think.. all who grew up in the West.. came from stock such as this! :)

[Billie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This takes place around 1854....land in Kansas was selling for $1/acre and families were traveling in droves. These are letters written during one family's journey to other family members in Kentucky.

Really had little to do with quilting. In those days the men made the decisions and the wives were to be supportive regardless. In this case the decision was made to leave close and extended family for the journey to Kansas which meant they'd probably never see each other again,

Very interesting to learn the preparations...what was packed into two wagons, the reason behind taking each item and how everything was utilized. As they journeyed they also learned tricks from other travelers from other parts of the country.

Really in insight into what it was like to travel back in those days and the courage it took to uproot your whole family for parts unknown

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

A book that links genealogy and quilting and historical fiction - that sounds like me kind of book. Linda Hubalek was a horticulturalist before she began writing historical fiction. Her writing reminds me of Anna Lee Waldo, the author of Sacajawea. Waldo was an organic chemist before she started writing. I'll admit that the with both authors the writing is sometimes not quite seamless but both authors bring an astute eye to historical fiction - an eye that captures fun nerdy details like water soaked wagon wheels and the value of bugs in a chicken's diet. I enjoyed the book and will definitely look for Hubalek's other books in the series.

[Georgiann Hennelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

A historical fiction type of book set in 1854. The story is told through letters a Mother writes when her life is uprooted, when her Husband and his brothers decide to move to Kansas the promised land. Along the way she shares quilt patterns with other settlers and travelors. It took them 66 days to travel 750 miles. while waiting near Westport landing for her husband to return from a scouting trip to Kansas, she is in a large group of wagons when a cyclone hits. I can imagine how scared she was/ The book is a fictional version of the real trip the authors Great-Great-Great Grandmother took to Kansas in 1854. I truly enjoyed this book

[Julia A. McDonald · Rating 4 out of 5]

A brave story of American history

since I live in KY this story had special meaning for me. I have always been in awe of those courageous folk who crossed the country in covered wagons, this journal made it very real. The descriptions of the wagons,food ,. weather appeared to be accurate and inspired me even more. I would recommend this to anyone who is interested in this chapter of American history. Well told.

[Misty]

I'm almost done with this book. I checked it out of my quilting guild library, and may not have picked it up otherwise. It's supposed to be about quilting. But the narrator barely mentions quilting. It's a pretty straightforward "this is what pioneer daily life was like" sort of story, told through some letters home.

[Arlene · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love "diary" books. Especially about the women who followed their husbands' dream, and possibly theirs, out West. This book was a wonderful way to appreciate what they went through. Though not as detailed as some I have read, I found this book put into practice on the trail things I had read about before.

[Christine · Rating 2 out of 5]

I picked this book up on a visit to Lindsborg, Kansas, to read on the flight home. It's an epistolary novel, and I thought it was excerpted from actual letters. It was instantly clear that no real person would write letters like this. It's well researched, but doesn't really come to life.

[Arleen · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is historical fiction where you admire the characters for their steadfast ways. It is narrated by letters written to family back home in Kentucky as a family moves across five states to the new territory of Kansas. Very informative of a time past!

[Jan Stanton]

I really liked this short book. It is a fictional story about the author's great-grandmother's journey from Kentucky to Kansas in the 1800's. I thought it gave a realistic version of times through a woman's eyes. I do plan to read the other two books in the series.

[Chaplain Stanley Chapin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very enjoyable

having Great grandparents and grandparents along with other family relatives make similar trips from Pennsylvania and South Carolina to homestead further west in Kansas there were some similarities to stories I heard as a child

[Helen · Rating 3 out of 5]

True pioneer accounts are a particular interest of mine. Somehow I just didn't feel connected to the characters in this book. It just didn't feel authentic to me, even though it is based on a real family's migration from Kentucky to Kansas. I did appreciate the research, however.

[Clare · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyed it. Not a family death until then end, so that was good.

[Grace · Rating 4 out of 5]

Written in letter form. Simple, interesting and fun. Looking forward to the next two in the series.

[Pamela · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a good and quick read. It was written in letter form and portrayed the daily life on the trail. I felt like I was also on the trail with the clear descriptions in the letters. Very good!

[Laura · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was the 1st of three. I really enjoyed it. very easy reading, little excitement. It was my favorite of the three.

[Molly]

Interesting, but I would have liked a longer book with more details better.

[Linda Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great read!

Anyone interested in our history would love this book, I've never thought about what our great great grandmothers went through in their lifetimes.

[Johnna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful, extremely well written, detailed, emotional, so hard to put down.

[Lori]

Excellent story. It made me be more aware of geography of the US.

[Jackie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very interesting. It is not a book you become invested in the characters, however you want to know what happens to these people. Easy read and well worth your time.

[Lora · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is written in the form of letters home to Kentucky while on the trail to Kansas - 750 miles in 66 days. The characters are the author's own ancestors, but I don't know to what extent the story is based on actual family documentation or oral history. I did find an interview that said the author took a road trip to recreate her ancestors' journey (to the extent that's possible in modern society).

The book isn't really a novel - there's no real overarching plot or character development. It's basically a fictional diary. The voice sounded a bit modern, but what she had to say about the pioneer's plight outweighed the way she said it. I made many notes of challenges that I'd never really thought about before. The best chapter was about a tornado.

I don't plan on reading more from the series, but I'm glad I read it. It was informative about a subject I'm interested in, and I got it free.

[Shari Ring Wolf · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautifully written

If you can listen to the audio version of this book, I highly recommend it. The narrator, with a slight southern accent, brings a personality to the character and special voice to the story.

The story is obviously well researched and full of interesting bits of history. I grew up in Kansas, though not in the eastern part where this family settled. I noticed in the page that lists the family members that Deborah, the author of the letters, dies 5 years after the end of this book. My curiosity is piqued so I will definitely read the next book in series, if it is a continuation of this story.

I love reading about women of this era. This book is extra special because it is based on real people's lives.

[Charlotte · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed the content of this book and appreciated the author's including some of her family tree information at the end, following some quilt patterns.
There were quite a few typos and other errors that I think the editor should have found and corrected. If it weren't for those, I might give the book 5 stars since the author gave me a much better idea of what it must have been like for the women who moved west in the mid 1800's.
I was surprised to learn the many things they needed to pack and all the work they had to do along the way. I certainly appreciate the gumption all those settlers must have had to travel so far to a place they had not yet seen.

[Peggy Clayton · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book it is a woman's journal of letters that she sent to a relative from 1854-1855. It really tells the story of what the woman went thru while going with their families at that time to find a final place to live and it is addicting once you start to read. The woman who wrote the letters just pours her heart out in them and tells every detail many I didn't even think about as they were doing such hard travelling. Linda hit a grand slam with this book! I can't wait to read the next one.