These is My Words: The Diary of Sarah Agnes Prine, 1881-1901 by Nancy E. Turner

These is My Words:  The Diary of Sarah Agnes Prine, 1881-1901

Nancy E. Turner   

Published 1998    

American Historical Fiction

⭐⭐⭐⭐

Back in the day when I was able to freely peruse my library (as I am no longer permitted to enter unless I muzzle myself, which I won't), I found this little gem in the used book sale corner. It turned out to be a pleasant surprise. 

I initially thought this was a completely true story, but it is more like historical fiction; however, the author did use a family memoir (written by her great-grandfather, I think), for the setting and plot, and her great-grandmother as the model for the main character, Sarah Prine, filling in missing information with a charmingly creative imagination. 

These is My Words took place in the 1880-90s, the pioneer days of the American Southwest, and followed one young woman's life in the Arizona Territories with her family and into her young adulthood with a family of her own. 

At the introduction, Sarah Prine is a somewhat inexperienced 17-year old. She had just learned to write and was the reason she decided to keep a diary of her family's journey. Challenges and loses forced them to remain in the Arizona Territories where they lived in constant danger of nature, wild animals, banditos, and Native American attacks. Nonetheless, Sarah proved to be a tough young woman who knew how to ride a horse and handle a rifle. 

Sarah Prine was an extremely vivid, determined, and unyielding character that I often thought about when I was not reading the book. I was eager to return to the story to find out what happened next. She is genuine and animated and like a familiar acquaintance. Her memory will stay with me forever, I suppose.

There was much hardship, disappointment, danger, and suffering throughout the story. At times, it was so heartbreaking, I could not avoid crying, which is not something I do easily when reading a book. But such adversities were frequent and commonplace then and there, and women and mothers must endure these trials with steel courage and enduring hardiness, or loose their minds, which did happen. 

There is also a romance in the story that made me blush. Ok, I blush easily. Captain Jack's love for Sarah is sweet and tender and hers is fiery and protective, just like her character. Their relationship was full of conflict at first, and Sarah did not see it coming; meanwhile, Turner kept it comical for the reader: 

I looked down under [my blanket] and I was only wearing some long drawers and my old camisole, the one that is bursting full of me on the top and had come untied in the bargain, and what a fine sight I was, freezing cold and my hair all around my shoulders, and I started to cry again. I am ruined.

Sh-sh, [Capt. Jack] says. There's no wrong done in a good cry, and I was beginning to wonder if you ever did. I would never hurt you, he says. And as long as no one knows, no one is ruined. Besides, it would be much more of a shame to be ruined by a rumor than by truth, and then he slipped out of my wagon and away in the foggy morning. 

And that was only the beginning. 

Anyway, it was a really great read, and there are two more books in a series that follow this one. Also, Hamlet, I thought of you while reading this, and if you have not read it, yet, this is definitely your style.