Book review......books were the beginning of my happiness!

I ADORE books and when I learned to read it was the beginning of a lifetime love affair.  I could go on and on about them but the main theme of them all is that there is an answer to everything in books.  They can solve your problems, answer your questions, make you laugh and cry, teach you so much, give you beauty and understanding and open your mind and your world.  I'm sure I've missed a few but you get the gist of how I feel about books.  They are some of my "bestest"  friends and they continually add joy and happiness to my life!

Now, on to the book review...............

I am a sucker for good covers on books.....they are the first thing that pulls me in and this one certainly did with old photos, women on horses and the fact that it was a true story.  I love real life adventures of real people.  The author is writing about her Grandmother and her Grandmothers best friend and their adventures as young women back in the early 1900's.  When I first started reading it seemed like the author was trying to make us aware of the wealth and position of her family.   She also happens to be the executive director of the New Yorker magazine.  I can respect her position and that of her family but I am not impressed by credentials but by character.  The first few chapters seemed disjointed and I almost put it down but if you know me I hate giving up on anything and regardless I will usually follow a book to the end with the hope that it will get better.  I am so glad I didn't give up on this one!  It was a wonderful tribute to her Grandmother and her friend and also a history of the west and the east that I would have never known.
After I read it, I came to realize that she had written this book over many years, from journals, diaries, historical artifacts both written and material and from exhausting research and travel.  I have nothing but praise for how she managed to gather it all up and make sense of it all!
The sentence on the cover describes it best......"The Unexpected Education of Two Society Girls in the West".   This is what I call a "sleeper" and you might want to put it down yourself but DON'T!  You will be so glad that you didn't.  This is a true glimpse into the era of my Mother's day or maybe your Grandmother's that you will never get in the history books.  If you like non-fiction and stories of courageous and gutsy women and men, you will love this book! 
P.S.  I got it at my local library but I wish I had my own copy.  This is the type of book you could read again and again and learn something new every time.  Great job to both Dorothy's as that was her Grandmother's name too. 
P.S. P.S.    There are also more photos throughout the book which really make it come to life.
Have a glorious Thursday and thank you all for your comments!