In 1911, Carrie Strahorn wrote a memoir entitled Fifteen Thousand Miles by Stage, which shared some of the most exciting events of 25 years of traveling and shaping the American West with her husband, Robert Strahorn, a railroad promoter, investor, and writer. That is all fact. Everything She Didn’t Say imagines Carrie nearly ten years later as she decides to write down what was really on her … really on her mind during those adventurous nomadic years.
Certain that her husband will not read it, and in fact that it will only be found after her death, Carrie is finally willing to explore the lessons she learned along the way, including the danger a woman faces of losing herself within a relationship with a strong-willed man and the courage it takes to accept her own God-given worth apart from him. Carrie discovers that wealth doesn’t insulate a soul from pain and disappointment, family is essential, pioneering is a challenge, and western landscapes are both demanding and nourishing. Most of all, she discovers that home can be found, even in a rootless life.
With a deft hand, New York Times bestselling author Jane Kirkpatrick draws out the emotions of living–the laughter and pain, the love and loss–to give readers a window not only into the past, but into their own conflicted hearts. Based on a true story.
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Even before I moved to Oregon and met Jane Kirkpatrick, I had enjoyed a few of her meticulously researched historical novels, set in the west and featuring strong, relatable pioneer heroines. Jane’s newest, drawn from the journals of Carrie Strahorn as she traveled west with her husband, a promoter for the Union Pacific Railroad, is a riveting read that gives insight into the trials and tenacity of our pioneer mothers. (P.S. As if being a fantastic writer wasn’t enough, Jane also has a Cavalier King Charles spaniel. Clearly, we’re soulmates!)
I have recently discovered Jane Kirkpatrick as a historial fiction writer. I like that she spends a lot of time researching the characters for her story. She brings to life people of history that makes it interesting to read. I learned a lot about how the railroad brought people to the West, although, I am not sure some of it was right. Her husband, Pard, wrote interesting points of interest brochures to get people to move West. I think Carrie gave him a lot of the ideas he worte. It is hard to imagine spending so much time in a stage coach, especially bing a women in that time period. Carrie sacrified so much for her husband who seem to be self-centered, only caring about himself. Then other times, I felt he did love Carrie, just always put himself first. It broke my heart she never had a child and most of the time a home. I would recommend this book to anyone that likes history.
Carefully researched with great detail, author Jane Kirkpatrick gives us a book based on the true story of Carrie Strahorn. That alone makes it more intriguing to me. Reading much like a memoir, journal entries at the beginning of each chapter add interest. Stories of travel and places they went, both together and separate, were well described.
The time frame this took place in was not an easy one for women who wanted to travel with their husbands. Nor was the marriage between Robert and Carrie easy. I found at times that I wanted to shake one or the other of them.
At times the story was a bit slow but hang in there. If you enjoy historical fiction written from the basis of a true story then I recommend Everything She Didn’t Say.
I received a complimentary copy of this book but was not required to leave a review.
In the late nineteenth century, Carrie Strahorn travels west with her husband when he is employed by the Northern Pacific Railroad to write articles designed to lure settlers to settle the frontier. While he describes the profitability of moving to these desolate places, she sees in first-person the harsh realities and how women will be forced to draw deeply from their courage, endurance and spiritual reserves to simply survive. At times, the circumstances in which the protagonist finds herself seem improbable, but the story is deeply rooted in Mrs. Strahorn’s 1911 memoir. That fact makes the emotional impact of the story all the greater. Her steadfast support for her husband’s passions was a sobering reminder of the marital faithfulness of a different generation. I was throughout entranced from the first page.
A fun read of a woman determined to be independent in the 1800’s.
Up until now all of my knowledge about the rail road industry came from a lifetime fascination on the subject as well as one particular television drama that I couldn’t get enough of. This book is the perfect compliment to my former education because it’s told from Carrie Adell Greene Strahorn’s point of view and while I really wish Dell had been less of a doormat for her husband’s ambition, I had to adjust my thinking to the societal norms that governed woman in the late 1870’s. Dell chronicles her years of marriage to Robert Strahorn while he was both writer and committed rail road man, which beautifully illustrates her faith, her wisdom and the thrill of adventure she feels as she stubbornly fights to stay by his side as an equal partner in their marriage through conditions that any other woman of the era would shrink from clutching her smelling salts. This is a mesmerizing and beautifully written chronicle of the life and times of this unlikely couple that every historical fiction fan will enjoy just as much as I did. I read a complimentary copy of this book provided by Revell Christian through NetGalley and all opinions expressed in my voluntary review are completely my own
Classic Jane Kirkpatrick! A well-written tale of a strong woman and the extraordinary life she lived. This one is unique in that it includes actual journal entries of Carrie Adell Strahorn. The story is a roller coaster ride of human emotions, the mountain tops and the valleys, the joys and some very candid disappointments as Carrie and her husband join the pioneers who settled the west. Well worth reading.
The version I read was not the finished product and an ARC. I requested this book because I like Kirkpatrick’s other books I’ve read and I though it sounded interesting. You can tell she always researches her materials well and this book was no exception. This was based off a true story and was a little dry. It also jumped around and was sometimes hard to follow (I’m hoping that’s just because it’s unfinished). I would still have liked to have finished it though as I’m interested in what happens to “Dell.” At times it seems like her husband Robert doesn’t even really love her, then at other times I see that he does, he’s just a different kind of man. Not everyone could live with him or help him the way she does. They seem like a good match. I hope she ends up standing up more to him and expressing her true desires and dreams to him… and that he actually listens to her.
I received a copy from NetGallery and the publisher an exchange for my honest review. I am only going to review this book on Netgallery and Goodreads, because I didn’t finish it. Even though I tried to reload it several times it was very glitchy. Every time I stopped reading it for more then 5 minutes, it would start back at the beginning again. It also wouldn’t let me skip to where I was, and had to turn it slowly page by page. That is the only reason I stopped reading it. After I got about halfway through, it was just too much of a pain.
I loved this book! Once I started reading , I could hardly put it down. This is definitely one of my favorites of Jane Kirkpatrick’s. I liked the way Dell (Carrie) was such a positive and courageous person. She was a great example of someone who could pull through hard times and bitter disappointment. I highly recommend this book.
Jane Kirkpatrick did an excellent job researching to bring details to this book. Based on the real life of Carrie “Adell” Strahorn. Her husband Robert is a writer and promoter for the Union Pacific Railroad. While I found myself not liking Robert much, I fell in love with Carrie in this book. Carrie keeps a journal about her hopes, dreams and adventures as she travels with her husband. You will read about the many hardships they faced along the way and how her faith helped her through all the hills and valley. I love to read Historical Fiction and ” Everything She Didn’t Say” does not disappoint. I was given this book from Netgalley for my honest review.
Everything She Didn’t Say by Jane Kirkpatrick is an amazing book. I just put the book down after spending the day between the covers. Carrie Adell Strahorn was called the “Queen of the Pioneers” or “Mother of the West” by many and once you read her compelling story you will agree.
What a life this pioneering woman led. The book begins on the day she married Robert E Strahorn, and from that day on she literally embarked on a trip that would take her by stage, foot, train, steamer and foot on journeys white women never ventured. She rode in a cow catcher, scaled a mine, laid on her belly overlooking Yellowstone Falls in the snow. Her stay in a Wyoming hotel with electricity contrasted with harrowing stage rides amid war with the Bannocks. I can’t imagine living up to those challenges but she was determined to be supportive of her husband in his endeavors as an author who wrote travel pamphlets for the Union Pacific Railroad. He was always one step ahead of settling down with what she longed for; a home and family.
What really impressed me about Carrie Strahorn was the depth of her faith and perseverance. I loved that her travels intersected with my own travels and life in Spokane. It was in Spokane that Robert bought the Pines for Carrie and under the direction of famous architect Kirtland Cutter it was redesigned as she wished. She felt so at home in Spokane, a feeling she hadn’t had since leaving her beloved Caldwell.
As with all of her historical novels, author Jane Kirkpatrick engages the reader into historical events with wonderful story telling and impeccable research. I highly recommend this book to the reader who loves historical fiction, especially when it includes how this wonderful west was settled. Many thanks to Revell Books for an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review of this book.
The author made me feel like I was sitting in the same room with Carrie/Dell, and I was traveling and experiencing amazing new frontiers, traveling by stage and being in Indian War country.
Carrie became a friend and loved that the whole book is mainly fact, wow, makes everything so very real, and I felt the pain that she was never really given her heart’s desire.
While Carrie stayed by choice in her husband’s shadow, she sure accomplished a lot on her own, and helping build her church seemed to be one of her cherished achievements.
A really compelling read, filled with history and strong pioneers who helped build the western part of this country. The author did a great job of telling Carrie Strahorn’s story!
I received this book through Revell Publishing, and was not required to give a positive review.
EVERYTHING SHE DIDN ‘T SAY. Jane Kirkpatrick
Carrie’s friend, was also her fiancé first engagement, when she died, there forth her name Carrie also, he will call me Dell. I was twenty three, educated, not many now to marry, the year of 1911. Feeling marriage was of little sacrifices. Robert was a writer, of books and pamphlets, seeing the potential in the places, and of train travel, bringing them out west. The traveling was a part of him, my mention of home and family surprised him. With pen comes her writings of 25 years of traveling, in the west, her thoughts and feelings, the facts, are given. A life of sacrifices.of many to a strong willed man. Reclaiming herself, in part by putting down to paper those years. History in the making ,a story of truth given to us to read. Given ARC by Net Galley and Revell for my voluntary review and my honest opinion. EllenOceanside
“This book is lovingly dedicated to my dear husband Robert E. Strahorn whose constant chum and companion it has been my greatest joy to be for more than thirty years in the conquering of the wilderness. ~ Carrie Adell Strahorn (dedication page from Fifteen Thousand Miles by Stage, volume 1.)”
“A memoir is no place to whine but rather give us wisdom we can all share without having to go through the pain ourselves.”
While this is a true account of Robert and Carrie “Dell” Strahorns’ life, it is also written with the literary license to bring these two people to life. Following along their many years of traveling to birth towns and rail lines from 1877 to 1925. Kirkpatrick has the wondrous ability to spotlight figures in history that you would not otherwise read about. From various research sources she gleans fact and turns it into fiction. It’s mostly from Dell’s point of view and her inner musings as she travels along with her husband. There are things she would never speak aloud to him and the title of the book is a perfect fit. You’ll glimpse her disappointment, heartache, broken dreams, and most inner desires of her heart. But you’ll also see her courageous and adventurous spirit and the unconditional support of her husband. Their love is strong and can cushion anything life throws at them. I loved following along with them and learning how their vast influence formed the various railroads around the country. Making history in our own modern world! I also loved how the author incorporated snippets from Dell’s memoir before each chapter. You got a feel for what she was like and how she felt. This makes me want to search it out to read myself! In short, Kirkpatrick is one of my top favorite historical writers and I’ve never read a book I didn’t like by her. She always breathes life into dusty books, diaries or memoirs for me!
*I received a copy of this book from Revell and Netgalley and was under no obligation to leave a favorable review. All opinions are my own. *