Josh Hanagarne
Author of the memoir, The World's Strongest Librarian
Wendy McClure
Author of The Wilder Life
Chicago-based columnist, YA author, and memoirist Wendy McClure enchants Laura Ingalls Wilder fans everywhere in The Wilder Life, a funny, heartfelt account of her experience retracing Wilder's pioneer journeys. The winner of the 2011 Midwest Booksellers Choice Award, McClure recaps her Little House-inspired adventures and offers helpful advice for aspiring writers.
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About Wendy McClure
Wendy McClure has been writing about her obsessions for nearly a decade. Her book The Wilder Life: My Adventures in the Lost World of Little House on the Prairie, is a funny, poignant account of her experience revisiting the novels of Laura Ingalls Wilder and retracing Wilder’s pioneer journeys. The Wilder Life was chosen for the Midwest Booksellers Choice Award as well as a Barnes & Noble Discover Selection. Wendy is a children’s book editor, the pop culture columnist for BUST Magazine, and has contributed to The New York Times Magazine, Glamour, and This American Life.
She grew up in Oak Park, Illinois and has an MFA in poetry from the Iowa Writer’s Workshop. She lives in Chicago with her husband, Chris.
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Speaking Topics
The Wilder Life: My Adventures in the Lost World of Little House on the Prairie
What happens when you return to the world of a favorite book, an old obsession, or a place from your childhood? Wendy addresses the major themes from her acclaimed memoir The Wilder Life and discusses how classic books like the Little House series touch our lives.
Both Sides of the Desk: Writing and Publishing
Wendy has experienced the writing life from a number of wildly different vantage points—among them MFA graduate, popular blogger, and longtime children’s book editor. She shares her varied knowledge for aspiring writers, with insights on rejection, inspiration, and pursuing literary dreams.
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Praise for Wendy McClure
Fans of all ages will enjoy Wendy’s informative presentation on Laura Ingalls Wilder…The audience at the Hoover Presidential Library enjoyed her delightful personality and pioneer spirit. She not only churned butter but the audience’s funny bones.
— Mary Evans, Hoover Presidential Library -
Books by Wendy McClure
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Media About Wendy McClure
Request Fees
and Availability
- 212 572-2013
- Wendy McClure travels from Chicago, IL
Featured Title
The Wilder Life
"The Wilder Life is a tribute to the Little House books that's both reverent and irreverent--in a thoughtful, hilarious way. I couldn't put it down." –Gretchen Rubin, author of The Happiness Project
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