Cheap Frontier House (Book) (Simon Shaw, Ursula Smith) Price

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Customer Reviews of Frontier House

It was an interesting project, but no one media presents it completely. You have to watch the videos, read the book, and then the web site to get the most complete picture.

Many people seem to have misunderstood the project. The people there were supposed to be 21st century people put into 19th century Montana. They had to use period tools, materials, and methods (mostly) but they'd still be 21st century people doing it.

The people chosen were an interesting study in human behavior. The Clunes came from the most radically different climate and background and frankly would have fared very badly in their first winter. I think in the long run they'd have probably ended up living in town and making out alright. Gordon Clune is a very entrepreneurial spirit. I also think he would have realized what that sort of pioneer life was doing to his family and taken them out of it.

The Glenns were the best prepared to survive a winter - providing they did not murder one another - and would probably have made it through to the next summer in the best condition. Karen Glenn was depicted as a most ungracious woman which is a real character fault, but it does not change the fact they would probably have survived the winter the best. Judge Winter would not have cared much about anything else. Mark Glenn came in as a step-dad into a ready made family which is a tough enough situation. Doing the Frontier House project on top of it seemed to have simply been too much for their relationship.

I really liked the Brooks, but a careful reading reveals that Nate and Rudy were somewhat of a ringer. Both had very applicable life experiences to surviving in such circumstances that the others families did not. They didn't have to make as much of an adjustment as the other families did, nor did they have children to consider and cope with. Kristen, on the other hand, had a background more similar to the other families and found the frontier life a hard road to travel.

It was too bad that the project ended only five months in. They were just beginning to really develop a community and that was a very important survival consideration. Much of the isolation and loneliness the women of the three families felt could have been alleviated somewhat as the families interacted with each other more as a community. A few more months and things might have looked much different. Providing the Clunes and Brooks managed to stay there through the winter.

Go to the web site and read the expert's reports as they are very revealing. Read the book too as it explains much as well.

.....Alan.

Great! Now is there anymore?
I didn't think I could love anything more than watching the Frontier House series on PBS. I am pleased to report that I loved this book even more. I don't think it would be a great read for someone who hasn't seen the series, but for those of us who have and loved it this is a must have companion.

The book intertwines facts about and stories of real life settlers on the Frontier with the stories of the Frontier House families, the Clunes, the Brooks, and the Glenns. It gave more indepth information about the selection process these families went through to be chosen for the show, the training they received and some of the questionable behavior they displayed while on the frontier. My absolute favorite parts where where they catalouged all of the clothing Nate Brooks was given to survive the winter as well as what rations of food the Clunes were given to last them the first five weeks of the experiment until they could get to the general store. My only complaint is that I wish they would have included this kind of information on each and every one of the participants. It may seem like minutae to some, but I loved every minute I spent with this book and have to say it was my favorite Christmas present I recieved in 2002.

Couldn't put it down.
I loved this book. It gave a lot more details than the show and tried hard not to pass judgement on the individual families.

It was a hoot that the Clunes and the Brooks would not have anything to do with the petty, hyper-competitive Tennessee family after they got to know them. Even at the post-show get-together, they sat apart. The Tennessee wife, in particular, was much more focused on one-upping the other families than simply curious to see if she could cope with 1880's hardships. She was what my grandmother would have called a "pill."

One of the family members in the book made an interesting observation: he had hoped to get away from the frenetic busy-ness of modern day living, but instead found himself living just an 1880's version of freneticism, working nonstop.

Finally, the book left me feeling that only one person in each family was actually gung-ho about participating in Frontier House. The rest of the groups went along, but not as enthusiastically.

Personally, one day without diet pop, hormone replacement therapy, and microwave ovens, and I'd be ready to kiss suburbia and strip malls on the lips.