Book Review: The Elk in the Glade: the World of Pioneer and Painter Jennie Hicks,
Author: Bruce E. Whitacre
Narrator: Richard Thomas
Length: 1hr, 4mins




I was charmed by this biography in verse narrated by none other than Richard Thomas whose soulful and thoughtfully paced voice brought these poems to life. The Elk in the Glade presents moments in the life of Pioneer woman, farmer, and Painter Jennie Hicks in 16 spare poems. We learn of her challenges, family and community life, loses and triumphs. It is a slice of life from the early 20th century, from her prairie home in Ohio to the rugged landscape of Nebraska. The reader is privy to the passion and solace Jennie finds in painting, a refuge from the harsh realities of pioneer life, and of the acclaim she garnered in her own time.

While I was able to appreciate the book in its entirety, I would have benefitted from an introduction by the author, Jennie Hicks’ great grandson for additional context.

I recommend this brief and emotionally evocative biography to readers of Willa Cather, Paulette Jiles and William Kent Krueger.

Many thanks to the author @BWhitacre, narrator @JohnBoyRichardThomasFandom, @BooksGoSocial Audio, and @NetGalley for the pleasure of listening to this early release audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed the narrator, however, this audiobook desperately needed a note from the author explaining what we were about to engage with. There are limitations to adapting something to audio, particularly when an important part of the text is paintings, but I think if a bit more thought had been put into that adaptation, it would have really helped. As such, I really had no idea what I was listening to and I was extremely lost, despite the lovely voice of the narrator. I would have liked to have seen the physical book and perhaps done a tandem read, but ultimately that defeats the purpose of an audiobook. They could have perhaps had a different narrator to describe the paintings, and then the male narrator does the poem; this would have helped convey the intertextual relationship the two art forms were having with another.

Such an interesting collection, this is pretty much a novel in verse biography, something I’ve never heard of. I definitely enjoyed it.

This is the first time I can recall reading a biography in verse, and it was a moving experience. Whitacre tells the story of his great-grandmother, pioneer farmwoman and artist Jennie Hicks, in 16 sparsely worded poems that pack an emotional wallop. Hicks and her family lived a difficult life, but she went on to have a very successful career as a painter. The poems were less about her art and more about her life and relationships, but I found them interesting. I recommend this book for anyone who enjoys free verse poetry and has an interest in pioneer life.

I think poetry is best enjoyed aloud, so I recommend the audiobook, which is narrated by Richard Thomas. The audiobook production is good, and Thomas does a fine job narrating the poetry. His voice is pleasant, his pacing is good, and he conveys tone and emotions effectively.

Thanks to BooksGoSocial Audio for providing me with a free advanced review copy of the audiobook through NetGalley. I volunteered to provide an honest review.