A biographical story about a mature woman beginning again at the age of 80! Folksy ( )

not in ILL

80 year old woman moves to the mountains 1953 ( )

I love memoirs, and this is a good one about an 80 year old woman who decided to spend a year on a mining claim in a remote area of the Klamath River Valley in 1946. I finished this book in only a little over 24 hours - it totally drew me in and demanded to be read! This morning I went to her homesite which is just south of Coon Creek (I live in Happy Camp, a town mentioned prominently in the book.) She's a legend in this part of the country but many people who have never been here have read the book and loved it too. ( )

This is one of the funniest books I've read. Stella Patterson decided to reach for her dreams at the age of eighty. She moved into the wilderness of Northern California where all the "characters" live. People still mine gold there and probably some more illicit activities now. She brings her good humor and refreshing outlook to the mountains as she interacts with the natives. This book is a blast to read. ( )