Roses of the Prairie
Early pioneer life challenged even the strongest. Through persistence and perseverance, three North Dakota women took the grit they gained from their pioneer childhood into the world.
Pianists Belle and Alma Mehus pursued piano studies in Chicago, Philadelphia, and Berlin, under the tutelage of legendary pianists Josef Lhevinne, Moriz Rosenthal, and Adele aus der Ohe. Concert tours took them to Chicago, New York, Berlin, and Oslo as well as Chautauqua touring across America.
Anne-Marit Bergstrom absorbed lessons of music and life from her mother Alma and aunt Belle and continued their journey. As a coloratura soprano she studied with famed Russian mezzo-soprano Jennie Tourel, and as a painter with renowned artists Stokely Webster and Oskar Kokoschka.
Life’s beautifully complicated road led all three women back to the Dakota prairie, where, surrounded by the love and warmth of family and friends, they dedicated their lives to teaching, performing, and community involvement. Their story provides timeless inspiration.
Praise
“Excellent! . . .Well organized, with understandable structure; well-paced . . . Leno's admiration and warmth towards his subjects is clear but he is still able to present them candidly and reasonably objectively. The personalities of the main subjects come through, as do the personalities of the supporting characters. I really enjoyed this book. . . The author did a good job of elevating a regional biography to that of possibly national publication caliber.”
–Judge’s comments from Midwest Independent Publishers Book Awards