Midwest Book Review by D. Donovan, Senior Reviewer
Wicked Women: Notorious, Mischievous, and Wayward Ladies from the Old West isn’t about your usual Western woman’s pilgrimage across the plains: it’s a randy, rowdy survey of less-well-behaved female outlaws, gamblers, and other wicked women, and it provides a lively alternative to the usual focus on pioneer homemakers.
During the late nineteenth century, while men were settling the frontier, such women led ‘wicked’ lives when they followed fortune seekers. Their stories have been widely scattered under various headings, so it’s refreshing to find a collection of short, action-packed stories of the Old West here, offering biographical sketches paired with Western history and spiced with insights on purposes and people.
Speaking of ‘spice’, fun black and white vintage photos and illustrations from the author’s own historic collection of images and historical libraries enhances the value and appeal of her coverage, making it a recommendation for collections ranging from women’s history and issues to Western frontier sagas.
