Friday, April 05, 2024

Book review - "The Colonel and Little Missy: Buffalo Bill, Annie Oakley, and the Beginnings of Superstardom in America" by Larry McMurtry

 One of McMurtry's short lives of the old west though longer than his books on Custer and Crazy Horse. It ambles and rehashes other books and could have done with an edit but is entertaining. It's strongest in the two areas where McMurtry traditionally thrives - depictions of troubled marriages and reviews of books. Oh, and sardonic humour.

It's a fun read. McMurtry is clearly drawn more to Bill - while he has admiration for Oakley, she was a little dull (neo con, scared of poverty, afraid of rape, dogged) while Bill was more colourful, constantly on the verge of financial ruin and what not.

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