Cowgirls [Paperback]

Candace Savage (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 1, 1996

Althouth the Western frontier has been tirelessly represented as "Man's Country", women were there from the beginning. Candace Savage traces the cowgirl back to her origins among the cattle queens, lady bandits and ranchwomen of the mid-to-late 19th century. While proper Victorian ladies sat in their parlours, these female adventurers unlaced their corsets, exchanged their skirts for scandalous "divided" garments, and swung astride ponies. Working as ranch wives, range daughters and ranch owners; they roped cattle, shot rustlers and broke colts. In their spare time they made clothes, boiled laundry, scrubbed floors, baked pies, gave birth and cared for their children. From the 1880s on, this tough life was exhibited to the rest of the world through Wild West shows and circuses. One of the "curious creatures of the west" was Annie Oakley, whose dainty build, pretty face - and the ability to blast a hole through a playing card from a distance of 90 feet - made her a star. The image continued to be projected in films, music, theatre, fashion and advertising. The changing depiction of the cowgirl provides a visual record, including: a rangewoman pitching hay in a Victorian full skirt and high collar; a comic strip showing a heroic Dale Evans single-handedly resucing a runaway wagon; a mini-skirted cowgirl in a 1950s advert for potatoes; and Western Barbie, complete with silver glitter. Gathered from archives and private collections in North America and Europe, they highlight the text that celebrates this cultural phenomenon. Candace Savage is the author of "Aurora: The Mysterious Northern Lights", which was shortlisted for the Science in Society Book Award.

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Poor Dale Evans. America's best-known cowgirl sweetheart didn't have much of a chance to spit, cuss, swagger, snap her neck bronco-busting, or even muss her hair. The gritty frontier cowgirls and athletic rodeo riders and performers lauded in this colorful melange of photos, posters, quotes, and snappy histories did all that and a great deal more. Clearly, the life agreed with many of them. "This is a deuced fast place," one reports approvingly. "Most independent women I've ever seen." Happily, that independence was rewarded by several Western states with the right to vote, hold property, divorce, and--just as important--the chance to ride astride.

From Library Journal

In spite of the growing interest in the role of women in the American and Canadian West, little has been written about those who best fit the stereotypical image?the cowgirls. Savage (Aurora: The Mysterious Northern Lights, Sierra Club Bks., 1995) provides a solid survey of the cowgirl phenomenon from both a historical and a social perspective. Cowgirls can be traced back to Marie del Carmen Calvillo, who inherited her father's Texas rancho in 1814. Many women made a name for themselves in the famous traveling Wild West shows, and their image was amplified and expanded by popular media ranging from comic books to television. Although today many cowgirls are part of husband-and-wife ranching operations, the cowgirl role continues. Savage pays particular attention to dichotomous media images, which range from the strong, effective manager such as the Barbara Stanwyck character in the series Big Valley to vapid cheesecake portrayals. Overall, this work is engaging and informative. Recommended for public and undergraduate libraries.?Daniel D. Liestman, Seattle Pacific Univ. Lib.
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 134 pages
• Publisher: Ten Speed Press (September 1, 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0898158303
• ISBN-13: 978-0898158304
• Product Dimensions: 10 x 9.9 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,007,479 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The cowgirl's contribution to the women of the modern west., October 21, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Cowgirls (Paperback)

Chandace Savage's COWGIRLS will become a classic in Western Literature. In her three divisions: Real Cowboy Girls, Living Legends, and Rhinestone Cowgirls, Savage passes through the realities and myths of cowgirldom. From the brutal work of the lonesome ranches and cattle trails through the grace of the rodeo arena, and the beauty of the silver screen she shows the contribution of the cowgirl to the women of the modern west. But it is a west far greater than even the western ranch community and its celluloid imitators, it is a west of the soul influencing the strength, courage and leadership of women today.