Cowgirls: Women of the Wild West (Hardcover)

by Elizabeth Clair Flood (Author), William Manns (Author) "The first cowgirls broke the rules..." (more)
Key Phrases: Cayuse Collection, Annie Oakley, High Noon Collection (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Review
Match their male cowboy counterparts these feisty women certainly didroping calves; herding cattle; branding steer; trick riding in the rodeo; even living up to the famous lyrics of Annie Get Your Gun,Anything you can do, I can do better. Its no coincidence that this timeless musical classic is all the rage on Broadway again today, for as this new literary tribute shows, the contributions of Americas cowgirls are boundless and brilliant. From the sad end of the life of Ella Watson, to the splendor of the rodeo days with Cowgirls of the 101 Ranch Wild West Show, to the Hollywood Western sirens like Josie Sedwick and Barbara Stanwyck, COWGIRLS is a visual feast, detailing the sagas of the Wests finest female pioneers with many never-before published photographs.

The writing/photography team of Elizabeth Clair Flood and William Manns, who also brought Cowboys & the Trappings of the Old West to life, researched the history of these famous ladies for five years, many times drawing on the rare collectibles of Western aficionados across the country to illustrate the colorful history of these women.

In addition to show casing famous photographs of the daring ladies, Flood and Manns even highlight the magnificent clothing and gear that evolved as rapidly as the spirit of the cowgirls themselves, many times showing original items side by side with historical photographs. Divided into six chapters, COWGIRLS covers the migration of women out west and the necessity for them to work the land and cattle, to the glory days of rodeo and cowgirl images in Hollywood and works of art.

Floods writing is crisp and witty, and Manns photographs are dazzling. Their passion for all that is Western speaks to the adventurer in all of us throughout COWGIRLS, and to the female spirit. -- COWBOY AND INDIANS

Product Description
This exciting journey into this slice of true Americana begins with a foreword from Americas most beloved cowgirl, Dale Evans. Illustrated with more than 450 color photographs and historic images, COWGIRLS: Women of the Wild West pays tribute to the life and legacy of the pioneer woman in the American West, who worked on ranches, performed in Wild West shows, and competed in the rodeo arena.

The cowgirl appeared on the American frontier in the mid-1800s. She worked with stock alongside the cowboy and was a determined and spirited pioneer. Rancher Lorraine Plass, at age 87, epitomizes the cowgirl spirit: As long as the colt stays under me Ill do all right. I will get the job done.

In COWGIRLS, the author and photographer present the history of the cowgirl through a combination of compelling tales, illustrations of their gear, western art, and photography. In six chapters, COWGIRLS represents the years between 1880 and 1950, which include the migration of women to the West, the rodeo stars of the early twentieth century, the cowgirl images created by Hollywood, and unusual poster art. This colorful volume includes many photographs published for the first time and highlights the evolution of innovative cowgirl fashions. An important book for Western American collectors.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 224 pages
• Publisher: ZON International Publishing; 1st edition (January 3, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0939549182
• ISBN-13: 978-0939549184
• Product Dimensions: 11.8 x 9.4 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #442,159 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Love Them Madly, February 9, 2006

By	sandalista - See all my reviews

This beautiful & astonishing book is an astonishing look at America's horse latitudes & its women, the best out west. Even better than the women of Cody's Wild West and the 101 are rodeo riders like Tillie Baldwin, a Viking princess with the heart of a Viking warrior in boots & chaps. The photo of Baldwin's Roman Ride at the Stampede in 1913 is worth every dollar & dime of the books cost and justifies every hour of effort that Elizabeth Flood spent in bringing her Cowgirls to publication.

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Some good pictures, mostly a let down, November 26, 2002

By	Sarah Tebeau (Clovis, CA United States) - See all my reviews

This large picture book had some interesting photos of true cowgirls, but mostly it was just old 1950's artists' reditions. Not really what you might hope for. Like the cover? That is pretty much the entire book. Really no inforamtion about true American cowgirls, just some over used pictures.

5.0 out of 5 stars Cowgirls: Women of the Wild West, December 8, 2007

By	Cowgirl Kate "Katie" (New Mexico) - See all my reviews

What a wonderful book! The old pictures are beautifully reproduced. In fact, they so remind me of my Grandmother who loved Frontier Days in the 40s in my home town. She loved horses, cowboys & cowgirls. What a fun look into our colorful past and some wild women who lived on the edge!