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Little Miss Sure Shot: Annie Oakley's World by Jeffrey Marshall
Synopsis
Little Miss Sure Shot is a fictionalized account of the life of Annie Oakley, drawing heavily on the real timelines and events of her life. The book invents situations, people she meets, and a myriad of conversations. Moreover, while the book is presented chronologically, apart from the prologue, it skips certain periods and attempts to focus on those that are especially vital, such as the early years Annie spent with Buffalo Bill's Wild West Show, including the tours through Europe. A special feature of the novel is the framing of Annie's loving marriage to fellow sharpshooter Frank Butler, whom she married at sixteen and remained married to for 50 years until her death. Frank was far more than just her husband - he was her manager (he gave up his own shooting for that role) and her constant companion. The novel closes with an epilogue in Frank's voice, presenting an overview of their lives together and the circumstances of her death in 1926.
Excerpt
There was nothing like Buffalo Bill’s Wild West show, and there never would be again. It was the best thing Annie and Frank were ever involved with, and it took them to places Annie had never dreamed about, like London and Paris. And it made her famous: Some wrote during her time with the show that she was one of the most famous women in the world.
It wasn’t a circus; it was an event, an extravaganza. Cody had devised a series of tableaus, each involving dozens or more performers, that played up key themes and events from the West. The most specific one was the defeat of Custer at Little Big Horn, with the make-believe battle and the slaughtering of the cavalry. He also had pioneers crossing the prairie and being attacked by Indians, and scenes from Indian villages and firefights with Mexicans. More than anything, it was about the taming of the West. It was loud and rousing. The Indians didn’t come off all that well, but it treated much of their culture with real feeling, and emphasized their bravery as much as their savagery. And it used real Indians as performers, a fact that was highly unusual for the day.
It was hard to describe the show without talking about its scale. It was what Annie learned to call a menagerie, a new word for her. There were Indians galore, decked in war paint and feathers, with bows and lances. There were Mexicans, with huge sombreros and serapes draped over their shoulders. There were cowboys in chaps and Stetsons, with big mustaches. There were even long-horne
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By Simon Denman, Author and Founder of Readers in the KnowSynopsis
Little Miss Sure Shot is a fictionalized account of the life of Annie Oakley, drawing heavily on the real timelines and events of her life. The book invents situations, people she meets, and a myriad of conversations. Moreover, while the book is presented chronologically, apart from the prologue, it skips certain periods and attempts to focus on those that are especially vital, such as the early years Annie spent with Buffalo Bill's Wild West Show, including the tours through Europe. A special feature of the novel is the framing of Annie's loving marriage to fellow sharpshooter Frank Butler, whom she married at sixteen and remained married to for 50 years until her death. Frank was far more than just her husband - he was her manager (he gave up his own shooting for that role) and her constant companion. The novel closes with an epilogue in Frank's voice, presenting an overview of their lives together and the circumstances of her death in 1926.
Excerpt
There was nothing like Buffalo Bill’s Wild West show, and there never would be again. It was the best thing Annie and Frank were ever involved with, and it took them to places Annie had never dreamed about, like London and Paris. And it made her famous: Some wrote during her time with the show that she was one of the most famous women in the world.
It wasn’t a circus; it was an event, an extravaganza. Cody had devised a series of tableaus, each involving dozens or more performers, that played up key themes and events from the West. The most specific one was the defeat of Custer at Little Big Horn, with the make-believe battle and the slaughtering of the cavalry. He also had pioneers crossing the prairie and being attacked by Indians, and scenes from Indian villages and firefights with Mexicans. More than anything, it was about the taming of the West. It was loud and rousing. The Indians didn’t come off all that well, but it treated much of their culture with real feeling, and emphasized their bravery as much as their savagery. And it used real Indians as performers, a fact that was highly unusual for the day.
It was hard to describe the show without talking about its scale. It was what Annie learned to call a menagerie, a new word for her. There were Indians galore, decked in war paint and feathers, with bows and lances. There were Mexicans, with huge sombreros and serapes draped over their shoulders. There were cowboys in chaps and Stetsons, with big mustaches. There were even long-horne