Leonie - A Woman Ahead of Her Time - The Remarkable True Story Of Dr. Leonie Von Zesch And Her Adventurous Life In The American West Of The Early 20th Century

by Leonie von Zesch

Leonie von Zesch (1882-1944), daughter of a German countess, was born in Llano, Texas. At age 19, she graduated as a Doctor of Dental Surgery joining the ranks of the few women dentists of the times. Her professional credentials allowed her the freedom to ignore the then current social conventions and follow her heart, combining work with adventure, preferring the wilds of Alaska, California and Arizona to the tameness of city life.

She aspired to be a writer and recounted her experiences with the Hopi people of Walpi; the Mormon families of Northern Arizona; her travels to the remote interior of Alaska by dog-sled; her Grand Tour of Europe and the Middle East in the Roaring Twenties; working with the UAX during the Great Depression and her final professional appointments with the Civilian Conservation Corps in The Mother Lode Country and dentist at California’s women’s prison in Tehachapi.

“Leonie – A Woman Ahead of Her Time” immerses the reader in another era as seen through the eyes of a woman of extraordinary courage and determination.

Leonie left her personal effects and papers to her niece, Jane Troutman, who was 18 and out of state in college at the time of her aunt’s death. The short stories and manuscripts containing the various versions of Leonie’s memoirs were stored in banker’s boxes for 35 years. They were discovered after the death of Leonie’s sister, Jane’s mother. However, it wasn’t until 2002 that Ms. Troutman read all of her aunt’s writings and understood the remarkable nature of Leonie’s life. She started piecing together the various versions of her aunt’s manuscripts, a herculean task as many pages were unnumbered and out of order.

“Leonie – A Woman Ahead of Her Time” was released in May 2011 and the San Francisco Chronicle published one chapter in April 2011, to commemorate the 105th anniversary of the Great Earthquake.

340 pages, Kindle Edition

First published May 2, 2011

Reviews

[Dorothy · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fascinating book about a remarkable woman.... and some of this book has stayed with me, as it stands unique as a testament to not only Leonie's inner strength, but also to snapshots of a much older America. No other book taught me more about the state of travel or the practice of medicine and dentistry at that time or the crippling impact of the SF Earthquake than this book does, almost inadvertently, by sticking so closely to Leonie's story.

[Natalie Kral · Rating 3 out of 5]

Super interesting read—a little dense with info

[Kristine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing book about a woman truly ahead of her time - graduating as a dentist in 1902, practicing dentistry at the Precidio in April 1906 after the San Francisco earthquake, going by sled in winter snows of 1915 from Cordova to Fairbanks, Alaska. She put her life in danger over and over again in order to be of service to humanity going where no other dentists would go! She also lived for 15 years in Nome, Alaska and about three years in the area gold country of Northern California where i used to live, among other places. Truly inspiring book!

[Heidi Black · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very interesting book. Very easy to read with lots of adventures.