Charley's Choice: The Life and Times of Charley Parkhurst

by Fern J. Hill

Charley Parkhurst ran away from an orphanage, worked hard learning horse craft, and, over the ensuing years, earned a hallmark reputation driving a six-up in Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Georgia, and California during the gold rush era. When death overtook Charley, many long-time friends and acquaintances were astounded to learn the tought old stage-driver was a well-endowed woman who had given birth at some point in her life. A member of the all male Independent Order of Odd Fellows, Charley was the only woman known to have voted in California during the 1868 federal election, fifty-two years before women won the right to vote.

Genres: History, Historical

280 pages, Kindle Edition

First published May 1, 2008

Reviews

[Simmonsmry · Rating 3 out of 5]

We all have tough choices to make in our lives, but when those choices force us to keep secrets we are always afraid will catch up with us, it can lead to a tumultuous life of always looking over our shoulder and wondering who we can trust.
In ‘Charley’s Choice: The Life and Times of Charley Parkhurst,’ author Fern J. Hill explores the inner life of a woman who kept her gender a secret for most of her life while she earned her living as a stage-coach driver during the gold rush era in the United States.
Hill takes the bare-bone facts about this historical figure and breathes life into them, creating a character that has lived an extraordinary life under difficult circumstances. Charley can be crass and distant while at other times being warm and loving. She is also thoughtful and sympathetic while also being standoffish and selfish. Because of her choice to be perceived as a man, she is often unable to allow people to form a close relationship with her, for fear that they would discover her secret; however, she is fiercely loyal to those with whom she bonds.
While Hill addresses gender, racial and social issues, she does so subtly, in Charley’s brusque voice. When Charley confronts an unexpected pregnancy, she is forced to consider the same options faced by countless other women. She becomes frustrated when she can’t avoid a decision by pretending to be a man, as she has in the past. “I wanted to ride free of this, too, but couldn’t, not only ’cause of the kid growing in my belly, but something deeper still.” She observes that, “Men and women are made different at their core. Men protect and women preserve what’s important to them.”
Even though Charley has to take on the role of a man in order to do the work she loves, a recurring theme in the novel is her gratitude for being free to make such a choice. She encounters other people throughout her life who are enslaved in some form or another and do not have the option.
‘Charley’s Choice’ is a character-driven look at history, in which we get to see how far we have come and also how far we still have to go. Although a woman can now obtain a career a “man’s world” without having to pretend to be a man, many obstacles still exist and the injustices Charley faced are still faced in the modern world. By examining this historical figure and her place in the world, Hill holds up a mirror to current society and the choices we make.

[Angelica Taggart · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fern Hill creates an excellent account of what must have been an uncomfortable time for this woman who did whatever it took to do what she loved!

[Dawn · Rating 5 out of 5]

I almost didn't give this book a chance as I read very little of historical fiction. In this case, I can say I would have missed out on one of the best books I have read, across all genres. Fern used to belong to our writer's group and happened to visit on one of our meeting days. That day I found out about Charley's Choice and from the enthusiasm of the group, decided maybe I should give the book a try.

From the moment I opened the book to the first page, I was entranced. I could see the world through Charley's eyes. I felt like I was Charley, driving a loaded six-up, shooting at a Puma and giving birth to a daughter. There is nothing more satisfying that reading a book that not only engages your mind but gives you the capability of being the main character.

I wish I could give this book more than five stars.

[martha · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book!

[Sandy EggO · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting read. Charley is a woman living a man's life in the 19th century. Not only as a man, but as a stagecoach driver. Six-up horses hitched to a stagecoach, running full out on narrow mountain trails. Makes for an exciting life.

[Terry Maloney · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good book, same story as The Whip, but I liked this version better.