Bad Boys of the Black Hills... And Some Wild Women, Too

by Barbara Fifer

The lively romp details some of the Wild West's most engaging stories, specifically in the Black Hills and Deadwood, home to prostitutes and poets, desperados and dancehall girls, fortune tellers and fugitives. Readers will meet a host of rowdies ranging from madams to stagecoach robbers, from tall-tale tellers to killers.
- Profiles more than 95 bad boys, wild women, and engaging events from the 1870s Black Hills
- Features foreword by Jerry Bryant, research curator and historical archaeologist, Adams Museum and House, Black Hills, South Dakota
- Includes 20 historical photographs
- Features extensive timeline of Black Hills events
- Includes map of Deadwood in the 1870s, as well as a map of the Black Hills
- Perfect for lovers of history and visitors to the Black Hills region
Please visit us at FarcountryPress.com for more information on the Bedside Reader Series.

Genres: Nonfiction, History, Historical

200 pages, Paperback

First published April 1, 2008

Reviews

[Cody · Rating 3 out of 5]

Bad Boys of the Black Hills...and Some Wild Women too offers a quick guide at the historical figures that encompassed or influenced the community in and round Deadwood South Dakota during the historical days of the American Frontier. Figures include Al Swearingen (wickedly played by Ian McShane on HBO's Deadwood), Will Bill Hickok, Jack Langrishe, Calamity Jane, and Captain Jack Crawford, among many others. History fans of the era will be interested in this short collection of biographies, but it offers nothing new to the subjects and time period at hand, but can be considered a moderate introduction to the historical era in South Dakota.

[Tracey Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a great book to read if you are planning a trip to the Black Hills of South Dakota and want to learn more about some of the notable historical figures that make up this region's colorful history. It does read a bit like a textbook at times, but it's a nonfiction book that educates the reader on the personalities that made the Black Hills what they are today. I picked this book up at the store at Custer State Park last summer as I wanted to read up on some of the lesser-known historical figures of the area, and it does a nice job of covering those folks as well.

[Carolyn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Short stories about the lawmen and criminals of Deadwood in the Black Hills, during the 1860's to 1880's. Interesting, except it kept talking about Calamity Jane, as if I should know who she was. I always thought she was fictional. I did find out 70% of the way through that she was an alcoholic prostitute in the old west. There was a series of dime novels about 'Calamity Jane' but all that she shared with the character was a name.

[Paula Galvan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very interesting and informative. I loved all the history included in this book and how the author included stories of the less famous characters of the era. Well done.

[Kathy Kramer · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is what I like to call the "sampler platter". While it covers a fairly broad subject and doesn't go into a lot of depth, it gives the reader an introduction and starting point if they wish to go more in depth. I'd recommend this book to people who are not familiar with the history of the area and it's colorful characters. Although I enjoyed this book, some of my fellow history dorks may find this to be the literary equivalent of Chinese food: tasty but you're hungry again in about an hour.

[Lee A · Rating 4 out of 5]

My family and I visited Deadwood SD (Black Hills) in the summer of 2020. Pick up this book that is about the gold rush of 1876 and ensuing history. Book filled with short half page to 3 page stories about the region. Fun book and truly the wild west.

[Sj Satin · Rating 2 out of 5]

Given the wonderful subject matter, I found this a bit dry.