Women Who Charmed the West

by Anne Seagraves, SEAGRAVES

Legendary actresses of the past are brought front & center in this lively, entertaining book. From the Victorian era of the 1800s through the turn-of-the-century, famous stars like Lillian Russell, Sarah Bernhardt, Maude Adams, & Lillie Langtry provided the real glitz & glitter of yesterday's stage. Their careers revolved around New York, which was recognized as the theatrical capital of America. Its flashy variety houses, elegant theaters, & sophisticated audiences were a large draw. In the East, however, ladies of the stage were considered, by many women, to be immoral or "sinful". Society matrons would stand in line for hours to see an actress perform, but rarely invited her to enter their homes. In the frontier towns & cities of the West, though, these talented artists were received with friendliness & respect...& while playing the West, the actresses not only entertained their audiences-- they charmed them! "Women Who Charmed the West" is well written, professionally designed, & illustrated with elegant photographs. The author in a highly accessible way, successfully re-opens the lives of these remarkable women. With lively stories, she allows the famous actresses of yesterday to stroll once more across the stage of time.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, Biography, Womens

176 pages, Paperback

First published August 1, 1991

Reviews

[Vicki Guderian · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very enjoyable short stories of actresses of the 1800's pieced together through research and newspaper articles. I feel the author did a thorough job and gave interesting stories of these adventurous, strong women.

[artsandseances · Rating 4 out of 5]

Is this book perfectly researched and cited to my own standard? No. But it is absolutely packed with charming and funny anecdotes and stories of the fascinating lives of women who were often ahead of their time. I especially enjoyed the chapter about Annie Oakley, but there were many other stories of women I was not previously familiar with which I really enjoyed.

[Mr. Wakiki · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have been really enjoying Ms. Seagraves books. This is the fourth (I think) and the information is very interesting.... though each person could probably have a book written on them, for he the sketch is perfect

[Deedee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Picked this up while on vacation "out west". Famous women mostly from the 1800's. Easy read with many photos.

[Mishon · Rating 3 out of 5]

Short looks at the life of a few women. Some I had heard a bit about, others were new to me.

[Cathy Cole · Rating 3 out of 5]

This slim volume packs a lot of interesting-- and fun-- information about actresses who charmed audiences throughout the western United States from the 1800s and on to the turn of the twentieth century.

Nine legendary actresses from the likes of Lillian Russell, Sarah Bernhardt, Adah Isaacs Menken, and Lillie Langtry grace this entertaining book in photographs and text. For the most part, I already knew much about such performers as Russell, Bernhardt, and Langtry, but I still enjoyed being reminded of their talents and their exploits. Reading about those who are even less well known made me want to begin research on them as soon as I finished the book.

If you like discovering tidbits such as which actress was the world's first superstar... or which actress had the first red carpet rolled out for her, this is definitely the book for you. It may be a light version of women's history, but with the bibliography in the back, it won't be difficult to learn even more about them if you're so inclined. I know I am!

[Denise · Rating 4 out of 5]

A book on the history of women is show business early in history. This seems like a great jumping off point to learning history of women in history.
These women took steps to be themselves and build a life in the show business that they loved. Many of these women did some unthinkable acts of the time, like showing skin above the ankle. They danced, they sang and lived life to the fullest. This book offers a view into the world of women that took the stage by storm and often lived their personal lives the same way, just a little more above the bar than the norm.
Great fast read with brief stories on several women that charmed the west.

[Heather · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting book about women entertainers in the wild west. Most of these women you've probably never heard of, which is what makes them so fascinating. Plenty of primary sources used and pictures of the ladies which makes some of their fantastic stories all the more real.

[Jan Kramer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Profiles of several actresses of the Old West - some tender, some racy, some brilliant.

[Maureen · Rating 3 out of 5]

I purchased this when I lived in South Lake Tahoe. Interesting stories of the women in the early west such as Lily Langtry and Annie Oakley.

[John · Rating 4 out of 5]

A easy but very informative book of biographies of women entertainers of the nineteenth century.

[Rita Flaherty · Rating 3 out of 5]

I picked up a copy of this after Reading Soiled Doves by Ms. Seagraves. The women that she selected in this book are a myriad of personalities and an array of lives. Well chosen and well written.

[Elizabeth · Rating 2 out of 5]

Women Who Charmed the West (Paperback)
by Anne Seagraves

[Bonnie]

Loved it!