Stalwart Women: Frontier Stories of Indomitable Spirit

by Leo W. Banks

Tough enough to walk barefoot through miles of desert and cactus forest. Strong enough to fell a man with a jaw-crunching blow. Wily enough to con the U.S. Army. Even if you know all of the buffalo hunters, lawmen, rustlers, and warriors, you've missed the Old West's full excitement until you meet the unique women who plunged into the harsh unknown -- mad Mollie Monroe on her quest for revenge, Sara Bowman and her gigantic strength, daring Pauline Cushman behind the lines as a spy. Life was a struggle under extremes sometimes hard to imagine. Yet these are not fictionalized stories, but the gripping reality of tough women out West. They fought for a place in the hostile wilderness, charmed their way through war zones, and commandeered arduous rescue missions. These survivors didn't buckle when disaster struck, and disaster struck often. Stalwart Women contains 15 stories full of danger and adventure. Start in the middle or read them all straight through, you'll find that each chapter stands alone as a riveting portrait of gutsy endurance.

144 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1999

About the author

In high school, Leo W. Banks worked loading delivery trucks with the Sunday edition of the Boston Globe. In those days the Sunday paper was really heavy, so he switched from lifting to writing. He graduated from Boston College and earned a masters degree from the University of Arizona, where he later taught writing. His articles have appeared in the USA Today, Newsday, Miami Herald, National Review, National Geographic Traveler, Sports Illustrated, Wall Street Journal and many others. He has been a correspondent for the Los Angeles Times and, yes, the Boston Globe.

He has written four books of Old West history for Arizona Highways publishing and co-wrote a book about the Grand Canyon. His book about the saguaro cactus won’t stop selling. He has won thirty-eight statewide, regional and national journalism awards.

Leo has written four novels: Double Wide, Champagne Cowboys, .45 Caliber Perfume, and his latest, The Flying Z.