Bandit Queen

In 1886 she left Toledo Ohio to marry Frank Hart, but sixteen year old Pearl quickly learns her spouse is an abusive gambler. He wasted the money she earned singing at the 1893 Chicago World's Fair and Exposition; demanding she earn more. Unable to accept more from her nasty husband after he broke her ribs, Pearl runs away heading to Phoenix. Frank follows her trail and continues his ugly treatment of his wife who loses hope. However, she feels relief she will have a breather when Frank enlists to fight in the Spanish-American War. With no income and her other choice being a whore Pearl robs a stagecoach. She becomes renowned as the Bandit Queen who is finally caught, escapes, but is captured again. In 1899 she is convicted of robbery after using a Women's Rights defense based on the options society allowed her of marriage or prostitution and becomes the first female incarcerated at Yuma Penitentiary. This is an enjoyable biographical fiction tale of a complex individual who rejects marital abuse and prostitution so she makes her own path in a society that allowed no other options for model class females. Fans will enjoy Jane Candia Coleman's fine tale based on a true person that reminds the audience how far women have come from critical restrictions based on de facto racism and sexism.. Harriet Klausner

This is a novel about a real life bandit lady, Pearl Hart. It starts out with a sixteen year old Pearl being swept off her feet by a "black sheep" named Frank. After running away from her childhood home and eloping, Pearl discovers she chose her husband very unwisely. He gambles, he beats her, and suffers extreme bouts of jealousy. Pearl runs away but he finds her (What kind of woman runs away from her husband and doesn't bother to change her name??) and of course, she takes him back. Two children and a ton of heartache later, Pearl is once again free but new difficulties arise. Bad luck follows this lady bandit everywhere. When she gets a job as a cook, the kitchen is swept away in a flood. When she gets a job in a hotel, the place burns down. And it goes on. I don't wish to reveal too much, but a stagecoach robbery gone bad lands her in prison. There may or may not be a happy ending for Pearl Hart... I enjoyed this and devoured it in one evening but I gave it only four stars because A. Pearl was a stowaway on a train to get out west in the first place, so why didn't she just stow herself away a second time? Why rob a stagecoach for money for a ticket? B. A knight in shining armour named Cal is just way too perfect and understanding. Overall tho, a pretty good tale.