{"product_id":"calamity-jane-the-woman-and-the-legend-9780806142517","title":"Calamity Jane: The Woman and the Legend","description":"Forget Doris Day singing on the stagecoach. Forget Robin Weigert's gritty portrayal on HBO's \u003ci\u003eDeadwood\u003c\/i\u003e. The real Calamity Jane was someone the likes of whom you've never encountered. That is, until now.\u003cp\u003eThis book is a definitive biography of Martha Canary, the woman popularly known as Calamity Jane. Written by one of today's foremost authorities on this notorious character, it is a meticulously researched account of how an alcoholic prostitute was transformed into a Wild West heroine.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAlways on the move across the northern plains, Martha was more camp follower than the scout of legend. A mother of two, she often found employment as waitress, laundress, or dance hall girl and was more likely to be wearing a dress than buckskin. But she was hard to ignore when she'd had a few drinks, and she exploited the aura of fame that dime novels created around her, even selling her autobiography and photos to tourists.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eGun toting, swearing, hard drinking--Calamity Jane was all of these, to be sure. But whatever her flaws or foibles, James D. McLaird paints a compelling portrait of an unconventional woman who more than once turned the tables on those who sought to condemn or patronize her. He also includes dozens of photos--many never before seen--depicting Jane in her many guises. His book is a long-awaited biography of Martha Canary and the last word on Calamity Jane.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAbout the Author\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eMcLaird, James D.:\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e - \u003cb\u003eJames D. McLaird\u003c\/b\u003e (1940-2017) was Professor Emeritus of History, Dakota Wesleyan University, Mitchell, South Dakota. He is the author of numerous articles on western history and myth-making, focusing especially on South Dakota and the Black Hills. \u003cbr\u003e","brand":"University of Oklahoma Press","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":50726169477394,"sku":"9780806142517","price":29.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0831\/4771\/8930\/files\/img_07ea74b1-1253-4268-8735-eeb36a692054.jpg?v=1734856397","url":"https:\/\/surprise-castle.myshopify.com\/products\/calamity-jane-the-woman-and-the-legend-9780806142517","provider":"Surprise Castle","version":"1.0","type":"link"}