The Trials of Annie Oakley

by Howard Kazanjian, Chris Enss

Long before the silver screen showed the face of Mary Pickford to millions of Americans, Annie Oakley, born as Phoebe Anne Oakley Moses on August 13, 1860, had won the right to the title of “America’s Sweetheart.” Having grown up learning to shoot game to help support her family, Annie won first prize and met Frank Butler at a shooting match when she was fifteen years old. He convinced her to change her name to Annie Oakley and became her husband, manager, and number-one fan for the next fifty years.

Annie quickly gained worldwide fame as an incredible crack shot, and could amaze audiences at her uncanny accuracy with nearly any rifle or pistol, whether aiming at stationary objects or shooting fast-flying targets from the cockpit of a moving airplane. In August 1903, when she was well known as a champion shot in Buffalo Bill’s Wild West Show, Oakley became a target of defamation by a reporter for a newspaper owned by media magnate William Randolph Hearst. The libelous story alleged that the famous sure shot had been arrested for stealing and buying drugs. Annie sent a telegram denying the claim and asked the story to be retracted. Hearst refused and the story was then published in all his newspapers. Miss Oakley responded with a libel suit and spent seven years in court fighting the well-known businessman. During the long, drawn-out legal battle, Annie was struggling with health issues. Despite these trials she poured her energy into advocating for the US military, encouraging women to engage in sport shooting, and supporting orphans.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, Biography

200 pages, Hardcover

Published October 1, 2017

Reviews

[Kristy · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a biography that can be enjoyed by all ages

I am definitely one of those who knew of Annie Oakley only for her gun touting Wild West time with Buffalo Bill Cody. But she was so much more than that. A devoted wife and champion of charities; a advocate women owning guns and being in the military; the victim and fighter of yellow jacket journalism; an actress; and the list goes on and on. (Interestingly, she was against woman’s suffrage.)

Annie came from a poor family and started shooting game as a way to provide. Eventually meeting and beating her future husband, Frank, at a shooting competition sparked the start of her career.

However, an issue I had with this biography was that so much of it seemed excerpted from newspapers back then. It’s a short book and the amount used seemed equivalent to what a hefty bio would have. There were also many passages from journals and letters. I have nothing against using sources this way, but it became a little excessive.

[patrick Lorelli · Rating 5 out of 5]

The author takes you through Annie Oakley’s life. Childhood when her father died and began shooting to put food on the table, to one day watching an exhibition of trick shooting, to then competing against the man who would later become her husband. She won the completion and would go on to win many, many more. The author also weaves the love story of the two people and how two events would change her life. One being a train accident that would leave her in consent pain and back problems, the second being a trail against the most powerful newspaper man in America William Rudolph Hearst. I had always thought it was one trail but really it was 55, and could have been more but other newspaper settled with her out of court. Here is the thing after the very first trail that it was proven that the papers were wrong and she won and they were order to print a retraction. Hearst did so in small print towards the back page, while her original story made front page headlines she felt that she should have the retraction on the front page. Hearst did not agree, and did not like to be told what to do. He also did not think she would travel around fighting each and every one of the cases. He was wrong on both accounts and every time he went to jury he lost. Her case is still taught today in law school amazing. The papers that settled and print a retraction paid a small fee to a local orphanage in town. What most people did not know is that she help many different charities until she passed. This story also talks about her time with the Wild West show and traveling to Europe. Also goes into their love for one another and how they passed away within weeks of each other. A very good book about a fascinating women. I received this book from Netgalley.com I gave it 5 stars. Follow us at www.1rad-readerreviews.com

[Stephany Parkey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Enjoyed reading about this cool lady.

Here is a quote I loved, “Annie’s view about women learning how to use a weapon were progressive, but she was not involved with the broader movement to affect change. She was not a suffragist. She was an individualist. “I don’t like bloomers, or bloomer women,” Annie admitted in autobiography. She was at times a lady and she believed women should maintain their femininity even while shooting. She encouraged her female students to shun garments that were exceptionally short, or that might be perceived as too masculine.” Annie Oakley

I believe anything can be done in skirt and a girl can maintain femininity even in sports and adventurous hobbies.

[Michelle Kidwell · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Trials of Annie Oakley

by Howard Kazanjian and Chris Enss

Rowman & Littlefield

TwoDot



Biographies & Memoirs , Nonfiction (Adult)

Pub Date 01 Oct 2017

I am reviewing a copy of The Trials Of Annie Oakley Through Rowman & Littlefield and Netgalley:

Annie Oakley fell in love and married the first man she defeated in a riffle match. Frank E Butler was one of most noted marksmen in the west and he and Annie Oakley were married for fifty years.

Annie Oakley was a combination of dainty famine charms and lead bullets. Annie Oakley is also known as America’s first sweetheart after winning first prize at a shooting match as a teenager. She quickly earned world wide fame as a crack shot.

Annie Oakley was born Phoebe Ann Moses on August.13.1860. She was born in Darke County, Ohio. One of seven children her family struggled with poverty. After her Father died when she was around six years old Annie learned to use the gun her Father left behind to hunt to provide food for the family.

Annie Oakley began her career with Buffalo Bill’s Wild West show in 1885.

On August.18.1908 Annie Oakley’s Mom passed away at seventy six, and was laid to rest at Mendehall Cemetery in Yorkshire, Darke County Ohio. She was of course heartbroken but spurred on to Pennsylvania for shooting matches in the following month.

Annie Oakley believed that children should be taught how to shoot properly. In 1901 the markswoman would become paralyzed.

By the end of 1926 Annie and Frank were both in failing health. And on November.03.1926 she succumbed to the illness, she was sixty six. On November.21.1926 Frank too would die, never recovering from the loss of his wife.

I give The Trials Of Annie Oakley five out of five stars!

Happy Reading!

[Casey · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book while somewhat adequately covering the life of Annie Oakley is disappointing in that a major portion of the book has copies of articles from newspapers of that era and journal entries and notes from Annie. It is a short book to begin with (making it a very quick read), but it truly lacks the depth of what I would expect in a biography of anyone.

I recomend this book only for those looking for a quick overview on the life of Annie Oakley.

I received a free Kindle copy of this book courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher with the understanding that I would post a review on Net Galley, Goodreads, Amazon and my fiction book review blog. I also posted it to my Facebook and Twitter pages.

[Piper Gee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thanks to Net Galley and the publisher for the chance to read The Trials of Annie Oakley. This is my honest review.

I already knew quite a bit about Annie Oakley from learning about her and admiring her growing up. I still thoroughly enjoyed this book. There is a lot of information for the length, but it never feels like facts are just being thrown at you. It kept my attention and was very easy to read.

I think this could be enjoyed by people who know a bit about Annie Oakley just as well as those who don't! I would especially recommend it to those fascinated by Wild West stories and by those interested in learning more about notable women in history.

[Megan · Rating 5 out of 5]

*This book was given to me by the author in exchange for an honest review.*

She was at all times a lady...

This book was a pleasant surprise - an easily-read biography of a woman I had never truly studied before. I devoured it practically overnight. Never before had I read of Annie Oakley as a serene, dignified lady who wanted every woman to know how to hold and operate guns. Annie was a woman I wish I could have met. A true role model. Never again after reading this will I think of her the same way as I once did.

I'm so glad I was given the opportunity to read this, as I probably would not have done so on my own.

[Kate TerHaar · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very interesting account of the life of Annie Oakley. The books documents her life from her meager beginnings in Ohio to her rise to fame as the premier woman sharpshooter of the west. I was very interested in learning about the legal proceedings against newspapers reporting what turned out to be fake news about Annie and her life after Buffalo Bill's Wild West Show. She was a true American folk hero.

[Lois Welsh · Rating 5 out of 5]

I wish that I could give it more stars.

This is a story about an extraordinary woman in both talent and strong beliefs.

I know that I would not have handled what she went through.

The first Halloween that I can remember --I dressed as Annie Oakley.