'This is a story of how a young woman, shell-shocked by a cruel war...became the most infamous female outlaw of the American West, whether or not she deserved such a title'.

I will admit to knowing nothing about Belle Starr and her infamy before coming into this book however I've always been a sucker for a kick-ass FMC whether real or fictional. I will also admit, that I don't feel like I now know much more about her life, in terms of biographical detail, after reading this book. Though clearly she defied the gender stereotype of her time, and certainly that of a 'Southern Belle', Wallis clarifies that much of the legend of Belle was trumped up by journalists wanting to sell papers.

Despite not necessarily learning more about Belle, in terms of a biography, I certainly found the book very interesting to read. Michael Wallis delivers a comprehensive, well-researched book about the life and times in which Belle lived, taking the time to touch upon, throughout, how certain people and events substantiate or deviate from the mythologised legend of the Belle that had been sensationalised in the papers. I particularly enjoyed learning more about just how destructive the Civil War was, especially to those bordering the Mason Dixon line, and just how the Wild West became so, well, wild. 'Their wartime experience acted as the catalyst for the creation of criminal dynasty that would last for decades and serve as the basis for many popular outlaw legends of the so-called Wild West'. I would therefore not hesitate to recommend it to lovers of American history and its Wild West.

'Myra [Belle] had grown up in a pro-Confederate family on the fringe of the frontier...Her early years had been spent in the company of unreconstructed Confederates and outlaws. Consequently, her male companions came from dubious ranks'.

In the history of the legendary Wild West, Belle Starr's name is up there with Calamity Jane & Annie Oakley. Like those other two women, Belle's life history has been romanticised & sensationalised until many would not know where the truth & the lies begin & end.

Through the American Civil War & its aftermath, the author painstakingly recreates the events of Starr's short life, & finds that in most cases, the crimes ascribed to her were greatly embellished

This book aims to set the record straight using correspondence, official records, & contemporary newspaper accounts, & traces her beginnings as a Southern belle to a woman who rejected contemporary expectations & lived life how she pleased.

This is an interesting & well-researched book about Belle Starr which corrects many errors & dispels the myths which have accumulated over time. If it has a flaw, it's that the spotlight is not on Belle for quite a lot of the time & the writing sometimes gets bogged down in the minutiae of other people's lives to the detriment of the main focus. It was informative though & if you enjoy nonfiction reads about the American Wild West, then it would be well worth a look.

My thanks to NetGalley & publishers, W. W. Norton & Company/Liveright, for the opportunity to read an ARC.

Michael Wallis is adept at weaving historical facts into engaging tales of our nation's past.

In his latest work, Belle Starr, Wallis takes on the mythic legend of the wild west outlaw. Wallis works to separate the fact from the fiction that followed after Starr's murder.

While typically portrayed as a villain, Wallis' research finds that's not really the case.

By using accounts from the time, and records he takes us back to Starr's birth and the motivating events that led to her outlaw lifestyle, finding the heart behind her decisions to live outside the law.

The Starr we meet here is a woman who rejected traditional gender roles and found a place for herself in the world while she struggled to overcome emotional losses.

Really great read.

Interesting and well-researched, but I thought that Belle herself was somewhat buried in the avalanche of detail about her times. Still worth the read, but I didn’t feel in the end that I had any further understanding of the woman behind the legend.

Belle Starr, known as the Bandit Queen, is one of those Wild West outlaws whose legendary exploits rank up there alongside Jesse James and Cole Younger. Many of Belle’s antics were embellished. Others were entirely made up either during her short life or after she was gunned down. Historian Michael Wallis breaks down the myths and uncovers the truth of Belle Starr’s life. Belle was a fascinating woman whose formative years were shaped by the violence of the Civil War and life was lived in the lawless era of Wild West. Yes, she committed many crimes during her short life—though it was nowhere near as many as were attributed to her. Her main crime was refusing to conform to the standards that other women of the Victorian Era were held to and instead was a rebel and an outlaw. Belle’s life story is not pretty, and she is not always a sympathetic or likeable woman. But she is not the demon that other biographers have made her to be. I highly recommend BELLE STARR: THE TRUTH BEHIND THE WILD WEST LEGEND to anyone interested in the American West or outlaws.

A very interesting read. It was well researched and very well written. I had heard of her before this but never knew much about her, this book solved that.