Thank you to the University of Nebraska Press and NetGalley for the ARC. My review is voluntary, and all opinions are my own.

I grew up a few miles from Buffalo Bill's Scout Ranch, so I have always been curious about Buffalo Bill. This accounting, as mentioned, is Louisa's idealized version. It was still very interesting reading of their marriage during that era. The sorrow of losing all four of their children was deeply felt. This was a good book on Buffalo Bill and Louisa Cody.

Memories of Buffalo Bill was written by Louisa Frederici Cody with the help of Courtney Ryley Cooper after William Cody’s death.

As stated in Sherry L. Smith’s introduction, this is an idealized view of Buffalo Bill (Will) and Louisa’s marriage authored by Louisa. The divorce proceedings humiliated her and it what was publicized was mostly Will’s testimony as he tried to have their marriage dissolved. After his death, she had the opportunity to put her version of the truth out there. This was a very interesting to learn about life back then from Louisa’s point of view. It was disturbing to read the parts regarding the killing of Indians as just another notch on a gun, but it was true to the times. At the end there are a number of photographs and exerts from the divorce depositions.

Rating: ★★☆☆☆

Memories of Buffalo Bill offers a personal account of Louisa Frederici Cody’s life with her husband, William “Buffalo Bill” Cody. Spanning from their early days in Leavenworth, Kansas, through the expansion of their family and Cody’s rise to fame as an actor and showman, the memoir captures a unique perspective on a legendary American figure.

However, most of the book reads as an idealized version of their relationship. Louisa’s portrayal is reverent and emotionally restrained, often skimming over deeper marital struggles or the more difficult realities of frontier life. While there’s nothing technically wrong with the writing or structure, the narrative feels overly romanticized and lacks the introspective depth or complexity that could have made it more compelling.

Readers interested in the myth of Buffalo Bill may appreciate this perspective, but those looking for a more critical or layered portrayal may find it lacking.

Thank you to NetGalley and University of Nebraska Press for the free advance copy in exchange for an honest review.