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.