Etta

This novel has everything to enjoy in a book, fascinating characters and an enthralling story. We all know about the legend of the Hole in the Wall Gang and their ring leaders Butch and Sundance but Etta is usually portrayed as just a pretty face, tolerant of their shenanigans. This book fills out any speculative questions we might have had and who cares that it is fiction. Etta is a product of a wealthy Philadelphia family with an unfortunate history. When her mother died at birth, her father plunged into a depression relieved only by spending time with his daughter but also, what led to his destruction, gambling. He did spend time teaching her to ride and shoot,as well or better than himself, saying these skills would serve her better than the courses her fellow debutants favored. Thus she never learned to cook but after the family fortune disappeared with her father's death, these skills saved her from those hunting her with evil intent, because of the gambling debts her father incurred to the Black Hand, what passed for the Mafia at the turn of the century. Time and again, Etta crossed paths with historical figures such Eleanor Roosevelt and Buffalo Bill Cody.These incidents are so integral to the story and Etta's life and survival. This book reads like watching a movie, the descriptions of place, characters and action are so vivid. I hated the thought of this book ending, I enjoyed it that much, like some of Larry Mc Murtry's epics. I hope this author has another novel in the works, I am looking forward to it.

Forget the movie! Little is known about the woman that loved the Sundance Kid and rode with the Kid and Butch Cassidy. Who was Etta Place? Gerald Kolpan has created a life for Etta Place. Kolpan's image of Place is one of a young girl raised by a single father. She was taught to shoot and ride. After her father's suicide, she was forced to change her name. The Black Hand was after her for her father's unpaid debts. When a man accosts her, she kills him in self defense. His family accuses her of murder. She takes refuge with Butch Cassidy's gang. Her life was one of adventure. She robbed trains, pretended to be Annie Oakley, and befriended Eleanor Roosevelt. She and Sundance considered themselves champions of the poor. My review can never do justice to this book. Gerald Kolpan has captured the essence of Etta Place. This book is captivating. I enjoyed every page. I felt Etta's fear, triumph, sadness, and joy. I will look forward to more books by this author.

This is a beautifully written and designed story and if, perhaps, it's not really the 'true' story of Etta Place -- it should have been! Well imagined and lush, it fleshes out the mysterious personality of the woman who was reputedly the girl-friend of the Sundance Kid. Gerald Kolpan's novel is marvelous; the reader is quickly drawn into the story of young Lorinda Jamison, who must flee Philadelphia after her father's suicide and loss of the family wealth. The story is peppered with well known American heroes (and anti-heroes), ranging from Annie Oakley to Eleanor Roosevelt as the story of Lorinda's transformation into 'Etta Place' is achieved through help by her loyal family lawyer. Rechristened Etta, she is put upon a train and sent to Chicago to become a 'Harvey Girl' (all explained in the book) and the stage is set for Etta's remarkable life. A great read--this is one helluva super novel. Brilliantly executed by the author, Etta is a refreshingly wonderful tale of a remarkable woman. If you never heard of her before--you won't forget her after this book!

I loved the film "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid." Remember, Paul Newman played the bandit known for his banter and slapstick humor? Robert Redford was Sundance, a sophisticated kind of outlaw whose wit was more biting than Butch's, but whose intelligence and gun were just as fast. Beautiful Katherine Ross, who had a bit part, played Etta Place, the light of Sundance's life. I always wondered who Etta really was and what happened to her. Now, Gerald Kolpan has written a glorious fiction, using his bountiful imagination, coupled with what little known facts exist about the enigmatic Etta - the sum of which is a rollicking tale about this multifaceted woman - the heroine, the main event, in this novel. Our story opens with Miss Lorinda Reese Jamison of Philadelphia, graduate of the Irwin School, and cotillians at the Union League. However, Miss Lorinda was ever so much more than the usual deb. This high-spirited 19 year-old, rode like a hoyden, side saddle or astride, was even able to shoot like a pro...while on horseback. Her horse, the demon black stallion Bellerophon, was as wild as she was, and Lorinda was the only one who could handle him. Unfortunately, her days of good fortune were short. Mr. Graham David Jamison, her father and assistant chief officer of the Seaman's and Merchants National Bank and Mercantile Society, was somewhat of a profligate. He drank, gambled and owed over two million dollars in debts. So he committed suicide. Etta found him dead in his study. This deceased paragon, able to trace his ancestry back to the earliest days of the Republic, was now being investigated, posthumously, by the police and the bank for embezzlement. Lorinda, his only heir, watched as her house and all its belongings were sold. And she learned from the trusted family lawyer that the worst of her problems was yet to come. Her father had gambled to such an extent that he became involved with a cabal of unscrupulous "Sicilian villains." They wanted their money, in cash, yesterday. Lorinda, now responsible for repaying the debt with interest, found herself penniless but brave. These ruthless criminals, who called their band of Merry Men, "The Black Hand, had the young lady followed and thought nothing of killing her or destroying her considerable beauty by throwing acid in her face. They would pursue her to the ends of the earth. Lorinda had to leave town, using the 1st of her aliases, immediately. Thus "Etta Place" was born. The kindly lawyer gave her false ID papers, money, a train ticket to Chicago and letters of recommendation to meet a Miss Lorretta Kelly at the Chicago train station. Lorinda, aka Etta, was met as promised, along with a few hundred other young women applying for the same job. They were to be "Harvey Girls." At this time, trains in the West did not offer meal service. Fred Harvey assessed the situation and came up with a money-making business plan. He established a series of restaurants on the Santa Fe lines. Trains wou

I received this book from Library Thing's Early Reviewers program. It is due to be released in March. I was dubious - to say the least - not being a fan of historical fiction or the Wild West. But I feel an obligation to read these early releases quickly and get a review out. And so I began. Boy, was I surprised! Apparently Gerald Kolpan became fascinated with Etta Place some years ago when he realized that the notorious companion of The Sundance Kid was a vast mystery. Almost nothing is known about her. So Kolpan has proceeded, in this book, to craft a fictional account of what her life might have been like - where she came from, how she happened to mix up with Butch Cassidy's gang, and her romance and life with the Sundance Kid. The result is a book you can't put down. This story is imagined so well that it could actually be her life - in fact, I wish it was a true story. This book is about as close to perfection as it gets for me. A little bit of suspense and intrigue, a good solid love story (without too much sappy-ness), and a deep character study. In the past, books where the author tries to intersperse news articles or journal entries has seemed jarring to me. In this book, Mr. Kolpan does a great job of weaving them into the story. In fact, I have no criticisms of this book at all. Read it. You'll love it, even if you think the Wild West holds no interest for you. This is a story about a woman's life, and an fascinating one at that. But plan wisely, you'll be reading late into the night!