Soiled Doves: Prostitution in the Early West

The lonely and sometimes tragic lives of prostitutes in the 'good' old west are revealed in this book by Anne Seagraves.While some women enjoyed a successful career and riches, most suffered lives filled with poverty, exploitation and disease. Alienated by society, church, and mostly other women, these women eked out a living in the only manner they knew how... As prostitutes.Universally reviled, the'soiled doves' often turned to gambling, alcohol and drugs. Few married and those that did, more often than not were pimped by their 'lowlife' husbands. Prostitution was a life that few women could escape and seemed to often end in loneliness and despair.This book explores the lives of prostitutes by telling the stories of several famous prostitutes, madams and the times they lived in.A 'must read' book for the authors of historical fiction, and for those interested in exploring the lives of women in the North West.

I thoroughly enjoy the writings of Anne Seagraves, mainly because her books aren't lofty and mired down in a "college history textbook" way. This book is no exception! Seagraves paints a compassionate, if dismal, picture of the lives of prostitutes in the 19th and 20th centuries. She speaks of the women she writes about as though they are dear and treasured friends whom have been wholly misunderstood. From the first page, I was drawn into the lives of such women as Mattie Silks, Julia Bulette and especially Donaldina Cameron, a woman largely responsible for the rescue of many young Chinese girls brought to San Francisco in the late 1800's and early 1900's as slaves for prostitution rings.Seagraves does not in any way condone prostitution in her writings, nor does she condemn it or the women who were participants in the trade. She only speaks passionately of these women, and you can't help but feel her passion throughout the book.

This book opened my eyes to what life was really like for some women in the old west. Some stories were sad but very moving. I bought this book to read while on vacation in S. Dakota and enjoyed it so much that I stopped at the same bookstore on the way home to purchase the rest of the books that were written by this author. I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys reading about the old west, women's issues or even just non-fiction. Can't go wrong with this one.

This book covers the topic of nineteenth century prostitution in the west in a fascinating and respectful manner. I couldn't put this book down as I read the sometimes moving, sometimes sad and sometimes amusing stories of these "soiled doves". Anne Seagraves paints a vivid picture of what life was like for these women in the old west. If you are interested in women's history, the west, or just human stories get this book!

Soiled Doves was a well written and informative view of 19th century prostitution in the United States. Readers will smile, cry, and become angry, as each of the stories unfold. "The Love Story of Lottie Johl" is a haunting story which relates the full spectrum of the human condition, and relates how humanity can be so incredibly cruel to others, those individuals that were simply trying to make a way for themselves in the west. The lives of many women were explored in Soiled Doves. The stories were tastefully written and a delight to read. After reading Soiled Doves, one develops a different, more forgiving, view of prostitution and the ladies who were employed in it during the 1800s. Soiled Doves is a "must read" if the reader has an appreciation for American History and the role prostitution played in its development.