Pearl Hart, the Lady Bandit: A lecture by Christine Rand
Jay Wilson
Separating fact from fiction is no easy task when it comes to flamboyant stagecoach robber Pearl Hart. A mountain of conflicting stories abound, thanks in no small part to Pearl who was so enamored with the Wild West that she embellished her own tale to accommodate the interest of newspapers and public fascination.
Arizona Humanities’ speaker Christine Reid follows Pearl Hart from her modest beginnings in Canada through the states of Ohio, Illinois, New Mexico and Arizona as she follows Pearl’s perilous journey from innocent teenager to a life of crime. This exciting but sad tale is littered with stories of abuse, abandonment and poor choices. How Pearl became a tough talking, whiskey drinking, cigar smoking outlaw who robbed a stage en route from Florence to Globe is classic Arizona history. The crime, the trial in Florence, the imprisonment in Yuma and the questionable release from prison are the centerpiece of this free Friends of SaddleBrooke Libraries lecture in the MountainView Clubhouse on Thursday, May 21 at 4:00 p.m.
It raises the issue, “Why does a woman who committed a fairly insignificant crime still garner so much interest that even a Broadway show was created to highlight her life?” Reid will explore Pearl’s life as both victim and vixen to help shed some light on this Arizona figure surrounded by so much mystery.
Christine Reid is intrigued by Arizona’s diverse and rich western heritage. She is a writer and researcher at the Pinal County Historical Museum in Florence and has been a Community Scholar for the ASU Osher Lifelong Learning Institute in Arizona since 2007. She also serves on many of Florence’s heritage and historic preservation projects including an informative walking tour in the Florence area. Committed to sharing history in a lively manner, she presents the sometimes hidden or forgotten aspects of Arizona’s robust characters.
Author Becky Masterman
Discover a new author with great critical reviews
Come and meet thriller writer Becky Masterman at the Friends of SaddleBrooke Libraries (FSL) next author luncheon to be held on Friday, November 20.
As the former editor of a forensic medicine encyclopedia, Masterman brings a unique background to her mysteries. Largely unknown to the general public, she has received widespread praise from critics for her first mystery novel, Rage Against the Dying; and more rave reviews for her just published second thriller, Fear the Darkness. Both feature a fun and fearless 59-year-old retired FBI agent named Brigid Quinn.
Tickets are now on sale at the HOA2 administration annex. A beautiful luncheon of chicken citrus salad will be served or you may choose a vegetarian option. Remember, early purchasers get the choice tables.
We encourage book clubs to savor Masterman’s thrillers, both of which are set in familiar territory-—neighboring Catalina, Arizona. If you have questions about this event, contact the co-chairs of FSL Author Luncheons, Judy Kany at 818-1181 or Elaine Kienitz at 818-1560.