Readers, Get Your Book: Learn More About Annie Oakley

Article by Mary L. Holden

Do you see Annie Oakley as a singing, dancing cow- girl who could do anything as well as a man? Then you probably saw the 1950 movie, “Annie Get Your Gun.” Actress Betty Hutton and Howard Keel knew the script, but author Gary Krebs tells the truth about Annie Oakley in his debut historical novel, Little Miss of Darke County. And it’s time to know Annie in authenticity.

Krebs says that he “was fascinated” by the true story of this famous American female of the late 19th century. Far from a biography of the events Ms. Oakley lived, this is a searing account of her brutal childhood and unlikely rise to fame. “It’s a real-life superhero origins story,” says Krebs. Born in 1860, Oakley grew up to be a world champion sharpshooter and renowned performer with Buffalo Bill’s Wild West show. Like fantasy comic book heroes, Annie Oakley also had an alter ego.

The novel begins in Darke County, Ohio when Phoebe Ann Moses was born to a poor farming family. Her parents were Quakers, but Phoebe’s life spiraled downward after the deaths of her beloved father and eldest sister. Bullied by other girls being taught domestic skills at a place called “the Infirmary,” 9-year-old Phoebe volunteered to live in a secluded cabin in the woods with a couple (known as “the Wolves”) to help them raise their baby.

For the next two years, Annie was emotionally, physically, and sexually abused. She became a slave, a victim, and a prisoner. How did she blossom and emerge as guns-a-blazing Annie Oakley?

Her story is over a century old, but it is still relevant today’s post-feminism, and in light of the #MeToo movement. Read about how Annie rises up from her challenges in this novel filled with suspense, rich period detail, and surprising touches of humor. The cast of characters Phoebe encounters along the way—a befuddled preacher who loses his place in his sermons; bratty baby Leroy who relishes tossing blocks at Phoebe’s head; and a sardonic old sheriff (think Clint Eastwood)—are entertaining in the spirit and tradition of the grand old Westerns. As an adult, Annie’s tale also includes a romance with Frank Butler that’s one for the ages.

This well-crafted page-turner is being adapted to film. Which young actress might be chosen to take on the role of Annie and breathe new life into this previously misrepresented, yet pivotal, character in American history? This creative nonfiction book is appropriate and interesting reading for all readers.