FP reader Josie Wilson told us some time back that she was working on a novel that features Pancho Villa’s enforcer Rodolfo Fierro. Well, she got ’er done, which is a wonderful thing. Congrats to Josie — A Dangerous Woman is out in the world. Here’s the caper:
Chihuahua City, Mexico, 1913: Katherine O’Brien reluctantly enters into a marriage of convenience to hide from her abusive ex-fiancé. She struggles to adapt to an unfamiliar culture as she begins to regain her ability to love and trust. Her new husband, a soldier in Pancho Villa’s army, treats her well but expects an obedient and docile wife. Kate, a tomboy raised on a West Texas ranch, finds such a role extremely difficult. The two strive to find middle ground even as he fights beside Villa in the brutal revolutionary war.
When the Revolution turns against Villa, the couple is separated. Kate must lead her small extended family to a new home without help from her husband… and with her violent ex-fiancé following her tracks. Facing these challenges tests her courage and survival skills to the utmost degree.
A Dangerous Woman, a debut historical novel from Texas author Josie Wilson, seamlessly blends fact and fiction to depict a determined woman and an unlikely romance that blooms and endures, even during the hardships and turbulence of war.
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Speaking of dangerous women…
My musings on Jim Harrison’s Revenge and the movie made from it got me to thinking about the beautiful and dangerous presence of Madeleine Stowe. She plays Miryea, the kept woman of a Mexican patron named Tibey (as in Tiburon, shark) Mendez. She and Tibey’s American friend Jay Cochran are drawn to each other with self-destructive intensity and… many bad things ensue. I mean, if you’re messing with the woman of a man affectionately calls “Shark,” you are dancing with death. Both of you. As Miryea knows damn well.
The key element that Stowe must convey is a level of desire and desirability that is intensely sexual, but also something beyond the carnal. She must be a woman a man would ruin his life for. Yep.
Of course, we Frontier Partisans know Madeleine Stowe as Cora Munro in Last of the Mohicans. Stowe’s Cora is convincingly resilient and brave, in an entirely feminine manner — none of the “badass chick” trope, which would have been ridiculously anachronistic in an 18th century setting.
Of course the inevitable thing happens and romance on the ramparts ensues. I am told that this scene makes women’s knees go weak.
And, once again, the hero is willing to risk all for her.
You stay alive, no matter what occurs! I will find you! No matter how long it takes, no matter how far. I will find you!
Stowe was to direct a film based on the captivity of Cynthia Ann Parker, but it never materialized.
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From the THIS is a knife file…
Craig Rullman scouted up a some information on a Bowie Knife of the early period when they came damn near to being a short sword.
That’s Collections Manager Shelly Crittendon of the Texas Ranger Hall of Fame Museum in Waco with what is known as the Lacy Bowie, allegedly presented by Jim Bowie’s brother Rezin (pronounced Reason) to a Texas Ranger. Rezin was, according to folklore, instrumental in the “invention” of the Bowie Knife.
Rezin Bowie is purported to have presented this knife to William Young Lacy/also Lacey (1814-1892). Lacy came to Texas in 1830, rode with Jim Bowie for eight months in 1834, and was commissioned into the Corps of Rangers from May of 1836 to December of 1837 serving as acting captain on the death of his commander. Sam Houston later sent him to Nacogdoches and Houston Counties to form militia (Ranger) companies. It is unclear if Rezin Bowie knew Capt. Lacey. If he did, they would have met between 1830 and 1832 when Lacey and Rezin Bowie were both in Texas. The knife would have been presented to Lacey before Rezin’s death in 1841.
That is a huge blade. Like I said… practically a short sword.
Cold Steel offers what they call the 1917 Frontier Bowie — that’s a big ’un… 12-1/2″ blade and a pound-and-a-half of chopper.
The Frontier Bowie features a wide, sharp blade with a generous clip and fuller. Made from 1085 High Carbon Steel, it is heat treated to a hard spring temper and beautifully blued to a lustrous finish. The Frontier Bowie’s big “S” shaped guard offers excellent hand protection while the slim, flat profile of the modified pistol grip handle resists twisting in your hand, and keeps your edge alignment true. Each Frontier Bowie comes complete with a high quality leather sheath with a blued steel throat and chape.
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Not in the market for a big Bowie at the moment, but I am sorely tempted to add to my arsenal of Ethan Becker-designed blades. KA-BAR just released a Becker Nessmuk.
“Nessmuk” comes from the pen name of George Washington Sears, a woodsman and writer of late 19th Century Upstate New York, who popularized woodcraft and trekking in the woods with limited gear.
Sears advocated that woodsmen carry a double-bit hatchet, a fixed blade knife of modest proportions, and a folder for small work. He favored a fixed blade knife with a little belly to it — as illustrated in Woodcraft,
The Nessmuk knife is one of a couple of classic late-19th-early-20th-century patterns for “bushcraft,” the other being the Kephart. Becker makes a Kephart, which I have, and now they make a modern rendition of the Nessmuk, the BK19.
The Becker version is a little more stabby — with a more acute point — than the traditional blade — which I kinda like.
Even stabbier is another recent Becker design — the BK18 Harpoon:
Yes, I do like those Becker knives…
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The Cascadia Raid has been outstanding. Dave Alvin blew the doors off the Aladdin Theater in Portland on Wednesday night, in the company of Jimmie Dale Gilmore. A survivor of Stage 4 cancer, Dave is back on the road and just roaring with that Stratocaster. As you can see from the photo, there’s pure joy up on that stage. He’s looked the Mother of Bones in the eye, and didn’t flinch. He’s intensely alive and — as he said twice — he knows in the way of a man who can’t count on too many more of them that every moment is precious.
An immensely satisfying musical experience, highlighted by an incendiary Long White Cadillac. There’s some Clan history with that song. When Ceili was an infant, she had the colic bad, and I could only calm her by dancing with her up against my belly — to the 8-minute live version from Interstate City.
I’m calling this trip the Cascadia Raid because we are in the heart of the Cascadia Subduction Zone — a convergent plate boundary, where the Juan de Fuca plate slides below the continental North American Plate. The zone is capable of producing Richter 9.0+ earthquakes and mighty tsunami waves. On January 26, 1700, a massive quake shook the Oregon Coast, and tsunami waves inundated the region. Japanese tsunami records line up with indigenous oral tradition about this massive event. We’re potentially due for another, which would be life-altering for the region.
This is a happy place for Lady Marilyn. Everything you need to know about her is in this picture…
BTW, that’s a new 5.11 Tactical push pack with a shark hand-sanitizer squeezer on it. Yep.
We spotted a whale in Depoe Bay, and spent a half-hour watching it through the nocs.
Me, being, well… me… this required appropriate (or inappropriate, depending on your POV) theme music:
The Diamond is a ship, me lads, for the Davis Strait we’re boundThe quay it is all garnished with bonnie lasses ’roundCaptain Thompson gives the orders to sail the ocean wideWhere the sun it never sets, me lads, nor darkness dims the sky
It’s cheer up me lads, let your hearts never failFor the bonny ship, the Diamond, goes a-fishing for the whale
Yeah, I know…
In keeping with our maritime theme, I picked up a special Black Rifle Coffee Co. dark roast — cuz there’s no way I’m passing up the likes of this — especially while immersed in On Stranger Tides.
When we get back in front of a TV, we’ll close out the week’s maritime theme with a film that earned Rullman’s high recommendation. The trailer alone got me…
Matthew says
About knives and swords, there isn’t a strong line between them. I think in Chinese they use the same term for both. (I could be wrong about this.) The difference in English is a matter of length with some debate where one ends and the other begins.
The “Strong Woman Protagonist” is often complained about by some people and worshiped by others. I think it can be done well or poorly. Modesty Blaise, for example, is a very good version. Rey from the last Star Wars trilogy is not. I think it comes down to basically talent. A good character has complexity. A traditional house wife who shows resolve in trying times is a complex character. A strong woman in a “man’s job” who still has vulnerabilities is a complex character. Both IMO are more interesting than either an all conquering feminist protagonist or a helpless damsel in distress.
Of course much of the problem is that we don’t know what strength is any more. Essentially, it is the ability to do hard things.
Quixotic Mainer says
In the Filipino martial arts, a lot of the blades we use could either be described a whopping great knife or a rather truncated sword, and live right in the same realm as a big bowie or German messer. Very handy for a fight amidships, in underbrush or indoors. The delineation between sword and dagger is somewhat down to context. I used to fence rapier about a decade ago, and in that realm, anything under two feet is certainly a companion dagger.
One of the best female characters in recent years, to me, was Angelina Jolie’s turn in “Those who Wish me Dead”. She reminded me of some of the women I’ve served with in tactical/emergency situations.
clint richards says
I heartily recommend “Hell or High Seas”. I’m a sucker for the “fly/sail by the seat of your pants adventure on a shoe-string budget” type stories. I’m much more of the cautious “I cant afford to do that” type person and I love seeing others live out their dreams with such seemingly reckless abandon. After catching it a few weeks ago, it set me back down the path of wondering about a life on the high seas. A quick look at a clinometer during a marathon viewing of another sea faring documentary fave of mine brought me down to dry land. Maybe boat life is still a possibility for me…if I stick close to shore. No Odysseus wanderings for me 😉
Still…it seems that their voyage has grown legs in the non-profit sector and they appear to be doing good things for people that need it. Sail on sailors! Sail on!
JimC says
There is something viscerally appealing about this that has to be evoking some primal urge.
Ugly Hombre says
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tbp_Yo7y7Mw
I went on a Bowie knife binge about 15 years ago- really interesting subject. First weapon banned by American state governments (Not the first weapon banned overall the Brits did that iirc- & we all know the outcome)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xSTkrJ3X_wc
Decided that my favorite Bowie type was the Bagwell Bowie. I got Bill Bagwell’s number from a friend but never called him – to late now as Mr Bagwell has passed on R.I.P. Another regret.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VPnrJtzRy5s
A somewhat eccentric man in a good way- a Texas “Hattori Hanzo” type character, Bill Bagwell lived life his own way. And sad, like so many masters of rare arts, as far as I know he did not teach out his skills. Bill had also researched and replicated the old American use of the Bowie in combat. He gave priority to GI’s esp S.F. men headed to the sand box. And he also taught some of them the use. About 3k and a three year wait to get a forged Bagwell Bowie I never pulled the trigger or a real Bagwell. But I did get a Ontario produced authorized Bagwell repro.
https://i.pinimg.com/originals/c6/0d/bd/c60dbdc4eb0d06f23c3f0b55f41fd93e.jpg
I wish Ontario would “re issue” the Bagwell Bowie repro’s after getting permission rom Bill’s family. That would keep his name and his blades alive-
https://www.24hourcampfire.com/ubbthreads/gallery/80/full/153604.jpg
We might be down to Bowies and cap and ball Six Shooters for self defense someday if the chit bird politico wonks currently in power keep mucking up the Republic. A good Bowie knife- might be be nice to have around.
JimC says
I believe my friend Greg Walker knew Bagwell. Greg wrote a wonderful book on fighting knives that sits on my coffee table.
Ugly Hombre says
Very possible they knew each other well. I think they both wrote for S.O.F magazine? Both bladesmen. Really miss that magazine. Guaranteed non P/C fun- combined with good info and news. They scooped a lot of big magazines and news organizations. I had a box of the old issues that disappeared in a move.
https://www.24hourcampfire.com/ubbthreads/gallery/80/full/153605.jpg
I’ve known a few men like Mr. Bagwell who had skills that were lost when they left. So Amigo’s some advice, if you are young, hardy and know someone like that- suggest you take them beer, shovel their horse manure, paint their house. etc and try to learn while you can. Time is short.
I call one far away old Tarantula on the phone and take notes, try to remember and understand so hard my head hurts. 🙁
I think I have been over doing it and may have to cut back.
Recent when I call, he says ” I can’t talk now Ug call later I have to eat a baloney sandwitch.” And then the phone don’t ring.
What does that mean?
lol
JimC says
Yes, Greg wrote some for SOF.
Joe says
Seeing that Bowie puts their size in perspective. When you read about how the Texians effectively used them during battles like the Siege of Béxar as fierce melee weapons and tools to cut apart barricades, that doesn’t seem to match how I would imagine the popular English Sheffields being used. But a massive borderline short sword? Definitely fits the concept of a battlefield weapon with the ability to serve as a hardy utility tool.
Quixotic Mainer says
My own lady wife is somewhat a selkie, she’s happiest by the sea and has made it her life’s work. Your trip reminded me of a lot of our seashore expeditions, even down to the Gaelic Storm soundtrack!
I wasn’t expecting Ms. Munro wearing a table doily to be something I saw today. But neither am I disappointed.
JimC says
Never disappointed!
Josie says
Thanks a million for writing about my book. You are my hero.
lane batot says
I always said Madeline Stowe could say more with one look from that expressive face of hers, than most actors can with an hour soliloquy! And I got to see that face up close, way back when!…… And yeah, forlornly disappointed her Texas captives story never got filmed……At least, NOT YET!!!!