Memories of Buffalo Bill

Written with the help of Courtney Ryley Cooper, Memories of Buffalo Bill offers an idealized account of William F. Codys life from the perspective of his wife, Louisa. True to its origins, this account offers many more details about Codys domestic life, including his children, than any other preceding work. Although William and Louisas real-life marriage was marred by some high-profile scandals, it endured until her husbands death in 1917. Memories of Buffalo Bill, the first biography of William F. Cody to appear after his death, strikes a celebratory tone in narrating highlights of his life and enterprises. Through its introduction, notes, and appendixes, this edition offers a broader context for the Codys marriage, evidencing its private realities and the collaboration required to preserve the Buffalo Bill image in the public eye. Out of print since its first publication, Louisa Codys memoir highlights the processes involved in crafting and preserving a national myth. Both for what it does and does not say, it was the first step in laying a foundation for the enduring legacy of Buffalo Bill as an American icon.