Bess: A Woman's Life in the Early 1900s

Carol McManus' second historical novel, BESS is based on the author's close observations of pioneer women who lived and worked in the first part of the twentieth century in western Colorado. This era in American history was filled with women who were determined to make life better for themselves and their families. As opposed to their Victorian counterparts, the women of Bess' time began to develop a sense that they and their children could become successful if they were willing to work hard enough. Women such as those depicted in this book brought civilization to western Colorado, exhibiting emotional, spiritual and physical strength that allowed them to cope with always-present dangers while never forgetting how to have fun.