Rosa May is an elusive figure. This book proves just how elusive. When you go to the California ghost town of Bodie, you learn a bit of legend and lore about Rosa. You can visit her grave in the cemetery. The author became very interested in her story while on a visit to the old mining town, almost obsessed.

The author tells a lot of his personal story in this book. So, it's not solely about Rosa May. He talks of his struggles in becoming a musician and the hard road to success. I didn't like this. Then there are a packet of letters that was owned by Rosa. These were letters written to her. There was also one very short note that was written by her. This note was taken to a couple of professional graphoanalysts (handwriting analysts) and a picture is painted of Rosa's early life, personality, and demeanor. While I don't discredit the science of handwriting analysis, I find it hard to swallow that we can come up with so much based on such a short note.

Of particular interest in this book is some research on what life for a prostitute and madam was like in the old American West. Nothing glamorous. Still, there is a bit of good Bodie history to be read here. ( )