Mr. Death and the Redheaded Woman

by Helen Eustis | Children's Books |
ISBN: 088138013x Global Overview for this book
Registered by wingGoryDetailswing of Nashua, New Hampshire USA on 10/27/2002
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6 journalers for this copy...
Journal Entry 1 by wingGoryDetailswing from Nashua, New Hampshire USA on Sunday, October 27, 2002
"Mr. Death and the Redheaded Woman" is a short story that originally appeared as "The Rider on the Pale Horse" in a 1950 issue of the "Saturday Evening Post". It was published as a children's book in 1983, with handsome illustrations by Reinhard Michl, and I've finally found a second copy of that to release. (The book is rather hard to come by, but the story also appears in some anthologies that are a bit more common. I've registered one of these, Timeless Stories for Today and Tomorrow, edited by Ray Bradbury; it's got lots of other great stories in it too, and is worth picking up.)

This is a wonderful little fable that borrows elements of traditional folk tales and moves them into the Old West. Feisty Maude Applegate, the redhead of the title, chases after Mr. Death when her beloved Billy-be-damn Bangtry is gunned down in a saloon. What'll it take to make Mr. Death let Billy live? Simple enough story - but the language is what sends this into my "favorites" list:
"But Maude Applegate, she'd rode high and she'd rode low, she'd stood thirst and she'd stood hunger, she'd like to killed her daddy's pretty little pinto; furthermore, she was a redheaded woman and she wasn't goin' to be laughed at so. She took and cussed out Mr. Death good. She tole him that where she came from no gentleman laughed at no lady in her true trouble, and she'd thank him to mind his manners with her, and she'd like to know who brought him up anyhow?"
So of course he takes her home to meet his granny, and...

Journal Entry 2 by wingGoryDetailswing from Nashua, New Hampshire USA on Wednesday, May 7, 2003
I'm releasing this in a bookray. Participants, in mailing order:

16stepper
AmberLee17
Leanne345

Please journal the book when you receive it, and PM the next person in line for their address so you'll have it handy when you've finished the book. Try to read the book reasonably promptly [it's quite short], then journal your comments and pass it along. Hope you all enjoy it!

Journal Entry 3 by wingGoryDetailswing from Nashua, New Hampshire USA on Thursday, May 15, 2003
Controlled release:

I sent this to BCer 16stepper on May 13, to kick off the bookray.

Journal Entry 4 by 16stepper from Gilbert, Arizona USA on Saturday, May 17, 2003
Delightful! This arrived today and, despite the devilishly clever packing job by GoryDetails, I managed to devour this delectable book post haste.

This is a delightful story with a memorable protagonist, Maude Applegate, the Redheaded Woman of the title and a woman after my own heart. Here is my favorite quote from the book:

Maude Applegate was so mad she could of cried, but she didn't do no such of a thing, since she was a redheaded woman, and besides, somethin' better come to her mind.

I will reluctantly send this book along to AmberLee17, but not until I've read it a few more times!


Journal Entry 5 by 16stepper from Gilbert, Arizona USA on Tuesday, May 20, 2003
Sent out to AmberLee17 today via US Mail.

Journal Entry 6 by AmberLee17 from Stockton, California USA on Thursday, May 29, 2003
Aaaaw! It arrived yesterday and I devoured it in one sitting. It's charming, and a tear trickled down my cheek at the end... (Sorry I didn't get near the computer last night after I picked up the mail.)

Did you notice that the front cover art is a variation on the the same scene shown in the interior of the book? I will send this on to Leanne345, but reluctantly.

Thanks for sharing this with us, GD. It's a winner!

There are many wonderful lines, I liked those you both picked. Did you note this one near the beginning? It sent a quiver down my spine. "We was scared, all us little uns, and the grown folks, too, only to them he [Mr. Death] seemed more familiar." Some of the word choices were quite marvelous.

Journal Entry 7 by AmberLee17 from Stockton, California USA on Tuesday, June 24, 2003
****Arrgh! I've been very disorganized lately and only got this into the mail to Leanne345 today. Sorry about this delay.

Journal Entry 8 by Leanne345 from Liverpool, Merseyside United Kingdom on Saturday, July 5, 2003
Just got the book today - will read asap!

Journal Entry 9 by Leanne345 from Liverpool, Merseyside United Kingdom on Friday, July 18, 2003
Found this book a new home already - its going to wistfuldragon in a week or so! Hope you enjoy it!

Journal Entry 10 by WistfulDragon from Streatham, Greater London United Kingdom on Monday, August 4, 2003
Leanne345, thank you for ever - I love this book! It may reside with me for a while as I have three children who will want to read it as well, and due to its poor state (some pages stuck together near the spine, at least one loose) I will insist on reading it with them - well, that's my excuse! Because of the condition this is not really suitable for a wild release, so I will look for (or wait to hear from?) someone to pass it on to directly.

Journal Entry 11 by loopy1 from Herne Bay, Kent United Kingdom on Friday, September 12, 2003
Thanks for this, which arrived as an extra in a bookbox. I will be sharing it with my youngest son, and who knows? the bigger ones might join in as well. Then I'll look for someone else with children.

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