Soiled Doves . . .

Is an uncommon view of the early American West.

Author Anne Seagraves tastefully lifts the veil on prostitution -which is neither glamorized nor portrayed in such a manner so as to make Soiled Doves unreadable.

Seagraves recounts the stories of real "working girls" - some personalities are recognizable, others are not familiar - all are interesting and yet sad. The short stories cast light on the various classes of the "trade", their impact on the economy and culture of the West.

Soiled Doves includes a wealth of pictures, which add personality to the text. Although the subject matter is handled carefully, the book is not appropriate for all readers. I would rate the book a heavy PG-13 or light R.

My only criticism of the book is that Seagraves tends to let absolutes creep into her writing, using "all" and "every. This is a minor annoyance.

Some reviewers are critical of the sophistication of the writing -I am not. The book is a compilation of short stories - it is not a dissertation. Author Seagraves does include a bibliography and a list of journals, magazines and dissertations for the reader who wishes to read more about the subject.

Four stars.