The Woman Who Loved Jesse James

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First and foremost, Jesse was charismatic and showy and definitely handsome. He lived life to its fullest, taking advantage of every opportunity that came his way. Yes, along the way he murdered and robbed. Despite this, Zee completely and utterly loved him. Well, for one thing, he loved his wife and children. He sheltered and protected them. His mother, also named Zerelda, took great pride in the antics of her sons, Frank and Jesse.

Jesse and Frank's Mother. I found Cindi Myers did an exceptional job in relaying the historical facts and details.

Jesse James

Her research is accurate and detailed, which built my trust in this author, enough to seek out more of her work. This novel is beautifully written, accurate, and brings to life a lesser known woman of history. Well worth reading, poignant, tragic, and very enjoyable. The story left me wanting to learn more about Jesse James and his fascinating life and Zee's role in supporting her notorious husband.

Here are a few videos to spark your interest too. Thanks for telling us about the problem. Return to Book Page. Zee Mimms was just nineteen in —the daughter of a stern Methodist minister in Missouri—when she fell in love with the handsome, dashing, and already notorious Jesse.

Jesse was a dangerous puzzle: Still, she never gave up on him. And he earned her love, time and again. To see what your friends thought of this book, please sign up. Is this more romance than historical fiction? Debating on if it's worth reading or not Lists with This Book. At one point in time, I wanted to be a truck driver this was after watching Smokey and the Bandit. As I got older, I dreamed of being a mafia wife. I don't know where I first heard of him, but I was smitten.

I guess it was kind of like the dream of being a mafia wife Well, if I hadn't been in love with Jesse James before, this book would have done it for me. This was the story of Jesse and his wife, Zee. It was a fictionalized telling of their life, with a dash of truth thrown in. The author portrayed Jesse as a loving, caring man who valued his wife and family, even though he had an adventurous soul and couldn't be happy living a normal life. There were places were the story dragged and the spelling of Jesse's name went back and forth between "Jesse" and "Jessie".

Zee was a huge pushover who lived with her head in the clouds actively denying what Jesse did while he was away from her. Those are the reasons for the 3. Feb 08, Jessi rated it it was amazing Shelves: I loved that the author weaved this story around historical events and the outlawry that the James gang orchestrated.

The women of Jesse James - NY Daily News

We also got a great look at the characters through the eyes of the loving wife, whether it was that she loved the action that came with "Does love cause us to judge them differently, or is love a lens through which we see them more clearly? We also got a great look at the characters through the eyes of the loving wife, whether it was that she loved the action that came with the man or the man himself. This Western romance has the feel of a biography until you get launched into a back-in-the-day sex scene, which are mild yet tasteful.

I enjoyed the story of Mrs. Jesse James from beginning to end and it makes me want to dive into more of Cindi Myers books as well as read more about the infamous bandit. Jan 30, Tara Chevrestt marked it as dnf Shelves: This is about a sperm receptacle. For nine years, this chick has stood around waiting for Jesse James to marry her. And why she's attracted to a man who murders a husband and father in cold blood for a bag of money is beyond me.

Yes, I knew it was Jesse James, but this woman It's not like she's out there robbing banks with him. She sits at home, writes him letters, pines for him, worries about him, and what does he do?

Rides in on a horse in the dead of night, drops his pants, diddles her, and immediately rides out again. And she wants to marry this guy? Like I said, sperm receptacle. Apr 27, M. Fredrick rated it it was amazing. Not a romance, exactly, and, well, you know how it ends. Still, had a hard time putting it down, and thought about it all the time when I wasn't reading it.

Feb 27, Donna rated it really liked it Shelves: This was the Jesse James story as seen through the eyes of his wife, Zee Mimms, which I found an interesting perspective. As such, it delves into the possible psychology and motives of Jesse, a man viewed by some as a ruthless criminal, by many as a gallant hero and by most as the stuff of legend, while also exploring the inner life of the woman who devoted her life to such a man. It also sheds light on not only his exploits but his double life as a church-going family man, both of which seemed This was the Jesse James story as seen through the eyes of his wife, Zee Mimms, which I found an interesting perspective.

It also sheds light on not only his exploits but his double life as a church-going family man, both of which seemed to have been genuine aspects of his person. All I can say is Jesse James seems to have been one lucky guy when it came to his marriage. It made me wonder what would have been had he not had Zee's unwavering support.

Jesse and Zee, first cousins, fall in love as teenagers when Jesse has already made a name for himself as a fearless Confederate bushwhacker. Raised by strict Methodist parents, Zee already has a rebellious spirit and is determined that she wants a marriage of passion as well as adventure. She finds both with Jesse. One reviewer commented that she felt it seemed unrealistic that a woman such as Zee would be content to live a fairly conventional domestic life.

She herself was not out there flaunting danger or even challenging traditional roles and norms. To the contrary she was the epitome of the devoted, obedient wife, full of infinite patience and I mean INFINITE , never questioning, always trusting - such a woman would normally make me grind my teeth and cringe. But somehow I didn't feel that here. It was precisely her total devotion to Jesse that made her such a hero.

She had an intricate understanding of what her man needed from her and she did it, not blindly mind you, but courageously. In returned it seems, she had a man deeply in love with her. The book itself was well-written and engaging from the first pages. The characters were well-developed. I liked seeing the progression of Zee from a starstruck teenage girl to a determined woman and I sympathized with Jesse's inner struggles, despite the fact that he was massively selfish at times. Somehow, I understood him and forgave him. It's testament to the author's skill that she can enable us to feel his magnetism and the same sense of disconcerting admiration that many of his contemporaries seem to have experienced.

I'm glad I didn't really know much about Jesse James aside from notorious bank and train robber because it made the ending a shocker. I suppose somewhere in my historical figures brain catalog I knew his eventual end, but I had forgotten.

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So much the better. Definitely impressed enough to pick up another Cyndi Meyers book. I'd recommend this book to anyone who enjoys historical fiction. Jan 29, Jade Eby rated it liked it. Originally posted at my blog Chasing Empty Pavements Ahh, this was a breath of fresh air.

I hadn't read a good old historical fiction novel in quite a long time so this book was a welcome sight. I've always had a fascination with Jesse James and since I'm from Missouri, I've had this illustrious image of him and Zee in my mind for a long time. I was curious to see how Myers would mingle fact and fiction in this book and I'm glad to say that I think she did a great job. This book kind of reminded Originally posted at my blog Chasing Empty Pavements Ahh, this was a breath of fresh air.

This book kind of reminded me of Rhett Butler's People.. I think Myers did a great job of developing her characters. At times, I felt like I knew who Jesse and Zee were as people even though I know logically, that's not exactly who they were in real life.

I loved the development of their relationship though it was really doomed from the start. I loved the tenacity of Zee and the fact that she felt so strongly about Jesse that she would forgot her families concerns and objections to being with him. I think the thing I loved the most about this book was the historical facts though.

I felt like this was a very throughly researched book and I found myself pulling up my computer every couple chapters to read further into something I'd just learned from the book. Of course, I loved the sense of adventure in the book, and I liked having a different view of things than from the typical view of Jesse James. I thought having a female voice have a huge stake in the story was great and I really did love Zee as a character. As much as I did like this book, there were a lot of places that just dragged on and on. There were several areas of the book, most unnecessary detail or random musings from Zee that I could have done without.

I was nervous about even finishing the book because I put it down and picked it up so many times. Other than the numerous peaks and valleys in the book, that was really my only complaint. I think fans of historical fiction will really enjoy this book and find it a worthwhile read! I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

It pleases me to let you know that it certainly didn 19t disappoint. The novel is about Zerelda Zee Mimms James, a distant cousin of Jesse James who ultimately married the legendary outlaw. As a person who has worked in law enforcement, I often wonder about the 1Cbad guys 1D and the impact of their actions on their families. How can a woman love a robber and murderer? Well, in this novel, Cindi Myers has given us a peak into the private relationship between Zerelda and Jesse.

Although I came to see why Zee loved him, ran with him from home to home, town to town, state to state, and lived under assumed names, keeping all his secrets, I still couldn 19t quite accept the fact she embraced his lifestyle and often turned a blind eye to his disappearances and crimes. If the truth be told, I doubt no one other than Zee or Jesse will ever understand themselves and their love for each other.

Their bond is likely the only answer. First and foremost, Jesse was charismatic and showy and definitely handsome.

He lived life to its fullest, taking advantage of every opportunity that came his way. Yes, along the way he murdered and robbed. Despite this, Zee completely and utterly loved him.

Well, for one thing, he loved his wife and children. He sheltered and protected them. His mother, also named Zerelda, took great pride in the antics of her sons, Frank and Jesse.

The author did a marvellous job of writing Zee 19s story with neutrality and in a non-judgemental way. It is not up to the reader to judge, merely to read about and try to understand one woman 19s enduring love for her husband despite his many faults. After reading this novel, I became more interested in Zee and Jesse 19s story, so did a bit of internet research to satisfy my curiosity.

I found Cindi Myers did an exceptional job in relaying the historical facts and details. Her research is accurate and detailed, which built my trust in this author, enough to seek out more of her work. This novel is well written, accurate, and brings to life a lesser known woman of history.

Well worth reading, poignant, tragic, and very enjoyable. Jul 04, Genevieve Graham rated it liked it Shelves: How could I resist? Ms Myers has done her research. I learned a great deal while reading the book, and was fascinated by the details. These were expertly and seamlessly woven into the story, never taking away from the strength of the writing or the flow, which is always so important when writing, since—as Zee James says: We see so much of life through a lens ground by others. I understand that even though she knew what he was doing was wrong, Zee would die to support him in whatever he chose to do.

When the inevitable ending arrived, it was sudden and over far too quickly. Overall a good, comprehensive kind of historical, but it lacked in emotional punch, in my humble opinion. Mar 26, Shannon Muir rated it really liked it. Jesse James is heralded as one of the most notorious outlaws in American history, but much less discussed is the fact he had a wife and children and what life must have been like for them.

Cindi Myers as an author puts herself in the shoes of the kind of woman who would fall for a slightly younger man and stick with him no matter the deception and danger, who is his cousin Zee Mimms, and try to depict based on known history what Zee may have been like. What excited me was that the book covered s Jesse James is heralded as one of the most notorious outlaws in American history, but much less discussed is the fact he had a wife and children and what life must have been like for them.

What excited me was that the book covered so much more than watching Jesse James from a pair of female eyes. I also appreciated that the book focused on the home life and character of Jesse James, and his exploits only discussed when people noted rumors or read newspapers, so that when the inevitable ending comes you do feel sympathy for both Zee and Jesse. A free copy of this book was furnished by the publisher for review via NetGalley, but providing a copy did not guarantee a review.

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This information is provided per the regulations of the Federal Trade Commission. Review originally appeared on AmoXcalli amoxcalli. But I might as well have tried to stop a prarie fire or a raging tornado. He had that same wild power, both beautiful and terrible to behold, the same heat and intensity to illuminate and destroy everything in his path, both those he hated and those he loved. Zerelda Mimms and Jesse James were distant cousin who grew up playing together.

They fell in love at a young age but it was over 10 yea " I never meant to fall in love with Jesse James. They fell in love at a young age but it was over 10 years before they would marry. Part of this was due to the dangerous life Jesse was living, he wanted to be able to protect and keep his wife safe once they were married.

The Woman Who Loved Jesse James

Jesse and Frank's mother for whom Zee was named was possessive of her boys and wanted them to remain with her. She never fully approved of, nor accepted Zee and Annie, Frank's wife. She also liked the noteriety her boys got from the life they led. Jesse was passionate about his family, the South, politics, horses, his children and Zee. He was gracious, fearless and congenial.

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