I'm reaching back into my Arequipa Sanatorium book again for the last Women's History Month post, to bring you the story of a former patient that I had the great fortune to meet. In the early spring of 2018 I was working on the manuscript for my book when I got an email from a … Continue reading Rose
Women’s history
From Sanatorium to Studio
I wrote the book Arequipa Sanatorium: Life in California's Lung Resort for Women to tell the story of Dr. Philip King Brown, the pioneering San Francisco physician who founded the women's tuberculosis sanatorium called Arequipa (and where my grandmother was treated and saved from death). Along the way, I also learned about the innovative occupational … Continue reading From Sanatorium to Studio
Lady Levi’s and the Dude Rancher
I "retired" as the Levi Strauss & Co. Historian ten years ago, but my time there continues to spill over into the research and writing I'm doing now. (Which is why "retired" isn't really the right word.) When I was researching my book American Dude Ranch: A Touch of the Cowboy and the Thrill of … Continue reading Lady Levi’s and the Dude Rancher
“On The Train For Reno”
I told you about dude ranching in the movies in my last post. Today, I'm going to bring you a very specific type of ranch, which figures in a classic 1939 film, The Women. The Reno divorce ranch. In 1931 the state of Nevada did two very smart things: it legalized gambling, and allowed people … Continue reading “On The Train For Reno”
Louisiana Foster: Not Your Usual Debutante
Everybody loves a rebel. Well, I do, anyway. Especially female ones. One of my favorite rebel girls was Louisiana Foster, whose life was as unusual as her name. She was born on July 18, 1887 in San Rafael, in Marin County, north of San Francisco. Her family was both wealthy and philanthropic, and she seemed … Continue reading Louisiana Foster: Not Your Usual Debutante
Tumblereads: A New Twist on the Old West 