The Blue Tattoo: The Life of Olive Oatman (Women in the West)

The Blue Tattoo is a captivating and well-researched historical novel that tells the unforgettable story of Olive Oatman, a young pioneer who was brutally killed by Yavapai Indians in 1851.

This gripping tale follows Oatman's journey from a thirteen-year old pioneer traveling west toward Zion with her Mormon family to a white Indian with a chin tattoo, caught between cultures.

The book is based on historical records, including letters and diaries of Oatman’s friends and relatives, and provides a detailed account of her life from her childhood in Illinois to her later years as a wealthy banker’s wife in Texas.

With themes that are deeply rooted in the American psyche, such as religious utopianism and the permeable border between civilization and savagery, The Blue Tattoo is a must-read for anyone interested in American history and culture.