Ladies of the Goldfield Stock Exchange

the long version

Sybil Downing's Ladies of the Goldfield Stock Exchange follows the success of the first two Women of the West novels, a groundbreaking series that explores the actual lives of women who opened the frontiers of the American West. This captivating new novel unfolds the drama behind a little-known but historic event that begins when three women set up their own stock exchange, choosing to defy tradition in order to assert their claim to wealth and independence. Meg Kendall, a young college graduate, unites with Tess Wallace, an ex-whore, and Verna Bates, aging, unmarried, and forever pestered by a profligate brother. Together the three women challenge the assumptions of the male-dominated world around them. Their fire and spirit become a rallying point for all the women of Goldfield, as they leave their mark on the history of the last heady days of the Gold Rush era.