Julian Leatherdale's initial passion was the theatre, leading him to write lyrics for satirical cabarets and a musical. He discovered a deep affection for popular history while working on the Time-Life Australians At War series and later as a researcher and co-writer for historical documentaries. This background in theatre and history imbues his writing with a distinctive blend of rigorous research and engaging narrative.
Calamity Jane follows the life of Martha Jane Cannary, a nineteenth-century woman who went from penniless orphan to one of the most famous figures of the American West. In an era when women had few options in life, Calamity Jane had the audacity to carve them out for herself. The gun-toting, tough-talking, hard-drinking woman embodied the Western American spirit.