Strong Passions
A Scandalous Divorce in Old New York
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3.6 • 30 Ratings
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- $15.99
Publisher Description
“Riveting.… Weisberg tells a story that fiction could not touch.” —Liesel Schillinger, New York Times Book Review?
Shocking revelations of a wife’s adultery explode in an incendiary nineteenth-century trial, exposing upper-crust New York society and its secrets.
What could possibly go wrong in a wealthy matriarch’s country home when her dilettante son, his restless wife, and his widowed brother live there together? Strong Passions, rooted in the beguiling times of Edith Wharton’s “old New York,” recounts the true story of a tumultuous marriage. In 1862, Mary Strong stunned her husband, Peter, by confessing to a two-year affair with his brother. Peter sued Mary for divorce for adultery—the only grounds in New York—but not before she accused him of forcing her into an abortion and having his own affair with the abortionist. She then kidnapped their young daughter and disappeared.
The divorce trial Strong v. Strong riveted the nation during the final throes and aftermath of the Civil War, offering a shocking glimpse into the private world of New York’s powerful and privileged elite. Barbara Weisberg presents the chaotic courtroom and panoply of witnesses—governess, housekeeper, private detective, sisters-in-law, and many others—who provided contradictory and often salacious testimony. She then asks us to be the jury, deciding each spouse’s guilt and the possibility of a just resolution.
Social history at its most intimate, Strong Passions charts a trial’s twists and turns to portray a family and country in turmoil as they faced conflicts over women’s changing roles, male custody of children, and men’s power—financial and otherwise—over wives.
APPLE BOOKS REVIEW
Go deep into a true story of kidnapping, adultery, and generally bad behavior among the elite of Manhattan near the dawn of the city’s fabled Gilded Age. Socialite Mary Strong’s two-year affair with her husband’s brother catapulted her into a very nasty public divorce; to keep custody of her children, she took drastic action. Historian Barbara Weisberg’s in-depth account is a gripping legal drama that tells a broader story about gender relations in the 1860s, when men could easily control women through legal channels as well as unspoken agreements—especially if they had money. Whether you’re a history buff or you just love stories about privileged people’s misfortunes, Strong Passions is a captivating tale of a headline-grabbing train wreck of a relationship—and an exposé of New York high society’s dark side.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Historian Weisberg (Talking to the Dead) digs through newspaper archives and legal libraries to deliver this captivating chronicle of a high-society scandal that riveted the nation during the final years of the Civil War. In a highly emotional state after the death of their third child in 1862, New York City socialite Mary Strong confessed to her husband, Peter, that she'd been having an affair with his brother. The couple soon separated, and Peter sued for divorce and custody of their two daughters. Mary countersued, alleging Peter had also committed adultery; she claimed he had forced her to have an abortion, then had an affair with the abortionist. By the time of the trial in 1865, Mary had disappeared with one of her daughters, in response to Peter having refused to return the other daughter after a visit. The jury was deadlocked and the divorce was not granted (based on two jurors' opinions that Peter, the original claimant, was as guilty as Mary), though later negotiations allowed the couple to divorce. Weisberg presents her narrative as a suspenseful courtroom drama—related through witness testimony from servants, family members, and a "ladies' physician," among others—with informative contextual asides on new developments in women's rights and the ongoing war. It's a page-turning glimpse into the lives of 19th-century New York's upper crust.
Customer Reviews
A Slow Slog
As a lawyer and someone who is interested in Old New York, I was interested in reading this book. It is very well researched and I commend the author but, while the story obviously has some interesting family dynamics, it kind of reads like a slow soap opera. The courtroom scenes and witness testimonies are standard fare and not particularly interesting. I guess that is the difference between historical fiction and historical fact. For most of the book I just wanted to stop reading but didn't because I wanted to see how it all ended. Thus, the three stars sense there was enough about it to keep me going to the end. Definitely not a great book for a lot of readers but probably enjoyable for some.