The Woman They Could Not Silence
The Shocking Story of a Woman Who Dared to Fight Back
-
-
4.1 • 205 Ratings
-
-
- $3.99
-
- $3.99
Publisher Description
From the New York Times, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal bestselling author of The Radium Girls comes another dark and dramatic but ultimately uplifting tale of a forgotten woman whose inspirational journey sparked lasting change for women's rights and exposed injustices that still resonate today.
"Moore has written a masterpiece of nonfiction."—Nathalia Holt, New York Times bestselling author of Rise of the Rocket Girls
1860: As the clash between the states rolls slowly to a boil, Elizabeth Packard, housewife and mother of six, is facing her own battle. The enemy sits across the table and sleeps in the next room. Her husband of twenty-one years is plotting against her because he feels increasingly threatened—by Elizabeth's intellect, independence, and unwillingness to stifle her own thoughts. So Theophilus makes a plan to put his wife back in her place. One summer morning, he has her committed to an insane asylum.
The horrific conditions inside the Illinois State Hospital in Jacksonville, Illinois, are overseen by Dr. Andrew McFarland, a man who will prove to be even more dangerous to Elizabeth than her traitorous husband. But most disturbing is that Elizabeth is not the only sane woman confined to the institution. There are many rational women on her ward who tell the same story: they've been committed not because they need medical treatment, but to keep them in line—conveniently labeled "crazy" so their voices are ignored.
No one is willing to fight for their freedom and, disenfranchised both by gender and the stigma of their supposed madness, they cannot possibly fight for themselves. But Elizabeth is about to discover that the merit of losing everything is that you then have nothing to lose…
Bestselling author Kate Moore brings her sparkling narrative voice to The Woman They Could Not Silence, an unputdownable story of the forgotten woman who courageously fought for her own freedom—and in so doing freed millions more. Elizabeth's refusal to be silenced and her ceaseless quest for justice not only challenged the medical science of the day, and led to a giant leap forward in human rights, it also showcased the most salutary lesson: sometimes, the greatest heroes we have are those inside ourselves.
"The Woman They Could Not Silence is a remarkable story of perseverance in an unjust and hostile world."—Susannah Cahalan, New York Times bestselling author of Brain on Fire
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Bestseller Moore (The Radium Girls) delivers a riveting chronicle of Elizabeth Packard's (1816–1897) forced commitment to an Illinois insane asylum and advocacy for women's equality and the rights of psychiatric patients. Skillfully drawing on Packard's voluminous writings, Moore describes her subject's "cheerless" marriage to Presbyterian preacher Theophilus Packard, and the couple's growing estrangement as Elizabeth, inspired by the nascent women's rights movement, began to publicly question his theological beliefs. Angered by his wife's "impassioned eloquence," Theophilus took advantage of an Illinois law that allowed husbands to have their wives committed without trial. Moore recounts Elizabeth's shock at discovering that the Jacksonville Insane Asylum "was a storage unit for unsatisfactory wives," details abuses by hospital attendants and superintendent Andrew McFarland, and delves into the legal and social framework that rendered married women "utterly defenseless." After thwarting Theophilus's plans to have her permanently committed, Elizabeth led successful campaigns to overturn coverture laws that denied rights to married women and reform asylums across the country. Moore packs in plenty of drama without sacrificing historical fidelity, and paints Elizabeth's fierce intelligence and unflagging ambition with vibrant brushstrokes. Readers will be thrilled to discover this undersung early feminist hero.
Customer Reviews
A great read
Maybe I'm petty but I hate to see that McFarland still lived a good life after what he did. It's not justice in my mind. Nonetheless, I'm amazed by Elizabeth's will and achievement. This book is a reminder that women's rights should not be taken as granted; it's the result of endless fight. We need to carry on this fight.
Wayyy too long. I thought it would never end!
Never underestimate the power of a brilliant woman.
The woman they could not silence
By Kate Moore
I loved this book. Women have been fighting for their rights for longer than I realized. Never even heard of Elizabeth Packard. She has become my hero. Accused of being insane because of her intelligence and intellect. Placed in asylum by her husband. She spent her entire life working on behalf of women and their rights.