MADAME RESTALL: THE LIFE, DEATH, AND RESURRECTION OF OLD NEW YORK'S MOST FABULOUS, FEARLESS AND INFAMOUS ABORTIONIST
BY: JENNIFER WRIGHT

This history non-fiction book has never been more relevant to the United States of America, as it is now, therefore I believe it is one that really should be required reading by EVERYONE! Whether you are Pro-Choice or Pro-Life this is very informative and packs in a walloping dose of reality. Everything cited in this narrative is footnoted at the back of the book. There are a lot of statistics included in here, and I was overwhelmed at times by so many numbers, but having finished this, I am quite happy that, Jennifer Wright backs up her research and data, by the sources they are derived from. I am probably going to make a lot of enemies by personalizing my review, but I think the Author, Jennifer Wright, intends for everyone's personal stories, because she shares hers.

The book basically is about an English immigrant who migrated to New York City, during the 1800's to seek prosperity. However, she amassed her fortune selling her pills and powders and sometimes performing surgical abortions. Her name was Ann Trow Lohman who lived between the years of 1812-1878. Ann started out as a seamstress, before she became known as the Country's infamous Madame Restell, whose work provided woman with pills that she made to help women and men who came to her home, where she kept an office to help those who were seeking her help in ending unwanted pregnancies. She wasn't formerly trained as a physician, but out of the thousands of BOTH men and women who sought her services she might have only lost one patient. She may have given away one woman's child. Madame Restell, is not well known today, but back in the 19th century, she was very well known. She is lost to history, the Author provides many reasons why. I really loved this book and the vast amount of history it provides to illuminate how we as a nation are at where we are today regarding women not having the choice to terminate pregnancies even when a woman's life could be lost if she carries out the pregnancy. Instead, the government makes that choice. This book is very illuminating as to how and why we are where we are at this present time in, 2022. It is really an eye opener, and I was surprised at the end how it evoked such an emotional reaction out of me. I was left feeling very sad, but very grateful that I chose to read this timely history narrative that was so informative.

Ann trow changed her name after her first husband died, leaving her with her young daughter Caroline, where living where they did at the time, it was unsafe for a single woman, because of the part of the city where they lived there was a very high crime rate. When she started selling her pills to help both men and women who were involved, seeking her assistance with unwanted pregnancies, she helped women self abort during the early stages of pregnancies before the quickening. The quickening is when the baby first starts to move inside the mother. She changed her name to Madame Restell because she wanted to bolster her image that she was from France. Being from France, provided Madame Restell an edge, because at the time during the 1800's their healthcare was ahead of the U.S. She thought that it lent her a more experienced sophistication even though it was an outright lie. Abortions were being performed even though it was illegal, but this was also a time before the law was enforced with much consequence during the beginning and the middle era of Madame Restell's reigning years. This was to change towards the end of Madam Restell's lifetime.

When Madame Restell re-married to Charles Lohman, he helped her gain more business since he worked for a newspaper, and she placed advertisements for what she did in the newspapers. She had competitors that weren't as successful as herself that did the very same thing. This was a time before medical schools required dissection of human cadavers and before anesthesiologists were incorporated into surgeries. Believe it or not, there were many married women who sought out her and those like her to seek abortions. And pre-marital sex was common throughout the 1700's and during the 1800's. Madame Restell was bold, innovative, fearless and empathetic. She provided her help towards her customers' taking into consideration their ability to afford her help. She often ended up charging less to the poor. She had still managed to become a millionaire and outbid the Archbishop in obtaining the land where she built her mansion on Fifth avenue, that was to become her final home. She saw her customers' here as well. She was known to let some of her patients stay overnight where she stayed in the same room with them, caring for them if their health required close monitoring.

Later during the 1800's the tides turned and abortions became illegal with much fiercer penalties, but that didn't stop either people seeking abortions or those providing them. People just became more quiet about getting them and performing them, but they were still taking place, regardless.

Now our Country has overturned Roe V Wade, and even though it is up to each State on whether abortions are legal, I can see that there have been more and more States to make them illegal. This includes cases of rape and incest or even death for the mother. Here is where my review becomes more personal. I personally, have never had an abortion, but I believe when a woman's life is in danger, such as ectopic pregnancy, which is when the zygote gets stuck in the tubes, it results in the mother's death. I don't think that legislatures should hold the power over riding the decision for making medical determinations for women who will die if the pregnancy isn't terminated. Especially, in the case where a woman will die if not for medical intervention, and that is my opinion and I am entitled to it. That this book is filled with so much history--is the reason that everybody should read it. For those who disagree, you are also entitled to your opinion, and I respect that. So please respect mine.

Publication Date: February 28th, 2023

Thank you to Net Galley, Jennifer Wright and Hachette Books for generously providing me with my ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.

#MadameRestall #JenniferWright #HachetteBooks #NetGalley

Thank you to Netgalley and Hachette Books for sending this book for review consideration! All opinions are my own.

"When the Catholic Church spoke out against her, she outbid the archbishop of New York for the land he wanted to build his house on. There, she built a mansion, and from it she doled out birth control to her many patients. She did not ask for any man's opinion, for she was not interested in hearing it." (A quote which made me laugh out loud.)

I was interested in this book because I had never heard of Madame Restell. As soon as I started reading about her and the towering figure she was during her time, I was even more shocked I hadn't heard of her, since she clearly had a significant impact on the women of New York during the 1800s. However, I also sort of understand why I haven't. Because of the controversial nature of her profession, I am sure history has tried to tuck her away in a closet somewhere because her story is so uncomfortable to talk about. As abortion becomes an increasingly hot topic, especially here in the U.S., I am so glad this book exists to bring her back to folks' attention. Many of the quotes in the book are relevant to us today and support the argument that the freedom to choose should be available to all.

Madame Restell was certainly a polarizing figure in her time because of what she did and how she did it. While these things lead me to believe she was a badass, I also think I'd be totally intimidated by her. I might not even like her very much if I met her today because it seems like she could be a stone cold b*tch...but I sure would respect her.

She was an unapologetically wealthy woman, making money for herself without the assistance or approval of men. Her services were controversial and illegal. What made her scarier was that she not only persisted in providing them, she made a lot of money. She also was not always "good." She played dirty with her competition and, far worse, possibly gave away a patient's baby. At times, she seems awesome. At times, she seems ruthless. Most likely she was both at the same time.

But, you know what? I think I actually like this honesty. Remember when we were kids and we were taught that the Founding Fathers were cool dudes who believed in liberty and justice and made America happen? Then we grew up and realized they didn't want women to have the vote, owned slaves, and had secret families and stuff? I think Madame Restell is far cooler than most of those old white guys, but she's still an imperfect human, and I think it's easier to like her knowing what her flaws are than if we brushed them under the rug.

One thing I like about this book is that it takes an old story and tells it in a modern way. For example, in the first couple pages, the author shares a dialogue:

"Where am I to go?" she inquired.
"Before the judge!" Comstock said.
"With these men?" Her eyes said: hell no.

I love a good "hell no." There are also some modern references and other more conversational turns of phrase throughout the book, which help keep a very hefty biography from becoming too sluggish.

This book is quite long. I couldn't say how many pages since I am reading a Kindle copy, but I had been reading this book for several days and found I was still only 30% of the way in and that my Kindle estimated 6-7 hours left. It can be challenging to keep the necessary momentum at times here, because this is not a linear story and often spends many chapters discussing the impact and public perception of Madame Restell, to the point where it can become somewhat tedious. This criticism may say more about my currently short attention span than the book, though! Luckily, every time I started to get bored, the topic finally changed, and a new event in Madame's life would be told, and recapture my interest.

Additional bonus - one has to love hearing what 1800s men thought about women, their sexuality, and their parts. It's comedic gold.

The book concludes with a reflection on the modern day, particularly the recent overturning of Roe v. Wade and what it means for women in 2022. The author shared her personal experience with giving birth, which I thought was a vulnerable and lovely way to bring a historical book back to the present. By the time I finished the book, I felt it had had a significant impact on me and brought the story of a woman from long ago full circle to my modern circumstances.

This book provides a fascinating education on a woman not enough of us know about. Madame Restell is a complicated, courageous, ruthless, badass woman. She can teach all of us something about reproductive freedom and, most importantly, a woman's right to do whatever the f*k she wants.

Awesome nonfiction book. I feel like I learnt a lot and I enjoyed reading this immensely as I was transported to a different time period. I would recommend if you like nonfiction books about woman in history.

Madame Restell by Jennifer Wright is a fabulous and interesting nonfiction and biography of a woman that was most certainly larger than life.

Madame Restell (Ann Trow Lohman who lived 1812 – 1878) was alive during the rough beginnings of women’s healthcare and rights in NY during the 19th century. She was a force to be dealt with. I had actually never heard if this British-born woman who immigrated to the States and through obstacles, uphill battles, oppositions, and true passion, conviction, determination, and perseverance, became a voice for many women and publicized the eternal debate of women’s access and availability to medical procedures (aka abortion).

Was she perfect? Nope. But she believed in what she worked for and seemed impossible to the exhausted attempts of others to thwart her at every turn. Controversial? Yep. Fascinating? Absolutely.

I learned a lot and was entertained while doing so. One doesn’t have to personally agree with her beliefs to find her very interesting.

5/5 stars

Thank you NG and Hachette Books for this wonderful arc and in return I am submitting my unbiased and voluntary review and opinion.

I am posting this review to my GR and Bookbub accounts immediately and will post it to my Amazon, Instagram, and B&N accounts upon publication on 02/28/23.

I hadn't really heard of Madame Restell before so I was excited to learn about a new person in history. Jennifer Wright has a great writing style and you could tell that she researched the topic and made it interesting for the reader. It was a really great read overall and I enjoyed what I read, it was everything I was hoping for. I look forward to reading more from Jennifer Wright.

"AFTER THE PASSAGE OF THE COMSTOCK ACT, MADAME RESTELL’S practice was still operational, but she had paid special attention to the new laws, and was trying, as much as was possible for her, to be discreet. Her newspaper advertisements diminished substantially. Where once she wrote paragraphs about the effects of bearing too many children, by 1874 her new wording in the Herald stated only her address and that she had been a “physician since 1840."