The Woman They Could Not Silence
by Kate Moore
Narrated by Kate Moore
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Pub Date Jun 22 2021 | Archive Date Sep 09 2021
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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.
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, a 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.
Available Editions
| EDITION | Audiobook, Unabridged |
| ISBN | 9798200696864 |
| PRICE | $22.95 (USD) |
| DURATION | 14 Hours, 30 Minutes |
Available on NetGalley
Featured Reviews
Lizanne J, Librarian
Elizabeth Packard. Have you heard of her? If you care about women’s rights, you’ll want to learn about her. If you care about mental illness and the path to compassionate care and diagnosis, then you’ll want to learn about Elizabeth Packard. In the 19th century women had no rights. Upon marriage, they gave up everything. When Elizabeth began to find her voice, her husband was not happy. His solution was to deem her insane and have her committed to an asylum. Any husband has that power at the time. Her brilliant mind and compassionate nature led her to fight her committal and advocate for patients’ and women’s rights. Listen to the audiobook for an edge of your seat account of her work. Kate Moore does a wonderful job narrating her book. I normally listen at 1.25. I listened to this book even faster (1.5) because I couldn’t wait for what would happen next. I was pleased that the audio remained easily understood. People should be reading this book and talking about Elizabeth Packard. What she experienced is still happening today. She deserves her place in history.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the chance to listen to this audiobook in exchange for an honest review. I’ll be talking about this book everywhere I go.
Katie L, Reviewer
I want to start out by saying the I read 'Radium Girls,' by Kate Moore and ADORED it, so I had high expectations for this book. Luckily, I was not let down.
Moore is fantastic at taking a non-fiction topic, and turning it into a flowing story. Her latest work focuses on the life of Elizabeth Packard, who are outspoken in a time when it was not acceptable. Not only that, but she dared to stand against her husband. What follows is Elizabeth's journey into a psychiatric facility in Illinois. Her we are faced with the horror that is many rational women locked up under the pretense of being 'crazy.'
If you are interested in a non-fiction, feminist story, or you just enjoy the work of Kate Moore, make sure to check this one out.
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