The Woman They Could Not Silence Lib/E: One Woman, Her Incredible Fight for Freedom, and the Men Who Tried to Make Her Disappear

Review

''The Woman They Could Not Silence tells the captivating story of Elizabeth Packard, a forgotten heroine whose harrowing ordeal in an insane asylum seems straight from the mind of Stephen King -- except every word is true. Blending impeccable research with novelistic flair, Kate Moore brings the indomitable Packard to brilliant life and proves she belongs among our most celebrated women leaders.'' --Karen Abbott, New York Times bestselling author

''A masterpiece.'' --Nathalia Holt, New York Times bestselling author

''Absolutely unputdownable...A veritable tour de force about how far women's rights have come and how far we still have to go...Put this book in the hands of every young feminist.'' --Booklist (starred review)

''An incredible narrative about a singular historical woman...Kate Moore once again utilizes her astonishing talent in discovering the important, forgotten women of history.'' --Marie Benedict, New York Times bestselling author

''Drawing on sources like letters, memoirs, and trial transcripts, Moore's well-researched book paints a clear picture of the obstacles Elizabeth faced both during and after her confinement and the cruel resoluteness of both her husband and doctor, who tried to control her at all costs. A vivid look at the life and times of a little-known pioneer of women's rights.'' --Kirkus Reviews

''Kate Moore has hit another one out of the park. In the best tradition of The Radium Girls, Moore recounts the stunning true account of one woman who fought back against a tyrannical husband, a complicit doctor, and nineteenth-century laws that gave men shocking power to silence and confine their wives. In Moore's expert hands, this beautifully written tale unspools with drama and power. You will be riveted.'' --Liza Mundy, New York Times bestselling author

''Kate Moore's The Woman They Could Not Silence is simply magnificent. It reads like a suspense novel [and] Moore's research is impeccable. She tells us the whole terrifying and thrilling story: the cost of battle, the triumph of cruel and corrupting misogynists, the nature of feminist victory. It is a complicated story and one brilliantly told.'' --Phyllis Chesler, author of Women and Madness

''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.'' --Publishers Weekly (starred review)

''Told with the urgency and passion of a novel, Kate Moore's deeply researched and thrilling study...will keep you up at night and illuminate women's ongoing battles for authority and respect.'' --Elaine Showalter, literary critic, professor emerita, Princeton University, and author of The Female Malady

''With path-breaking research and electric prose, Kate Moore reveals just how crazy marriage laws once were―and one unbeaten heroine helped make them sane.'' --Elizabeth Cobbs, author of The Hello Girls

Product 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 mo