The Sewing Girl's Tale
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The Sewing Girl's Tale
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The Sewing Girl's Tale
In the summer of 1793, under the cover of a moonless night in New York City, a crime took place that would ripple through American society, challenging its very foundations. A young, seventeen-year-old seamstress named Lanah Sawyer found herself entangled in a harrowing ordeal when she accused a man of high social standing of a dreadful act: rape. This accusation, planted in an era where such crimes were often shrouded in silence, ignited a fierce courtroom drama and an enduring quest for justice that would forever alter the lives of those involved.
The Sewing Girl's Tale by John Wood Sweet dives deep into this revolutionary era, painting a vivid picture of the raw courtroom battles that ensued following Sawyer's bold accusation. As Lanah sought justice, her struggle unveiled a predatory sexual underworld, inciting riots and fueling vigorous public debates on class privilege and sexual double standards. The trial became a sensational spectacle, drawing the attention of the nation's most prominent lawyers, including Alexander Hamilton, and significantly influenced the trajectory of American law.
Yet, the story of The Sewing Girl's Tale is not merely about the trial itself. It reveals the broader social and cultural landscape of late 18th-century New York City. Readers are taken from the city's elite sanctuaries to the shadowy realms of its brothels and the bleak corners of its debtors' prisons. The book is a testament to the power of words and the relentless pursuit of justice, illustrating how one young woman's courage challenged and transformed societal norms.
The account is meticulously crafted, based on exhaustive historical research, and it vividly reconstructs the passionate encounters and turbulent events of that time. John Wood Sweet's narrative shows how Lanah Sawyer's determination led to her assailant being held accountable, albeit at an immense personal cost.
This riveting tale, complete with rare photographs, not only illuminates a pivotal moment in American legal history but also serves as a powerful reminder of the transformative impact that a determined individual can have on laws and cultural attitudes. The Sewing Girl's Tale poignantly demonstrates that the quest for justice and social change is a timeless endeavour, echoing through the centuries and resonating with issues still present today.
Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?
The Sewing Girl's Tale by John Wood Sweet has received excellent reviews praising its engrossing narrative and detailed historical context. The New York Times Book Review commends it as an absorbing social and cultural history, while The Wall Street Journal extols it as a vividly intimate portrait of early American life. Experts highlight its balanced blend of true crime, courtroom drama, and social analysis, noting Sweet's ability to bring historical figures and contexts to life with impressive research and gripping storytelling.
Book Details
INFORMATION
ISBN: 9781250871480
Publisher: St Martin's Press
Format: Paperback / softback
Date Published: 11 July 2023
Country: United States
Imprint: St Martin's Press
Audience: General / adult
DIMENSIONS
Spine width: 33.0mm
Width: 155.0mm
Height: 231.0mm
Weight: 468g
Pages: 384
About the Author
John Wood Sweet is a professor of history at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and the former director of UNC's Program in Sexuality Studies. He has received fellowships from the National Endowment for the Humanities, the Mellon Foundation, the National Humanities Center, the Institute for the Arts and Humanities at UNC, and the Gilder Lehrman Center at Yale, among others. His first book, Bodies Politic: Negotiating Race in the American North, 1730-1830, was a finalist for the Frederick Douglass Prize. He was named a Top Young Historian by the History News Network and has served as an Organization of American Historians Distinguished Lecturer. He lives in Chapel Hill with his husband, son, and daughter.
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