The Sewing Girl's Tale: A Story of the Rights of Men and the Wrongs of Women
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- Create Date：2022-07-16 19:21:47
- Update Date：2025-09-06
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- Author：John Wood Sweet
- ISBN：1250761964
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Summary
A riveting Revolutionary Era drama of the first published rape trial in American history and its long， shattering aftermath， revealing how much has changed over two centuries—and how much has not。
On a moonless night in the summer of 1793 a crime was committed in the back room of a New York brothel—the kind of crime that even victims usually kept secret。 Instead， seventeen-year-old seamstress Lanah Sawyer did what virtually no one in US history had done before: she charged a gentleman with rape。
Her accusation sparked a raw courtroom drama and a relentless struggle for vindication that threatened both Lanah’s and her assailant’s lives。 The trial exposed a predatory sexual underworld， sparked riots in the streets， and ignited a vigorous debate about class privilege and sexual double standards。 The ongoing conflict attracted the nation’s top lawyers， including Alexander Hamilton， and shaped the development of American law。 The crime and its consequences became a kind of parable about the power of seduction and the limits of justice。 Eventually， Lanah Sawyer did succeed in holding her assailant accountable—but at a terrible cost to herself。
Based on rigorous historical detective work， this book takes us from a chance encounter in the street into the sanctuaries of the city’s elite， the shadows of its brothels， and the despair of its debtors’ prison。 The Sewing Girl’s Tale shows that if our laws and our culture were changed by a persistent young woman and the power of words two hundred years ago， they can be changed again。
Includes Photographs
On a moonless night in the summer of 1793 a crime was committed in the back room of a New York brothel—the kind of crime that even victims usually kept secret。 Instead， seventeen-year-old seamstress Lanah Sawyer did what virtually no one in US history had done before: she charged a gentleman with rape。
Her accusation sparked a raw courtroom drama and a relentless struggle for vindication that threatened both Lanah’s and her assailant’s lives。 The trial exposed a predatory sexual underworld， sparked riots in the streets， and ignited a vigorous debate about class privilege and sexual double standards。 The ongoing conflict attracted the nation’s top lawyers， including Alexander Hamilton， and shaped the development of American law。 The crime and its consequences became a kind of parable about the power of seduction and the limits of justice。 Eventually， Lanah Sawyer did succeed in holding her assailant accountable—but at a terrible cost to herself。
Based on rigorous historical detective work， this book takes us from a chance encounter in the street into the sanctuaries of the city’s elite， the shadows of its brothels， and the despair of its debtors’ prison。 The Sewing Girl’s Tale shows that if our laws and our culture were changed by a persistent young woman and the power of words two hundred years ago， they can be changed again。
Includes Photographs
Reviews
Random Books with MJ
，
What an interesting recount of one event in history。 This book looks back at the event， taking into account the actions， and occurrences both before the event， during the time of the event （1793）， and after the event。 Giving a full description of the event from many angles。 It also discusses how things were changing at the time and how this one event led to future changes。Though at times I felt the story was longer than necessary， it was absolutely worth listening to。 If you enjoy reading histor What an interesting recount of one event in history。 This book looks back at the event， taking into account the actions， and occurrences both before the event， during the time of the event （1793）， and after the event。 Giving a full description of the event from many angles。 It also discusses how things were changing at the time and how this one event led to future changes。Though at times I felt the story was longer than necessary， it was absolutely worth listening to。 If you enjoy reading history and specifically digging into one topic， this book is for you。 Not to mention it is well narrated。 Thank you @netgalley and @macmillan。audio for the opportunity to listen to this book。 @gabracadabranyc excellent narration。 。。。more
Carin
，
While this isn’t the first rape trial in the United States， it’s the first one we have any record of。 （Stenographers just weren’t a thing back then。） Luckily， a British man who had just become a lawyer had just come to the U。S。， and write-ups of scandalous trials were popular in England， and so he decided to do it here （also as a way of introducing himself to the American legal society）。 With a prodigious and well-trained memory and some minor notes， he recreated most of the trial of Lanah Stewa While this isn’t the first rape trial in the United States， it’s the first one we have any record of。 （Stenographers just weren’t a thing back then。） Luckily， a British man who had just become a lawyer had just come to the U。S。， and write-ups of scandalous trials were popular in England， and so he decided to do it here （also as a way of introducing himself to the American legal society）。 With a prodigious and well-trained memory and some minor notes， he recreated most of the trial of Lanah Stewart’s rapist。Lanah was a working-class teenager， living at home with her mother and step-father， contributing to the household as a seamstress。 One evening a young man made her acquaintance， and erroneously introduced himself as “Lawyer Smith。” He tried to invite her out with him， but she refused， repeatedly。 Another day he “bumped” into her again and this time he claimed that if she agreed to go for a walk down to the Battery， he’d already gotten a girlfriend of hers （and another gentleman） to join them。 That time she agreed。 Of course， it was a lie。 But by the time his excuses ran out， they were far away from her home and she was having fun。 But on the way home， he forced her into a brothel and raped her。I cannot imagine the gumption of a girl in 1793 to prosecute her rapist。 Yes， she had the full backing （and probably was pushed somewhat） by her step-father， but then， a woman had to be of impeccable reputation and in a society where he-said she-said completely favored men， it was an uphill battle。 Don’t worry about getting too bogged down in the courtroom scenes–at this time most cases （including this one） happened in a single day （wouldn’t that be refreshing to return to！ Even if it did end at midnight。）Mr。 Sweet has done such extensive research that he well-explains exactly where they were when， how the walk to the Battery happened， what Lanah did the day after the rape， how similar rape cases at the time were adjudicated， and even the social standing of men with her step-father’s career as a harbor pilot。 I felt I fully understood everything。 The recreated conversations were not presented as if he were there and knew what happened。 It all felt authentic and real， and the results of this case were fascinating。 I had a lot of flashbacks to the book The Woman They Could Not Silence while reading this as both are stories of previously unknown women in US history who stood up for themselves and changed society， even if just a little， for the better。 。。。more
Heather
，
The more things change the more they stay the same。 The Sewing Girl's Tale is frighteningly modern in many respects。 Lanah Sawyer was a seventeen year old in colonial America who was sexually assaulted by Harry Bedlow， a man from a prominent family who clearly expected no repercussions to come of his crime。 Why would he when shame and victim blaming keeps many assault victims quiet even today？ What he got instead was Lanah and her step father coming forward and accusing him of rape。 Lanah's step The more things change the more they stay the same。 The Sewing Girl's Tale is frighteningly modern in many respects。 Lanah Sawyer was a seventeen year old in colonial America who was sexually assaulted by Harry Bedlow， a man from a prominent family who clearly expected no repercussions to come of his crime。 Why would he when shame and victim blaming keeps many assault victims quiet even today？ What he got instead was Lanah and her step father coming forward and accusing him of rape。 Lanah's step father doggedly persisted in bringing Bedlow to some sort of justice and the community itself， who had warned Lanah initially of Bedlow's reputation and therefore clearly had concerns about men of such a predatory nature， supported her。 The horrific crime resonates today and John Sweet lays out a highly readable presentation of historical material。 Much research has been done for this book and also took into account the social and economic divide in play in the case。 The author has clearly done much primary source work and makes the story fresh and alive to the reader。 The case itself is an intense study of how things have and haven't changed when it comes to sexual assault crimes and offers a fascinating look at a bold young woman and her step father， determined to make a criminal responsible for his actions。Thank you to Net Galley and Macmillan Publishing for the ARC copy。 。。。more
Julie
，
The Sewing Girls Tale by John Wood Sweet is a 2022 Henry Holt & Co。 Publication。 This book examines the 1793 case of Lanah Sawyer， who at the age of seventeen， was sexually assaulted by Henry Bedlow。 Despite the incredible lack of rape cases reported at that time， Lanah and her stepfather filed formal charges against Bedlow。 As this story unfolds， one sees distinct classism， double standards， and the heavy burdens of proof women endured， and the way men controlled the entire narrative of the cas The Sewing Girls Tale by John Wood Sweet is a 2022 Henry Holt & Co。 Publication。 This book examines the 1793 case of Lanah Sawyer， who at the age of seventeen， was sexually assaulted by Henry Bedlow。 Despite the incredible lack of rape cases reported at that time， Lanah and her stepfather filed formal charges against Bedlow。 As this story unfolds， one sees distinct classism， double standards， and the heavy burdens of proof women endured， and the way men controlled the entire narrative of the case， leaving Lanah with no control over her life， left with no voice or choice in the matter， often completely forgotten about as decisions are made for her and about her。 How many times have rich， privileged， well- connected men gotten away with rape？ How often are women questioned about why they waited to report the crime and how often is the woman villainized， doubted， accused of making false claims or being responsible in some way for what happened to them？The story is all too familiar in many ways， and though progress has been made， so much of what Lanah endured still goes on today。 In Lanah’s case， she endures the usual shredding of her reputation， she suffered great indignities， propelled forward by her stepfather who， though brave and tenacious， and determined to get justice for Lanah， was also thinking about himself， as his own reputation would also be at stake。 Eventually， Lanah would find herself lost in the machinations of men who took complete control over her situation， leaving her forgotten and powerless， leading up to and following the trial of Henry Bedlow。 This is a powerful story， well researched， and organized。 I was not familiar with this case， but to my credit， I’m thinking it is not all that well- known- though it absolutely should be！ I recommend this book for its rich revolutionary history， for the powerful saga and legacy of Lanah Sawyer， and because of the thought provoking questions it leaves us with。 How far have we come？ What has changed？ And most importantly… What hasn’t？ Overall， a stunning historical portrait which is as timely today as it was in 1793。 4 stars 。。。more
Jess | dapper。reads
，
This is a heavy book。 It tells the story of the first rape case in America and runs us through the story as we know it。 We see how the case was handled， the impact it had on the victim and the treatment of women in general during that time。 It also allows us to draw comparisons between now and then and does some of the comparing for us。 This is in depth， allowing us to see the entire story （as we know it） from start to finish。 It brings in other cases as well to compare the situations and outcom This is a heavy book。 It tells the story of the first rape case in America and runs us through the story as we know it。 We see how the case was handled， the impact it had on the victim and the treatment of women in general during that time。 It also allows us to draw comparisons between now and then and does some of the comparing for us。 This is in depth， allowing us to see the entire story （as we know it） from start to finish。 It brings in other cases as well to compare the situations and outcomes and allows us to see what the victim was facing during this time。 It mentions many times that the jury in the case consisted of men， and the victim was left to explain what happened to her in detail in front of the courtroom full of men who were there to judge her truthfulness against a man of status。 I saw so many parallels between this story and current events。 It saddens me to see how little progress has really been made on this topic。 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 。。。more
Weezy
，
This is one of the best audio books I’ve listened to in a long time。 I was very impressed by the extensive research that was done for this book。 After looking up this author， I was less surprised by the quality of the research， as he is a history professor at UNC Chapel Hill as well as a notable award winning researcher。 I learned soooo much from this book。 His history classes are probably very interesting and the school and students are lucky to have him。 This book is the story of the rape tria This is one of the best audio books I’ve listened to in a long time。 I was very impressed by the extensive research that was done for this book。 After looking up this author， I was less surprised by the quality of the research， as he is a history professor at UNC Chapel Hill as well as a notable award winning researcher。 I learned soooo much from this book。 His history classes are probably very interesting and the school and students are lucky to have him。 This book is the story of the rape trial of Lanah Sawyer and Harry Bedlow。 But it’s so much more。 It contrasts the differences in how people were treated based on social class。 It also gives a vivid picture of how women were treated in those times。 This case and those times took victim blaming to a whole new level。 Lanah even feared going home after the rape。 She had a very real concern that her step father would beat her when they found out what had happened。 This book gives an eye opening look at the legal system and the mentality of society in the times。 Definitely worth reading！ I will be looking for other works by this well informed and interesting author！ 5 stars！！！！ 。。。more
Joseph J。
，
Thanks to a Goodreads giveaway and publishing house Holt。 A younger generation of historians continues to mine the darker forgotten corners of the nation's past for stories of unsung people and the challenges which they faced and overcame。 John Wood Sweet in The Sewing Girl's Tale: A Story of the Rights of Men and the Wrongs of Women places us in the days of the early post-Revolutionary War republic， on the busy， dirty and at times unrecognizable streets of New York City。 A seventeen year old se Thanks to a Goodreads giveaway and publishing house Holt。 A younger generation of historians continues to mine the darker forgotten corners of the nation's past for stories of unsung people and the challenges which they faced and overcame。 John Wood Sweet in The Sewing Girl's Tale: A Story of the Rights of Men and the Wrongs of Women places us in the days of the early post-Revolutionary War republic， on the busy， dirty and at times unrecognizable streets of New York City。 A seventeen year old seamstress， Lanah Sawyer， is charmed by but ultimately as she boldly told， abducted to a house of ill repute and raped by a well-connected， well known rake about town， Henry Bedlow。 In short， Lanah and her sometimes abusive and violent stepfather fight back。 Against conventions and social structure of the day。 Against a society which basking in the promises of the still living founding fathers， places women in the realm of a possession with few to no legal rights。 They fight against an inbred class system， in which the wealthy， powerful and well-connected feel-often justifiably-that a different set of laws will govern their behaviors。 （Sound familiar？） Bedlow fits that profile。 Lanah's-and her stepfather's-fight for justice will take them over a period of years through a nonstop trial in one never ending day， held in Federal Hall rich with the trappings of the new republic。 The fight continues over years， in civil court for damages， involving a cast of the powerful with names known to us-Alexander Hamilton-and the （inter）connected-powerful families like the Livingstons。 This is played out against a rich and well-constructed narrative of the place of women in the late 18th。 century， and against a growing discontented working class with a realization of their status in those idealistic days and a knowledge of the masses uprising in the French Revolution-a reality which strikes fear in the powerful。 （Ironically， the most independent and powerful women emerge from the brothel keepers; Mother Carey in whose home the attack occurred is one interesting character。 Women of "birth" from Abigail Adams to the wife of one of Bedlow's lawyers raise their observations and concerns about the status of women， to the bemused mocking of their husbands。） Reading this in the midst of the overturn of Roe is interesting， as the author delves into late 18th。 century attitudes toward women and sex and， yes， abortion。 There are echos of today， such as belief pregnancy can only occur in consensual sex， and not rape: S0und like a Senate candidate a few years back？ And （particularly among the working classes） a high number of marriages happened after pregnancy。 Overall a look at a world dominated by powerful and connected white men， and their power sought and realized over women。 Yet one young woman of lowly birth and her aggressive father challenged the social and legal order。 。。。more
Abigail
，
There's just a lot that takes away from this book。The paint brush that washes it in white is incredibly overwhelming。 The claim that it is the first rape trial， taking place in 1793。 （Yikes。）This was a rape trial， that happened in early America。 But most definitely not the first。 There are laws regarding rape dating back to 1750 BCE， so you better believe someone had their manhood cut off after public trial for rape while a large amount of the kingdom looked on。 Sexual assault is not a modern co There's just a lot that takes away from this book。The paint brush that washes it in white is incredibly overwhelming。 The claim that it is the first rape trial， taking place in 1793。 （Yikes。）This was a rape trial， that happened in early America。 But most definitely not the first。 There are laws regarding rape dating back to 1750 BCE， so you better believe someone had their manhood cut off after public trial for rape while a large amount of the kingdom looked on。 Sexual assault is not a modern concept。 This book attempts to make it exclusively for white colonists。 The novel， because it is very much a novel， is just serving you the colonial POV of sexual assault。 Which definitely does need to be heard- just not as "the first rape trial" 。 It demeans all of the women thousands of years before to have just dealt with it or have had rape and sexual assault not exist at all until we gained a modicum of civility and had someone to write it all down。 。。。more
Leslie Zemeckis
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Brilliant interesting excellent research to another time where a poor sewing girl has her #metoo movement and takes on men in power with a higher status on society - really excellent read
Mary: Me， My Shelf & I
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Thank you to Net Galley for this ARC audiobook。This was a long read/ listen which could/ should be cut by an hour /。 75 pages。 That being said it is based on the true first rape trial in NYC， taking place in the 1700’s。The author painstakingly researched the history and did a remarkable job of telling her story。Lanah Sawyer was a 17-year-old sewing girl trying to make her way down a busy street when a Frenchman started to flirt with her。 She was unescorted。 A 26-year-old gentleman， Harry Bedlow， Thank you to Net Galley for this ARC audiobook。This was a long read/ listen which could/ should be cut by an hour /。 75 pages。 That being said it is based on the true first rape trial in NYC， taking place in the 1700’s。The author painstakingly researched the history and did a remarkable job of telling her story。Lanah Sawyer was a 17-year-old sewing girl trying to make her way down a busy street when a Frenchman started to flirt with her。 She was unescorted。 A 26-year-old gentleman， Harry Bedlow， close by noticed this awkward moment and quickly offered protection by walking her home。 He told her his name was Lawyer Smith （the first lie）。 She enjoyed his company and felt like she could trust Bedlow。A riveting tragic and true account of a wonderfully brave woman who sought to get justice for a great wrong。 The courts were most likely to favor men， especially wealthy ones， and Lanah did live to see justice served。 A true historical gem。@netgalley 。。。more
A Mac
，
Lanah Sawyer is seventeen years old during the year 1793。 After meeting a gentleman who sweeps her off her feet， her life changes – but not for the better。 She is sexually assaulted by the man， and， in a very rare move for the time， accuses him of his crime publicly。 What follows is a whirlwind of law and exposure as the nation struggles to acknowledge and deal with the double standards and gender inequities of the time。This work was well researched。 The amount of effort the author put into iden Lanah Sawyer is seventeen years old during the year 1793。 After meeting a gentleman who sweeps her off her feet， her life changes – but not for the better。 She is sexually assaulted by the man， and， in a very rare move for the time， accuses him of his crime publicly。 What follows is a whirlwind of law and exposure as the nation struggles to acknowledge and deal with the double standards and gender inequities of the time。This work was well researched。 The amount of effort the author put into identifying and utilizing historic documentation is evident throughout the book。 There were so many historical details woven throughout this work， ranging from everyday life to the intricacies of eighteenth-century law。 These portions of the work felt like reading a history textbook， as there were quotes from historical texts included in a way that felt very academic。 There were also direct quotes of definitions from Webster’s Dictionary， adding to the academic and legal feeling of these portions of the text。 This was a good way to explore this case and the details surrounding it and the people involved。I personally disliked the fictionalized history portions of this work。 The characters weren’t written in a realistic or relatable way， making the dramatized portions fall flat and feel lacking。 Because this work was so focused on the history， the dramatized portions were full of telling rather than showing， leading to lackluster characters。 Overall， this work would have been more powerful as a fully nonfiction work。 I don’t recommend this work if you’re looking for a novel or for something more along the lines of historical fiction。 But I do recommend this work if you’re interested in historical details and events surrounding one of the first legal cases centering on rape in the United States and the repercussions one woman’s voice had on America’s legal system。I received a complimentary copy of this work through NetGalley。 All opinions expressed in this review are my own。 。。。more
Nancy
，
A fascinating account of the 1793 rape of young Lanah Sawyer（the sewing girl of the title） is many things: a social history， a courtroom drama， a mystery and all true， well researched and written in a lively style which keeps the the reader engaged throughout。 Lanah， with the support of her family， has the audacity to challange in court the upper class layabout who raped her。 A well written account of the history of women， their place in society and the evolution of the way rape has been viewed A fascinating account of the 1793 rape of young Lanah Sawyer（the sewing girl of the title） is many things: a social history， a courtroom drama， a mystery and all true， well researched and written in a lively style which keeps the the reader engaged throughout。 Lanah， with the support of her family， has the audacity to challange in court the upper class layabout who raped her。 A well written account of the history of women， their place in society and the evolution of the way rape has been viewed over the centuries。 Of special interest to those who like NYC history & feminist history 。。。more
mary
，
why are women long suffering underdogs who have via history still are fight for equal rights ， we certainly have to continue to hold others accountable for treating women as second class， this book is not a stretch from today's world and certainly points out we have to keep fighting for rights in the legal system when we are violated， The long ago tale is great to understand how hard it is for woman to fight for injustice and still feel like no one is really helping ， laws and attitudes have to why are women long suffering underdogs who have via history still are fight for equal rights ， we certainly have to continue to hold others accountable for treating women as second class， this book is not a stretch from today's world and certainly points out we have to keep fighting for rights in the legal system when we are violated， The long ago tale is great to understand how hard it is for woman to fight for injustice and still feel like no one is really helping ， laws and attitudes have to change 。 I like this book because it sheds light on the justice system and how laws were in that day。 Good weave 。。。more
June
，
This is a well-researched true story of a young woman who was the victim of a premeditated rape and chose to press charges， setting a precedent in the newly formed US。 It is a depressing read in the present climate in which women are still not believed and our rights are being stripped away。 But it is an important story for those interested in women's issues， early US history， and legal history。Thank you to the publishers and NetGalley for the opportunity to review a temporary digital ARC in exc This is a well-researched true story of a young woman who was the victim of a premeditated rape and chose to press charges， setting a precedent in the newly formed US。 It is a depressing read in the present climate in which women are still not believed and our rights are being stripped away。 But it is an important story for those interested in women's issues， early US history， and legal history。Thank you to the publishers and NetGalley for the opportunity to review a temporary digital ARC in exchange for an unbiased review。 。。。more
Shelly
，
When 17-year old Lanah Sawyer agreed to an afternoon stroll with a charming young man in the summer of 1793， she had no idea where the night would lead。 In this fascinating narrative that reads like a modern day true crime， Historian John Sweet brings to life all the characters involved both the crime and its subsequent repercussions。 As one unfamiliar with this case， I found myself swept along by the twists and turns。 Upon conclusion of the trial， I considered the story to be coming to a close， When 17-year old Lanah Sawyer agreed to an afternoon stroll with a charming young man in the summer of 1793， she had no idea where the night would lead。 In this fascinating narrative that reads like a modern day true crime， Historian John Sweet brings to life all the characters involved both the crime and its subsequent repercussions。 As one unfamiliar with this case， I found myself swept along by the twists and turns。 Upon conclusion of the trial， I considered the story to be coming to a close， only to underestimate the perserverance of Lanah's stepfather and fellow New Yorkers in fighting back and how the continued legal actions would affect the main （male） characters。Things I loved include the exploration of class structure in 1793， the approach to the criminal versus civil cases， the to debtors prison's mock justice ， and the intricate connections between the New York names we recognize today and those everday people we don't。 However， I found myself wishing the author offered a little more context comparing any differences between the law and trials in pre-Revolutionary English colonial law and post-Constitution United States。There were at least two twists that had me raising both eyebrows in surprise and kept me from putting the book down until after hours。 After a decade of detective work， the author discovered a complex true crime story that weaves across many layers of social and legal history。 。。。more
M。 Mangan
，
There's no mystery about the event that precipitates this tale。 Right up front you face the grim reality of Harry Bedlow's sexual assault on Lanah Sawyer。 But there are surprises to come as the aftermath unfolds in New York City of the early Republic。It's no shock to any woman today that bad behavior by a well-off son of a noted family will expect to escape unscathed from his actions。 The early part of the story was sometimes difficult to read because the parallels to cases even 200 years later， There's no mystery about the event that precipitates this tale。 Right up front you face the grim reality of Harry Bedlow's sexual assault on Lanah Sawyer。 But there are surprises to come as the aftermath unfolds in New York City of the early Republic。It's no shock to any woman today that bad behavior by a well-off son of a noted family will expect to escape unscathed from his actions。 The early part of the story was sometimes difficult to read because the parallels to cases even 200 years later， and many women's own experiences。 But then the case takes a fascinating turn: the support for Lanah from the community， and the persistence of her step-father， deliver actual consequences to the perpetrator。 In fact， the community response rhymed with recent US history for me as well， as protests demonstrated that a woman's fate mattered to her neighbors in ways I didn't expect to hear about in this period， and was new information to me。I ache to know more about what went on in Lanah's internal dialog as this all played out。 But we just don't have that kind of information from 18th century women。 The author's choice to not speculate was the correct one for a historical and fact-based text。 But I yearned for it nonetheless。 And I'll be thinking about Lanah for a long time。As a historical re-enactor of this time frame， I found the historical context to be just what I'd hoped。 The legal framework was useful but not overwhelming。 The descriptions of the middle class life are helpful。 Even the impact of Yellow Fever on the city residents was reminiscent of things we can easily imagine today。 In all， this book was a revealing look at a time that seems distant， but in fact echoes with today in many important ways。 It was definitely worth the time。Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Publishers for the DRC。 。。。more
Arthur Morrill III
，
“The Sewing Girl's Tale: A Story of Crime and Consequences in Revolutionary America，” by John Wood Sweet （ISBN: 9781250761965）， publication date: 19 Jul 2022， earns a strong five stars。John Sweet presents his beautifully-written and exhaustively researched narrative about a 1793 rape of 17-year-old Lanah Sawyer by a rake， a member of the insulated privileged class， and that most personal crime’s public and affecting aftermath that lasts even to today。 Evocative and disturbing in ways almost inde “The Sewing Girl's Tale: A Story of Crime and Consequences in Revolutionary America，” by John Wood Sweet （ISBN: 9781250761965）， publication date: 19 Jul 2022， earns a strong five stars。John Sweet presents his beautifully-written and exhaustively researched narrative about a 1793 rape of 17-year-old Lanah Sawyer by a rake， a member of the insulated privileged class， and that most personal crime’s public and affecting aftermath that lasts even to today。 Evocative and disturbing in ways almost indescribable， the crime and its effects are as brutally fresh and relevant today as they were when the rape occurred in New York City in 1793。 This is history， but not merely history。 It is also a continuing tragedy， and a human story。 We are there， uncomfortably present， through the preceding events， the crime， and the courtroom dramas， and during the complex actions following involving the press， the government， protests， and mob actions。 Many are involved—even historical figures such as Alexander Hamilton who come away quite deservedly and forever tarnished。 We cannot help but admire the painful but amazing courage of Lanah Sawyer and her stepfather John Callanan。 Together， they tenaciously fight for justice， despite women having essentially no real rights and most of the general population having little more。 Tragically， they never quite achieve full justice。 As tragic， we lose Lanah to history， so can only hope her life improved for her。 In sum， this is a worthy read about a tragic situation and a compelling topic that leaves the reader changed。Thanks to the publisher， Henry Holt & Company， for granting this reviewer the opportunity to read this Advance Reader Copy （ARC）， and thanks to NetGalley for helping to make that possible。 。。。more
Brendan Dowd
，
Full review coming soon
Rachel Pollock
，
This book was a difficult read。 I'm generally interested in rediscovered histories of women's lives and it's clear a lot of meticulous research went into this book。 I don't know what I was expecting going into it， but the whole book centers around the rape of a teenage girl at the end of the 18th century and the fallout for everyone involved。 It's a grim tale and one I found myself considering over and over again， there but for an accident of birth and chronology， might go I。 Recommended if you' This book was a difficult read。 I'm generally interested in rediscovered histories of women's lives and it's clear a lot of meticulous research went into this book。 I don't know what I was expecting going into it， but the whole book centers around the rape of a teenage girl at the end of the 18th century and the fallout for everyone involved。 It's a grim tale and one I found myself considering over and over again， there but for an accident of birth and chronology， might go I。 Recommended if you're doing research on anything related--women's histories of the time， a novel with similar characters， etc。 Should probably contain a content warning for survivors of sexual assault。I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review。 。。。more
Jennifer Schultz
，
This is not just a recounting of a little-known but pivotal trial in American history。 Sweet effectively brings post-Revolutionary War New York City to life， along with the dangers and restrictions that women faced。 The actual details of the rape are sparse， for readers who might need to know that information。 Readers who are drawn to top-notch narrative fiction will not want to miss this。 Librarians/booksellers: This is a unique and remarkable addition to your women's history collection。 Many t This is not just a recounting of a little-known but pivotal trial in American history。 Sweet effectively brings post-Revolutionary War New York City to life， along with the dangers and restrictions that women faced。 The actual details of the rape are sparse， for readers who might need to know that information。 Readers who are drawn to top-notch narrative fiction will not want to miss this。 Librarians/booksellers: This is a unique and remarkable addition to your women's history collection。 Many thanks to Henry Holt & NetGalley for a digital review copy in exchange for an honest review。 。。。more
O Prism
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Excellent read。 What I thought would be a story of one young girl’s sad tale of sexual exploitation turned out to be filled with the history of rape trials， amid changing mores and social constructs。 Lanah Sawyer was a 17 year old sewing girl walking unescorted down a busy street， when a Frenchman began flirting with her。 A man， Harry Bedlow， supposedly came to her rescue， and they became friendly。 His idea of friendship was to accost her， drag her into an alley and a back door brothel where he Excellent read。 What I thought would be a story of one young girl’s sad tale of sexual exploitation turned out to be filled with the history of rape trials， amid changing mores and social constructs。 Lanah Sawyer was a 17 year old sewing girl walking unescorted down a busy street， when a Frenchman began flirting with her。 A man， Harry Bedlow， supposedly came to her rescue， and they became friendly。 His idea of friendship was to accost her， drag her into an alley and a back door brothel where he brutally assaulted her。 He was wealthy， she was not。 In those days an incident like this could easily ruin a woman’s reputation。 Unlike most women， she had the support of her family and decided to fight back in the courtroom。 This was the first rape trial in NYC。 The courts were most likely to favor men， especially wealthy ones， and Lanah did live to see justice served。 I liked how well-researched the book was。 It was worth the long read， and is relevant for today’s times。Thank you to Netgalley， the author， and publisher for an ARC in exchange for my honest opinion。 。。。more
Meradith
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The Sewing Girl’s Tale is the true story of Lana’s Sawyer and her sexual assault in 1793。 This case is truly heartbreaking but it is a story of determination and making sure that justice is served in a time where justice mainly served white rich men。Lanah’s story could have been much worse if it wasn’t for the support of her family during such a constricting time for women of all classes。The telling of Lanah’s story reads very smoothly and is so informative of rape and sexual assault cases of th The Sewing Girl’s Tale is the true story of Lana’s Sawyer and her sexual assault in 1793。 This case is truly heartbreaking but it is a story of determination and making sure that justice is served in a time where justice mainly served white rich men。Lanah’s story could have been much worse if it wasn’t for the support of her family during such a constricting time for women of all classes。The telling of Lanah’s story reads very smoothly and is so informative of rape and sexual assault cases of this time。 It also it a super comprehensive retelling of the trial events and after the trial。 。。。more
Jean Roberts
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Loved it。 A superb blend of non-fiction and fictionalized history。 The Sewing Girl's Tale is the story of Lanah Sawyer and her pursuit of justice under improbably circumstances。 A heart breaking story of courage and dogged determination。 A real page turner。 Highly recommend。 Loved it。 A superb blend of non-fiction and fictionalized history。 The Sewing Girl's Tale is the story of Lanah Sawyer and her pursuit of justice under improbably circumstances。 A heart breaking story of courage and dogged determination。 A real page turner。 Highly recommend。 。。。more
Jackie Sunday
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This is a rare gem and historical account of the first American rape case that occurred in NYC while major changes were taking place in 1793。Lanah Sawyer was a 17-year-old sewing girl trying to make her way down a busy street when a Frenchman started to flirt with her。 She was unescorted。 A 26-year-old gentleman， Harry Bedlow， close by noticed this awkward moment and quickly offered protection by walking her home。 He told her his name was Lawyer Smith （the first lie）。 She enjoyed his company and This is a rare gem and historical account of the first American rape case that occurred in NYC while major changes were taking place in 1793。Lanah Sawyer was a 17-year-old sewing girl trying to make her way down a busy street when a Frenchman started to flirt with her。 She was unescorted。 A 26-year-old gentleman， Harry Bedlow， close by noticed this awkward moment and quickly offered protection by walking her home。 He told her his name was Lawyer Smith （the first lie）。 She enjoyed his company and felt like she could trust Bedlow。 She had secret dreams that he could like her， a poor working girl。 Her neighbor saw this man at her family home and warned Lanah about his reputation。 However， she wanted to believe that he was not a rake -- a term for elite sexual predators。 After some persuasion， she agreed a few days later to go with him on a walk to the park where they enjoyed a very special treat: ice cream。 She noticed it was late; she lost track of time。 He said he would walk her home except he had other plans and took her to a brothel where she was aggressively raped。 Overnight， both of their lives changed。 Lanah felt "shame， anger， violation， regret， disappointment and self-doubt。" Many girls from these cases ended up pregnant。 Many were instantly kicked out of their homes。 No doubt， she was filled with great fear of rejection。 Her stepfather had a temper。What's unique about this true account was the way the author was able to weave in interesting parts of history while he was addressing the rape case with Lanah Sawyer giving the reader a realistic image of the times。 There was an impressive amount of research that went into this book。 It showed the great divide between the rich and poor。 Anyone that loves to go deep into the past would absolutely enjoy reading about this part of history。 It's a discussion piece about what has changed - and what hasn't。 At the end， the author provides readers with a summary of the research process: scanning newspapers， maps， surveys， tax records and reading diaries， letters， novels and wills。 He added a directory of abbreviations and hundreds of footnotes for complete accuracy。 Lanah Sawyer's painful experience will not be forgotten。My thanks to John Wood Sweet， Henry Holt and Company and NetGalley for allowing me to read this advanced copy with the expected release date of July 19， 2022。 。。。more
Christine Cazeneuve
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A riveting tragic and true account of a wonderfully brave woman who sought to get justice for a great wrong。 The author does a very thorough job of researching and telling her story without the reader feeling anything but the courage it took for her to proceed。 A story that needs to be told。 Thanks to Netgalley， the author and publisher for an e-arc in exchange for my honest opinion。
Courtney
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