The Woman They Could Not Silence: One Woman, Her Incredible Fight for Freedom, and the Men Who Tried to Make Her Disappear
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- Create Date：2021-06-23 18:31:15
- Update Date：2025-09-06
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- Author：Kate Moore
- ISBN：B08ZVGLZX3
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Reviews
Emily Katzenberger
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Follow me on Instagram @thebiasedbibliophileAs a huge fan of The Radium Girls by Kate Moore， I was stoked to read an ARC of The Woman They Could Not Silence by the same author， from NetGalley！ I wondered whether or not Moore would be able to deliver again， after writing such a profoundly moving debut book， and I’m ecstatic to say that my worries were completely unfounded。 Kate Moore’s second book managed to grab my heart and tug it every which way， while captivating my thoughts， and sometimes li Follow me on Instagram @thebiasedbibliophileAs a huge fan of The Radium Girls by Kate Moore， I was stoked to read an ARC of The Woman They Could Not Silence by the same author， from NetGalley！ I wondered whether or not Moore would be able to deliver again， after writing such a profoundly moving debut book， and I’m ecstatic to say that my worries were completely unfounded。 Kate Moore’s second book managed to grab my heart and tug it every which way， while captivating my thoughts， and sometimes literally stealing my breath out of shock！Whenever I read a nonfiction book about a specific person in history， I often ask myself， “Why this person？” The answer to this question was clear from the beginning of The Woman They Could Not Silence because Elizabeth Packard’s story needed to be told， and I honestly can’t think of a better person to tell it than Kate Moore。 Moore tells Packard’s story in such a vivid and personal way that， as a reader， it felt as though I not only knew Moore， but also Packard。 To seamlessly combine Packard’s own words with Moore’s prowess as an author is an outstanding feat of talent！This moving book follows Elizabeth Packard throughout her adult life， as she is unjustly committed to an asylum after expressing her own opinion。 Moore shines a light on the way Elizabeth refused to stand by as a victim of her circumstances， and instead chose to live a life advocating not only for her personal rights， but for the rights of all women and mentally ill people。 The objective story of Elizabeth Packard’s life by itself would be astounding， but Kate Moore gives details and depth to this story that make it feel genuine， urgent， and heart-shattering。There were so many moving parts to this story， it was clear that a lot of research and skill were necessary to transform it into the masterpiece that it is。 Kate Moore painted a lucid image of Elizabeth Packard’s life， including aspects of the time she lived in， relating to the law， mental health， family dynamics， small town life， the media， and more。 These details give the reader a 360° view of the specifics in Elizabeth’s life。 So many of these aspects are dramatically different today than they were in Elizabeth’s lifetime， but Moore bridges the gap by giving the reader a complete conception of life for a woman in the 1800s。While I could ramble on about so many fantastic aspects of this book， the part that stirred my heart the most was the beautiful way that Kate Moore conveyed Elizabeth Packard’s sense of sisterhood。 Reading about the determination Elizabeth felt to help her fellow women imprisoned in asylums was almost indescribable。 Her willingness to fight for others and her unwavering love for women facing struggles she herself faced， brought me to tears。 This story most definitely could have been told without including Elizabeth Packard’s feelings of sisterhood toward other women in asylums， but it would have been desperately incomplete。 The way Moore incorporated this aspect of the book spoke to that sisterhood within me， as I think it will speak to the sense of sisterhood inside women everywhere！ 。。。more
Kirsten
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Thank you to my local indie bookstore， Snail On The Wall， and the publisher， Source Books， for a chance to read this book in advance！Elizabeth Packard is sent to an insane asylum for “differences” from her husband - both intellectual and spiritual。 But she swears she is sane。 Setting out on a mission out to prove it， she also tries to help others along the way。First off， this person was alive and breathing during the 1800’s。 I’ll be the first to admit I don’t know a lot about history at this ti Thank you to my local indie bookstore， Snail On The Wall， and the publisher， Source Books， for a chance to read this book in advance！Elizabeth Packard is sent to an insane asylum for “differences” from her husband - both intellectual and spiritual。 But she swears she is sane。 Setting out on a mission out to prove it， she also tries to help others along the way。First off， this person was alive and breathing during the 1800’s。 I’ll be the first to admit I don’t know a lot about history at this time。 There are the major things covered in class （i。e。 The Civil War）， but not much else。 Elizabeth Packard’s story really showed me how much more there is to learn。 I had also heard of the horrors of insane asylums， but did not realize the full extent of what that meant。 Secondly， I really enjoyed Kate Moore’s writing。 While it is distinctly nonfiction， the way it is presented reads more like a novel （it reminded me a lot of DEVIL IN THE WHITE CITY）。 Finally， Elizabeth Packard forever impacted women's rights with her passion， zeal， intellect， and steadfastness。 She was very progressive for her time， and she convinced others to join her in making changes for good。 If she were alive today， there's no doubt she would be challenging and fighting the system to be better and fairer。CW: physical， emotional， & spiritual abuse 。。。more
Lou
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The Woman They Could Not Silence is the long-awaited new book from the bestselling author of The Radium Girls and tells the dark and dramatic yet uplifting and inspirational， long-neglected story of women’s rights pioneer Elizabeth Parsons Ware Packard （1816–1897）， and it’s every inch as riveting and impeccably researched as its predecessor。 It's a well-established fact that many of those in Victorian America who were placed into insane asylums were actually there for reasons other than having l The Woman They Could Not Silence is the long-awaited new book from the bestselling author of The Radium Girls and tells the dark and dramatic yet uplifting and inspirational， long-neglected story of women’s rights pioneer Elizabeth Parsons Ware Packard （1816–1897）， and it’s every inch as riveting and impeccably researched as its predecessor。 It's a well-established fact that many of those in Victorian America who were placed into insane asylums were actually there for reasons other than having lost their sanity or their touch with reality， and that was certainly the case for Elizabeth Packard whose cruel， treacherous husband， Theophilus Packard， a Presbyterian minister 15 years her senior forced her into treatment。 The objective of this was to put his wife back in her place but little did he know， her 3-year term at the facility would only serve to perpetuate and solidify her beliefs and actually helped fuel her enduring fight for freedom and equality for all women。This is a compelling， captivating and truly exquisite piece of narrative nonfiction by one of the best historical storytellers on the writing scene。 It's beautifully written， rich in period detail and intricate from start to finish and I don't believe anyone could have done a better job at presenting this memoir of such an important and sadly overlooked woman who we all should be paying homage to for her sacrifices in order to further the civil rights of both women and those in involuntary medical facilities。 Packard was one of the first to shine a light on gender-based injustices and start the ball rolling towards a more egalitarian ideal。 She was an extraordinary woman far ahead of her time who courageously fought for what she truly believed regardless of the adverse situation it usually resulted in。 That is true dedication and fearlessness to the cause。 A scintillating， fascinating and important book and one I can't recommend highly enough。 。。。more
Kimberlee （reading。wanderwoman）
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Kate Moore has done it again with another BRILLIANT book。 Careful Kate。。。。 you don't want to end up being sent to the asylum for being a woman with an intelligent mind aka insane。 The true story of Elizabeth Packard。 （Badass）。 Married and mother of 6 children was sent to the insane asylum by her husband for。。。。 （as she puts it）， THINKING。 That's right。 This woman was sent to the asylum for basically being too intelligent， having different beliefs than her husband and wanting to be an independent Kate Moore has done it again with another BRILLIANT book。 Careful Kate。。。。 you don't want to end up being sent to the asylum for being a woman with an intelligent mind aka insane。 The true story of Elizabeth Packard。 （Badass）。 Married and mother of 6 children was sent to the insane asylum by her husband for。。。。 （as she puts it）， THINKING。 That's right。 This woman was sent to the asylum for basically being too intelligent， having different beliefs than her husband and wanting to be an independent person。 How dare she？！ Kept there for three years by the deceitful， POS， superintendent Dr。 McFarland。 Elizabeth， ahead of her time， becomes an advocate and takes it upon herself to care for all these women in the asylum。 Those who are mentally ill and those who had been wrongly accused。 She also writes her books while there， under the false impression of Dr。 McFarland's promise to publish them。 And because women's rights didn't exist at this time， the hoops and ways of freeing herself and clearing her name are mind boggling。 Not only that but within it all， she actually manages to KEEP her sanity。 I can't say I'd be as strong as Elizabeth but she is quite inspirational。 Yet another truth-is-wilder-than-fiction story。 While slightly different， it makes me think about how， years from now， people will read all about the pandemic and the media and just how wild this world is。 。。。more
Toni
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Will return tomorrow with my review。
Rebecca
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Thanks to Sourcebooks and BiblioLifestyle for an advance copy of this book！ All opinions are my own。4。5 stars， rounded up。 This was easily my most anticipated nonfiction of 2021， and after reading Elizabeth Packard's story， I can't wait for more readers to get their hands on it and find out more about this woman and her legacy。 When Packard was committed to an asylum by her husband， she quickly found out she had very little recourse in the laws of the time， and based on the understandings of men Thanks to Sourcebooks and BiblioLifestyle for an advance copy of this book！ All opinions are my own。4。5 stars， rounded up。 This was easily my most anticipated nonfiction of 2021， and after reading Elizabeth Packard's story， I can't wait for more readers to get their hands on it and find out more about this woman and her legacy。 When Packard was committed to an asylum by her husband， she quickly found out she had very little recourse in the laws of the time， and based on the understandings of mental health at the time， very little she could do to "prove" that she didn't belong there- and neither did many of the other women she encountered during her time at the Illinois State Hospital。 It's infuriating to read about how little agency women had， and the uphill battle that Elizabeth Packard faced in her quest to get back to her children and to make public the injustices she had learned of。 Her work to change laws and understandings of the time had a lasting impact， and it's unfortunate that this book was the first time I learned about this passionate fighter for justice。 。。。more
Jennifer
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Read this book！ It’s dauntingly long but hard to put down and shamefully， still relevant today。
Addison
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This story is both inspiring and heartbreaking。 I am not sure how I have never heard of Elizabeth Packard before， since she achieved SO much when it comes to women's rights。 Moore is an amazing writer， and the pacing made this book a total page turner。 This story is both inspiring and heartbreaking。 I am not sure how I have never heard of Elizabeth Packard before， since she achieved SO much when it comes to women's rights。 Moore is an amazing writer， and the pacing made this book a total page turner。 。。。more
Stephanie
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Interesting well-written and researched look at women and insane asylums in the 1800s in America that is base on a true story。 Elizabeth Packard， a middle-aged woman with 6 children， is sent to an asylum by her husband not because she is insane but to get rid of her。 Why？ She was outspoken， and dared to have and express an opinion that ran contrary to her husband’s。 Men had all the power over their wives and could do with them as they pleased。 Insane asylums， run by men， were only too happy to r Interesting well-written and researched look at women and insane asylums in the 1800s in America that is base on a true story。 Elizabeth Packard， a middle-aged woman with 6 children， is sent to an asylum by her husband not because she is insane but to get rid of her。 Why？ She was outspoken， and dared to have and express an opinion that ran contrary to her husband’s。 Men had all the power over their wives and could do with them as they pleased。 Insane asylums， run by men， were only too happy to receive payment to imprision these women。 Not surprisingly， the conditions in the asylums were horrific and abuse was rampant。 Elizabeth was kept in the asylum with no proof of insanity for three years。 But her husband and the men who ran the asylums underestimated her ， her intelligence and her unwavering will to return to her children。 Elizabeth was eventually released and she worked tirelessly to stop the exploitation of women in these asylums。 This was a fascinating， insightful look at the plight of women in the 1800s。 I felt infuriated， sad， but ultimately inspired by this story。 Very well done！ Thanks to Sourcebooks and Netgalley for an advance copy in exchange for an honest review。 。。。more
Anneliese Grassi
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A very true story about Elizabeth Packard and how her husband threw her into a mental asylum for having an opinion of her own， her struggles in that asylum， and what she did to pave the way for future women in the same predicament。 Although the book was very wordy and probably could have been cut in half it was very moving and brought out all kinds of emotions making me route for Elizabeth the entire time。 What this woman had to go through and how she stayed strong through it all is amazing！ It A very true story about Elizabeth Packard and how her husband threw her into a mental asylum for having an opinion of her own， her struggles in that asylum， and what she did to pave the way for future women in the same predicament。 Although the book was very wordy and probably could have been cut in half it was very moving and brought out all kinds of emotions making me route for Elizabeth the entire time。 What this woman had to go through and how she stayed strong through it all is amazing！ It is safe to say that society has come a long way since the 1800s。 Very interesting book and well worth the read。 I am now going to see if there is a documentary on this woman！ 。。。more
Janilyn Kocher
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I saw Kate Moore at Bookfest and was interested in her newest book。 Conceivably I could have been incarcerated in an insane asylum， according to 19th century standards， for reading novels。 Well， I love reading and would have been possible fodder。 I am well aware of the lack of rights married women had in 19th century America and Moore tells a good tale of a woman who fought back， Elizabeth Packard。 I had never heard of her， but she had a lot of influence in gaining protection for women。 I wanted I saw Kate Moore at Bookfest and was interested in her newest book。 Conceivably I could have been incarcerated in an insane asylum， according to 19th century standards， for reading novels。 Well， I love reading and would have been possible fodder。 I am well aware of the lack of rights married women had in 19th century America and Moore tells a good tale of a woman who fought back， Elizabeth Packard。 I had never heard of her， but she had a lot of influence in gaining protection for women。 I wanted to throttle her spiteful， petty husband for most of the book。 The separation from her children had a profound impact on all of them。 This book is a good contribution to the social and legal history of women’s rights in America。 Thanks to Sourcebooks and NetGalley for the early copy。 。。。more
Chevy
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Disclaimer: I received an advance reader copy of this book。 I am under no obligation to review the book。 All opinions are my own。 am under no obligation to review the book。This book was very well done。As a lot of nonfiction works it was a little slow going in the beginning。 I think once the reader gets a feel for the timbre of the narration the book becomes very easy to read。The story progresses with 1 step forward 2 steps back which keeps the reader engaged and wanting more。 The trial IMO was t Disclaimer: I received an advance reader copy of this book。 I am under no obligation to review the book。 All opinions are my own。 am under no obligation to review the book。This book was very well done。As a lot of nonfiction works it was a little slow going in the beginning。 I think once the reader gets a feel for the timbre of the narration the book becomes very easy to read。The story progresses with 1 step forward 2 steps back which keeps the reader engaged and wanting more。 The trial IMO was the climax of the book and I couldn’t wait to finish the book。 I felt the author didn’t great job relating what happened to a Elizabeth， the asylum， and women’s rights during the age; even with the portion of her political achievements。 BUT， I didn’t feel satisfied with the information given on her publication of the great drama and it’s 2 volumes。 I would have liked more about the 3 decades of political work she did for women’s rights。 The asylum was literally just the beginning and that’s just about all you get。That being said this was a large （intimidating） book and to add more would have been too much。 It’s enough to make modern day readers aware of the trials women faced in the past and per the postscript even now。 We can chose to read Elizabeth’s original publications for more and be thankful that there were women such as herself who led the path to where we are now。 。。。more
April
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Nonfiction from the author of The Radium Girls！Historically we all know how backward 19th century thought was concerning women， getting to know the main character Elizabeth， then reading how she was treated was heart-rending。 It made me thankful to all our embattled ancestors who had to endure this for modern women's rights。 It's depressing and sickening to imagine myself in this position。 Although the events illustrated are not pleasant to read 'The Woman They Could Not Silence' by Kate Moore s Nonfiction from the author of The Radium Girls！Historically we all know how backward 19th century thought was concerning women， getting to know the main character Elizabeth， then reading how she was treated was heart-rending。 It made me thankful to all our embattled ancestors who had to endure this for modern women's rights。 It's depressing and sickening to imagine myself in this position。 Although the events illustrated are not pleasant to read 'The Woman They Could Not Silence' by Kate Moore should be recommended reading for all to bear witness， so that this history never repeats itself。 The way she masterfully weaves the life of Elizabeth Packard into an interesting story is pure genius。 I didn't want to put the book down。 Elizabeth was such an intelligent， strong and self assured woman。 She was the perfect subject for a book like this。 "The law did not apply to married women。 They could be received at an asylum simply by the request of the husband。 Because married women at that time in the eyes of the law were civilly dead。 They were not citizens， they were shadows: subsumed within the legal identities of their husbands from the moment they took their marital vows。" "。。。psychiatrists mistakenly deduced that slavery must be advantageous to mental health。 Those few people of color admitted to asylums therefore found the cause of their derangement often listed as just one word: “freedom。” One physician even theorized that to run away from slavery was itself madness。" There is a warning in the beginning of this book that cautions that the author uses vernacular of the time period in all it's insulting glory。 To the modern ear it's shocking but I think in terms of this book we need that shock。 We as readers need the full experience of how horrifying the treatment was。 It also holds a mirror up to our current society in terms of things that haven't changed enough from then til now。 Thanks to Sourcebooks for my egalley。 “Don’t sneer at the suggestion of our aspiring to an equality with the men！… Because perverted manhood has trodden us so long under foot， shall we choose to lick the dust？" -Elizabeth Packard 。。。more
Barbara （The Bibliophage）
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Originally published on my book blog， TheBibliophage。com。Elizabeth Packard is the subject of Kate Moore’s new book， The Woman They Could Not Silence: One Woman， Her Incredible Fight for Freedom， and the Men Who Tried to Make Her Disappear。 But I’ll venture to guess you’ve never heard of Mrs。 Packard。 Although her story is quite dramatic， you won’t find her in history books。 And， if her husband Theophilus had anything to say about it， she would have lived out her days in an asylum for the insane。 Originally published on my book blog， TheBibliophage。com。Elizabeth Packard is the subject of Kate Moore’s new book， The Woman They Could Not Silence: One Woman， Her Incredible Fight for Freedom， and the Men Who Tried to Make Her Disappear。 But I’ll venture to guess you’ve never heard of Mrs。 Packard。 Although her story is quite dramatic， you won’t find her in history books。 And， if her husband Theophilus had anything to say about it， she would have lived out her days in an asylum for the insane。 Yet， she was quite sane。The Packards lived in 19th century midwestern America， and the events of Moore’s book begin just as rumblings of the Civil War start。 Their home is also a civil war of sorts， with Elizabeth supporting abolition and her pastor husband opposing。 Mrs。 Packard spent most of her life birthing and raising six children， keeping house， and being the dutiful pastor’s wife。 Then Theophilus moved his church from one doctrine to another， more conservative one。 And Mrs。 Packard objected。 Publicly。 Mr。 Packard reacted by packing her off to the asylum。 He needed just two amenable doctors to “certify” his wife as insane。And off she goes to Jacksonville， Illinois’ State Hospital， run by Dr。 Andrew McFarland。 Calling him a misogynistic enabler of vindictive husbands is an understatement。 So， Elizabeth fights while stuck in her corner of this triangle。 As best she can， she creates a place for herself in the asylum。 Initially， she makes some friends among both patients and staff。 She even connects with McFarland。 And then things go south， and she ups her game and fights even harder to get out of the hospital。 Because it’s not just her life， but the lives of the many other unjustly incarcerated wives that depend on her ability to escape with her mind intact。My conclusionsMoore tells readers right up front that she chose Mrs。 Packard’s story because she gets out from under this unjust commitment。 So， there’s no spoiler in saying that here。 And it takes hundreds of pages with extensive details to explain how she breaks these bonds。 That’s not a bad thing， it’s just complicated。Moore combines social history with biography。 This is much more than just Elizabeth’s story。 It’s the story of all women in that male-centric society。 And it’s about a politically divided country， which only adds to the divisions in place between men and women。 Moore connects these various stories well and uses events of the day as a foil for Packard’s complex journey to freedom。But at the heart of the story is one strong woman who took stock of her own situation。 Then she determined to help all the other female patients in asylums across the country。 She could’ve just taken the abuse from her husband， McFarland， and the staff。 Instead， she fought back with her words， both verbal and written。 She found a way when the situation seemed hopeless。As inspiring as this is， there are places in the book where the story drags a bit。 The machinations of the legal and mental health system in that era move slowly。 Still， it’s worth persisting because Elizabeth Packard is remarkable。 And Kate Moore does a stellar job telling her story。Pair this with a feminist book set in current day。 Good and Mad: The Revolutionary Power of Women’s Anger from Rebecca Traister came to mind many times as I was reading。 Or my perennial recommendation of either of Kate Manne’s two excellent books， Down Girl: The Logic of Misogyny or Entitled: How Male Privilege Hurts Women。AcknowledgementsMany thanks to NetGalley， Sourcebooks， and the author for a digital advanced reader’s copy in exchange for this honest review。 。。。more
Marie
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Thanks to NetGalley and Sourcebooks for an advance copy of The Woman They Could Not Silence， publication date June 22， 2021。Well， Kate Moore did it again。 This book was a treasure trove of information about Elizabeth Packard， an absolute beast of a woman。 It was fascinating to read her life story and life’s work。I was both fascinated and horrified by McFarland。 His “character” was spine-chilling， as was Mr。 Packard’s methodical and insidious erosion of Elizabeth’s freedom。 As one or two other pe Thanks to NetGalley and Sourcebooks for an advance copy of The Woman They Could Not Silence， publication date June 22， 2021。Well， Kate Moore did it again。 This book was a treasure trove of information about Elizabeth Packard， an absolute beast of a woman。 It was fascinating to read her life story and life’s work。I was both fascinated and horrified by McFarland。 His “character” was spine-chilling， as was Mr。 Packard’s methodical and insidious erosion of Elizabeth’s freedom。 As one or two other people mentioned， the work is full of quotes and they can be distracting if you focus on it。 However， I also felt they added a very human element to the book， having Elizabeth’s own words as well as several other people’s。Elizabeth Packard is an Inspiration and Kate Moore and did an amazing job bringing her to life on the pages。 。。。more
Chelsey Lepinski
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I was so happy to receive this ARC thru Net Galley and Source Books because of how much I enjoyed reading Radium Girls。 Kate Moore did not disappoint。 Elizabeth Packard was committed to an insane asylum in the 1800s by her husband because of some differences in viewpoints。 She fought to prove her sanity both inside the asylum and after her discharge。 She did so much afterwards to help the women that she encountered in the institution and for changes to rights for married women。 This book was so I was so happy to receive this ARC thru Net Galley and Source Books because of how much I enjoyed reading Radium Girls。 Kate Moore did not disappoint。 Elizabeth Packard was committed to an insane asylum in the 1800s by her husband because of some differences in viewpoints。 She fought to prove her sanity both inside the asylum and after her discharge。 She did so much afterwards to help the women that she encountered in the institution and for changes to rights for married women。 This book was so well researched but also written so well that at times I forgot it was non fiction。 It is a great book that came out at just the right time where we find ourselves again （still） fighting for equality for women。 。。。more
Darla
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Elizabeth Packard is not a household name， but she should be。 When her selfish and cruel husband put her away in the asylum in Jacksonville， Illinois， he thought he had taken away her voice。 That was just the beginning of Elizabeth's life work and dedication to women's rights。 While in the asylum she realized that women like her were not protected from the whims of men who did not want women to use their minds or color outside the lines。 She was motivated to get back to her six children and also Elizabeth Packard is not a household name， but she should be。 When her selfish and cruel husband put her away in the asylum in Jacksonville， Illinois， he thought he had taken away her voice。 That was just the beginning of Elizabeth's life work and dedication to women's rights。 While in the asylum she realized that women like her were not protected from the whims of men who did not want women to use their minds or color outside the lines。 She was motivated to get back to her six children and also to free the women she met inside。 Her story is inspiring。 While in the asylum she was at all times trying to make conditions better for those with her。 She also used her gift for writing to document what she saw and experienced at the time。 Later she would use that information in court to be declared sane， then to support herself and help pass laws on behalf of women who were victimized by current statutes。 It is encouraging to see that there were men who stepped up to assist Elizabeth in her quest。 We owe her a great debt and I hope many will read her story and know her name。 Kate Moore did extensive research to write her story and if you loved The Radium Girls: The Dark Story of America's Shining Women， you will also want to pick this one up。Thank you to Sourcebooks and Edelweiss+ for a DRC in exchange for an honest review。 。。。more
Virginia
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Who would。。。if not her？I had no idea who Elizabeth Packard was， but we should ALL know who she is。 This narrative nonfiction is so well written， I devoured it although it was extremely infuriating to read。 I can't stop thinking about it。 This would be a great book club selection。Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for a digital review copy。 Publish date June 26， 2021。 Who would。。。if not her？I had no idea who Elizabeth Packard was， but we should ALL know who she is。 This narrative nonfiction is so well written， I devoured it although it was extremely infuriating to read。 I can't stop thinking about it。 This would be a great book club selection。Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for a digital review copy。 Publish date June 26， 2021。 。。。more
Robyn
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Notable Books #39
Karen R
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A million thanks to Kate Moore for bringing Elizabeth’s story to life。 I was awed by Kate’s extensive research and compelling storytelling。 Kate points out in her Author Note that this is a nonfiction book and that everything in it is based on careful historical research。 Every line of dialogue comes from a memoir， letter， trial transcript or some other record made by someone who was present at the time。 It is an incredible story。Elizabeth was a remarkable person。 Her husband Theophilus felt so A million thanks to Kate Moore for bringing Elizabeth’s story to life。 I was awed by Kate’s extensive research and compelling storytelling。 Kate points out in her Author Note that this is a nonfiction book and that everything in it is based on careful historical research。 Every line of dialogue comes from a memoir， letter， trial transcript or some other record made by someone who was present at the time。 It is an incredible story。Elizabeth was a remarkable person。 Her husband Theophilus felt so threatened by her independent thinking and philosophy that he conspired to have her committed， tearing her away from her beloved children。 He could not cope with his independent， outspoken wife who was gaining influence so began a conspiracy theory of derangement。 At the time， the law stated that women could be put in an asylum simply based on the request of the husband。As I turned the pages， I became so angry about how women were treated， their intelligence stifled， the ease in which husbands had the ability to force a woman to be locked up in an asylum based on nonsense like simply reading a novel， having sunstroke， or domestic troubles。 There is a historical chart Moore includes that lists these numerous causes of insanity。 The list is insanity！！ The misinformation of science of the times was staggering， quackery rampant。 For example， it was once believed that a woman’s insanity sprang from the position of her uterus。 Moore has meticulously researched historical records。 Actual documents and photos are included and as I looked at a photo of the behemoth-sized Illinois State Hospital in the early 1860’s， I couldn’t help but feel a deep sadness for the many thousands of persons placed there based on fraudulent and idiotic diagnoses of mental illness。 I received a complimentary copy of this book。 Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own。 。。。more
Nicole
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I received a free copy of this book after winning a Goodreads giveaway。 This book took me nearly a month to read。 The writing was incredible， the research flawless， and the use of primary sources made my history teacher heart happy。 But， I had to dip in and out of this book because at times I found the information so frustrating。 To hear how Elizabeth Packard was treated by her husband， doctors， the law was so hard to stomach。 However， this book is one that should be read， the story needs to be I received a free copy of this book after winning a Goodreads giveaway。 This book took me nearly a month to read。 The writing was incredible， the research flawless， and the use of primary sources made my history teacher heart happy。 But， I had to dip in and out of this book because at times I found the information so frustrating。 To hear how Elizabeth Packard was treated by her husband， doctors， the law was so hard to stomach。 However， this book is one that should be read， the story needs to be told。 I'm so grateful to Kate Moore for researching Elizabeth and telling her story。 。。。more
Debie Orrell
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The Woman They Could Not Silence， I think this title says it all about this book。 Her husband， the doctor in the asylum， the staff and so many others tried but Elizabeth Packard never quits in telling the truth about the unwarranted testimony to commit Elizabeth to the Illinois State Asylum and the lies and brutal treatment by the Dr。 McFarland to keep her there so the “insane” tendencies could be exhibited， even though they never were。Elizabeth only wanted to be able to say her own beliefs， and The Woman They Could Not Silence， I think this title says it all about this book。 Her husband， the doctor in the asylum， the staff and so many others tried but Elizabeth Packard never quits in telling the truth about the unwarranted testimony to commit Elizabeth to the Illinois State Asylum and the lies and brutal treatment by the Dr。 McFarland to keep her there so the “insane” tendencies could be exhibited， even though they never were。Elizabeth only wanted to be able to say her own beliefs， and live her life as a knowledgeable woman but was condemned by men ti the asylum without hope of getting out even though no symptoms of insanity were evident other than she did t want to live with her abusive husband。 Even while being unfairly committed， she cared for others to show compassion to those that were in the same position she was in。Everyone should read this book and be brave enough to admit the horrors that were inflicted on people without any evidence。 It reads like a fiction novel but is brutally honest about the actual conditions using the actual documented words of Elizabeth。 This is another great read by Kate Moore on the true and real life of Elizabeth Packard。 #Netgalley #Sourcebooks 。。。more
Anne
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The story of Elizabeth Packard is a fascinating and infuriating one。 It was incredibly easy for a man to put his wife or daughter in an asylum with no evidence of any mental problems needed。 This details her fight to be released， and her equality work afterwards as well as her fight to have access to her own children。 I did find it a little long in places and some points felt like they were made more often than was needed - the story makes the points on it's own。 Thank you to Netgalley， the publ The story of Elizabeth Packard is a fascinating and infuriating one。 It was incredibly easy for a man to put his wife or daughter in an asylum with no evidence of any mental problems needed。 This details her fight to be released， and her equality work afterwards as well as her fight to have access to her own children。 I did find it a little long in places and some points felt like they were made more often than was needed - the story makes the points on it's own。 Thank you to Netgalley， the publisher and author for a free copy in exchange for an honest review。 。。。more
Paige Malone
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Great read！ The husband did not get the end he so deserved but I suppose that’s life。
Annette Jordan
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The Woman They Could Not Silence is the latest release from Kate Moore， whose previous book， The Radium Girls is one of the best non-fiction books I have read in several years， and one that is still as fresh in my memory as when I first read it。 That was a high standard to match and I was equally excited and apprehensive to crack open this new book and see where it would take me。 I am so pleased to report that I was not disappointed， once again the author has given us a compelling story that wil The Woman They Could Not Silence is the latest release from Kate Moore， whose previous book， The Radium Girls is one of the best non-fiction books I have read in several years， and one that is still as fresh in my memory as when I first read it。 That was a high standard to match and I was equally excited and apprehensive to crack open this new book and see where it would take me。 I am so pleased to report that I was not disappointed， once again the author has given us a compelling story that will shock and anger the reader ， but will absolutely have them turning the page desperately to find out what happens next。 The book tells the story of Elizabeth Packard， a woman who was incarcerated in an Asylum for the Insane at the behest of her husband ， and her desperate and protracted struggles to free herself， prove her sanity and reunite with her children。 Beginning in 1860 ， through Elizabeth's tragic story， the author illustrates the desperate plight of so many women， regarded as little more than their husband's property， with no legal rights of their own。 Elizabeth was no ordinary woman however， she was intelligent， determined and charming， and used all of these traits in her battles against her husband and the doctor in charge of the Illinois State Hospital ， Dr Andrew McFarland。 The author really brings her to life on the page， and her stories and struggles are so compelling that I found it difficult to put the book down。 Although I had never heard of Elizabeth Packard before， versions of her story are familiar in fiction， thought I have to say I found her story more chilling ， and ultimately more inspiring， than any fiction I have encountered。 I was impressed by the amount of research the author had put into the book， it was fortunate that she had no shortage of primary documentation to work with given Mrs Packard's published works and many letters ， as well as trial records and documentation of course。 Although it is clear that the research is meticulous ， it never impedes the author in her efforts to tell the story which flows in an impressively engaging manner。 I read and reviewed an ARC courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher， all opinions are my own， 。。。more
Rosie Cockshutt
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I read this having loved The Radium Girls， and this did not disappoint。Instead of telling the story of a group of women， The Woman They Could Not Silence focuses in on one woman， Mrs Elizabeth Packard and her fight for women’s rights。 What begins as her struggle to free herself from her abusive husbands control and the asylum he has her committed to transforms into a battle to save all the women she discovers being held captive in the same situation。The choice of topic was great on multiple fron I read this having loved The Radium Girls， and this did not disappoint。Instead of telling the story of a group of women， The Woman They Could Not Silence focuses in on one woman， Mrs Elizabeth Packard and her fight for women’s rights。 What begins as her struggle to free herself from her abusive husbands control and the asylum he has her committed to transforms into a battle to save all the women she discovers being held captive in the same situation。The choice of topic was great on multiple fronts。 First， Mrs Packard was a fascinating woman， who lived an extraordinary life and her story makes for an incredible reading experience。 Second， Mrs Packard was an avid journaller and letter writer， as were many of the people who are involved in her story so there is a lot of primary documentation to work with。 Third， her story is still highly relevant and moving for the modern reader。This was a deeply emotional and thought provoking read， but the writing style kept me engaged and wanting to read more。 。。。more
Brittany Murhammer
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I loved learning Elizabeth's history。 What a powerful woman that changed so many things for the better for all women， just so she could live her own happily ever after。 If it weren't for Elizabeth and her supporters， it's hard to imagine where we could possibly be today in regards to mental health and women's rights。 I loved learning Elizabeth's history。 What a powerful woman that changed so many things for the better for all women， just so she could live her own happily ever after。 If it weren't for Elizabeth and her supporters， it's hard to imagine where we could possibly be today in regards to mental health and women's rights。 。。。more
Roberta Young
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Before women could fight for the right to vote， they had to fight for the right to be a person if married。 A stunning book of a woman who not only fought to be freed from the insane asylum her husband than committed her to， but to fight for the right of all women to be a person。 All this takes place around the same time the US is fighting the Civil War。 Women and slaves had a lot in common。
Jane
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The subject matter was very interesting。 The book was well researched and presented the lack of rights women had in this country as well。
Sharon
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