Jennifer Wright (1) (1986–)

This nonfiction account of the worst plagues in history is shockingly funny. Wright shares the facts, but with a dark sense of humor that I loved. She is honest about her bias against certain leaders and doctors who made horrific choices. Who knew that reading about plagues could be so incredibly entertaining?

“Pretending any historical age before proper indoor plumbing was a glorious epoch is a ludicrous delusion.”

“Feel free to start using Walter Jackson Freeman II as an insult directed toward people you hate. Almost no one will get the reference, but if I am in the room we’ll high-five and it will be awesome.”

“Knowing about pop culture doesn’t make you dumb; it makes you a person who is interested in the world you live in. Besides, it is impossible to believe that everyone in the past was a serious figure meriting great respect once you learn that one guy thought
tubercular patients should take up new careers as alligator hunters.”… (more)

Ann Trow Summers, an early 19th c. British immigrant to the US, became an abortionist to support herself and her daughter. She saw a need and she filled it. Her skills were keen and her confidence unshakable. She serviced the women from high society who could afford to pay or servants from wealthy homes, often impregnated by their employers. It is a heartbreaking tale of life before contraception, the low status of women within their families and their community regardless of their wealth, and the horrific risks pregnancy posed for many very young women. Jennifer Wright offers a well-researched biography of Madame Restell as she tells the story of that era, occasionally inserting commentary about women’s reproductive status today. I was not aware of this historic figure and am glad I was introduced. At the core, Madame Restell was an astute business woman who found a way to serve a social justice issue as well.… (more)