Join us for a book discussion about the book “The woman they could not silence : one woman, her incredible fight for freedom, and the men who tried to make her disappear” by Kate Moore.
1860: Elizabeth Packard is a housewife and mother of six. Her husband of twenty-one years feels increasingly threatened by Elizabeth's intellect, independence, and unwillingness to stifle her own thoughts. So he has her committed to an insane asylum. The horrific conditions inside the Illinois State Hospital in Jacksonville, Illinois, are overseen by Dr. Andrew McFarland.
But most disturbing is that Elizabeth is not the only sane woman confined to the institution. There are many rational women on her ward who tell the same story: they've been committed not because they need medical treatment, but to keep them in line, conveniently labeled "crazy" so their voices are ignored.
No registration required.
Contact lisa@effinghamlibrary.org with questions.
The Suzette Brumleve Memorial Effingham Public Library is the public library of Effingham, Illinois. We have over 50,000 books, magazines, and audio-visual materials and an annual circulation of over 250,000 items. We also offer a wide variety of programs and services.