In 1887, Nellie Bly arrived in New York determined to make a name for herself in journalism, not in the accepted female range of journalism, of theatre reviews and flower arranging, but as a serious reporter covering social issues and inequalities. She'd had some success in her home town of Pittsburgh, but New York proved a harder nut to crack. In desperation she came up with a plan to get admitted to the asylum on Blackwell's Island and uncover the treatment of the patients there. What she found was beyond her most horrific expectations.
Madwoman follows the true story of pioneering journalist Nellie Bly, her internment in a mental health facility, and the cruelty and oppression she found there. Although I wasn't aware of Nellie's story, I had heard of the appalling treatment of mental health patients in the days of 'lunatic asylums', and of many cases of people wrongly incarcerated. As such, much of the dreadful treatment didn't come as a shock to me, and I found the writing style also distanced me from the horror; for my preferences, it was a little too much 'tell', not enough 'show'.
Not a book you'll 'enjoy', but one which many may find informative and shocking.
No comments:
Post a Comment