This fiercely feminist biography shines the light on a notorious woman of history—Ann Trow, aka Madame Restell, the 5th Ave. abortionist and doctor. A self-made immigrant and millionaire who learned how to make abortive & birth control pills & perform surgical abortions, Restell lived a life of affluence & infamy in NYC in the mid-to-late 1800s. Unrepentant about her services & the rights of women to control their bodies, she toed the line between providing a service that many (women & men for their women) avowed her of & fighting against the people & organizations that tried to stop her. The most prominent was Anthony Comstock, an anti-vice activist, who turned his strict Christian beliefs into a lifelong crusade. Restell went to jail numerous times but it was Comstock's subterfuge that led her there for the final time. She ended up committing suicide...or did she? Yes, the rumor persists today that Restell faked her death.

This book is entertaining and enlightening—not just the info about Restell (who flaunted her fame & money), but also how similar the fight against abortion was then to now, particularly the misogyny that permeates the debate. The more things change, the more they stay the same. Or, as Wright puts it: "In America the pendulum is always swinging between enlightenment and puritanism, and never rests entirely to one side."

If you want to learn more about this fascinating woman and the history of abortion, absolutely read this book. Wright's style is bold and smart and shows her adept at writing "pop history."