The Woman They Could Not Silence

In 1860, Elizabeth Packard, a mother of six who had been married for over twenty years felt that she had just as much right as her husband to express her opinions. As a result, he claimed she was insane and had her committed to the Illinois State Hospital. Not only did she encounter other women who had been committed due to their outspokenness, she witnessed filthy living conditions and abuse. Determined to be released, she began writing about her experiences on any pieces of paper and pencils she could come across and then hid these writings in the lining of her bonnet in the hopes of publishing them, but the director of the institution, Dr. Andrew McFarland, becomes determined that she should never leave. Author Kate Moore has penned a stunning true account of an intelligent woman who refused to give up on seeing her children again and shed light upon the powerlessness of women to represent themselves and their interests.