Official Review: Voices and Groans and Shrieks and Wailings

[Kappy]

[Following is the official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Voices and Groans and Shrieks and Wailings" by Jerome J Nadelhaft.]

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4 out of 4 stars

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Voices and Groans and Shrieks and Wailings: The Incidence of Wife Torture and Wife Murder in 19th Century America (2015), by Jerome J. Nadelhaft, is a 57-page nonfiction book currently available only in the Kindle format. The author is an Emeritus Professor of History.

The title is a quote from Lyman Beecher, a 19th Century Presbyterian minister and co-founder of the American Temperance Society. This book focuses on incidents in America, but the author also occasionally looks at the behavior of men in other countries: e.g., in London, England, a husband knocking out his wife's eye was an everyday occurrence.

Nonfiction books can be every bit as fascinating as fiction, but they have a reputation for being quite dull. This book is not dull. The author has included numerous quotations from newspapers and other publications which include grisly details of torture and murder, so be aware of that if you plan to read this book.

What is the point of including so many gory details? Apparently, the original articles were written with the intent of shocking the public into demanding that something be done to stop wife abuse. The New York Times once tried a different approach, publishing a mock editorial in 1883 suggesting that these screaming women be jailed for creating such a racket. Indeed, one woman was in fact found guilty of disturbing the peace because she screamed while a man was beating her on the street.

The author has done an outstanding job researching the subject, and in addition to numerous interesting facts and incidents, he includes his analysis and commentary. There are two crucial issues regarding this subject matter: (1) Were these outrageous incidents commonplace, or were they rare, isolated occurrences sensationalized by the media? (2) Does the detailed disclosure of torture, etc., help to prevent more abuse? Fortunately, the author addresses both these questions; otherwise, the book would be of little value. The author also brings up the important point that many, perhaps most, incidents of wife abuse were unknown, and quotes an 1878 article: "A poor victim dies quietly of her injuries like a wounded animal ..." Furthermore, abuse also led to an unknown number of suicides.

The author concludes that "violence is the problem, wife abuse the detail," i.e., the root problem is the ubiquitous violence in our society. He notes sports and wars as prime examples, but fails to mention the routine and pervasive slaughtering of animals for food (often to satisfy gluttony rather than for sustenance) and fashionable attire.

The book's biggest weakness is that there are no chapters or table of contents; the book would clearly benefit by grouping the narrative into several chapters. However, this is only a minor problem for such a short book. The grammar is excellent, but there is a recurring typo that appears to be the result of a program bug, and might not appear on all computers.

Voices and Groans and Shrieks and Wailings has earned 4 out of 4 stars. Reading this book will probably turn your stomach. The details are gruesome and chilling, but we must not turn our heads away and ignore history that is repugnant. We need books such as this to preserve the details of our past. This is a first-rate book for anyone who wants a brutally honest account of wife abuse in the USA.

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Voices and Groans and Shrieks and Wailings
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[Jerome Nadelhaft]

First, I would like to thank Kappy for the very favorable review. "Voices and groans and shrieks and wailings": the Incidence of Wife Torture and Wife Murder in 19th-Century America is actually part two of an ongoing study, Wife Torture in America. The first part, "battered, bruised, and inhumanly beaten": The Early American Background to Wife Abuse in Our Time provides useful background material. It is also available only from Amazon.

Part three will deal with punishments, looking especially in more detail at plans to whip wife torturers, a subject I touch on in "voices and groans...."

[Kappy]

I'm glad you liked my review, Mr. Nadelhaft. I wish you success with your project.

[PashaRu]

What an unusual subject about which to write a book. This actually piqued my interest, and for a relatively small investment of time and money, I think I'll read this. As always, Kappy, a stellar review.

[WilliamsQ]

Good lord what a ghastly subject. Great review though, and I am intrigued. Will take a look, thanks.

[bluemel4]

Wonderful and compelling review. Did the author cover the "rule of thumb?" I am definitely putting this on my to-read list. I love learning how social change happens and paradigm shifts occur.

[zeldas_lullaby]

Kappy, where do you find these books?! Good Lord. I'm just completely speechless. I seriously don't think that such details from history need to be preserved, although I suppose we're entitled to our opinions, and some people could find merit in this sort of thing. It sounds to me, however, like sensationalism and horror. This author is a professor of history, and this is what he took from the study of history? Wife beating?

[Kappy]

Thanks for the kind words, Pasha Ru and WilliamsQ.

Wonderful and compelling review. Did the author cover the "rule of thumb?" I am definitely putting this on my to-read list. I love learning how social change happens and paradigm shifts occur.

Thanks, bluemel4. The book didn't refer to the "rule of thumb." I had to do a little research to figure out that you were referring to an old legal doctrine permitting a husband to beat his wife with a stick not exceeding a thumb's width.

[chytach18-]

Kappy, you wrote: "We need books such as this to preserve the details of our past". Indeed, but we also need books as this to stop some of us to do these cruel things today. Fantastic review.

[Kappy]

... It sounds to me, however, like sensationalism and horror...

Well, yes! These articles were intended to horrify the public enough to demand that these atrocities be stopped.

[zeldas_lullaby]

Sorry, Kappy! Obviously I had a rather visceral reaction to this author's book. (Who, me? Who would've thought it?)

I see that the author focused on this in the context of media sensationalism and accuracy in reporting, etc., which is still a problem today. That's why I can't stand watching the news. Blech.

I still think it's a little weird that this historian focused on wife beating, but I guess that's what historians do--they pick a field of interest to study.

-- September 6th, 2015, 6:33 pm --

I mean, not to imply that this author is obsessed with wife beating. That didn't come out right. Although, he may well be. OK, never mind. I'm going to shut up now.

[Gravy]

I still think it's a little weird that this historian focused on wife beating, but I guess that's what historians do--they pick a field of interest to study.

-- September 6th, 2015, 6:33 pm --

I mean, not to imply that this author is obsessed with wife beating. That didn't come out right. Although, he may well be. OK, never mind. I'm going to shut up now.

How about "obsessed with stopping wife beating"?

Nice review, Kappy

[zeldas_lullaby]

Now that I would approve of.

[Jerome Nadelhaft]

I am pleased that Kappy's positive review has generated a discussion. I do hope to have some influence on people who are in a position to address the serious problem of wife abuse. It is essential that we learn from the past. Those who have commented on this essay are absolutely right to focus on the horror of the story I tell. I am trying to shock. That is what people were trying to do in 19th-century.

A reminder: there is a brief introductory essay also available on Amazon--The first part, "battered, bruised, and inhumanly beaten": The Early American Background to Wife Abuse in Our Time.

And there will be more to come.

And perhaps I might ask a favor, especially from someone who thought favorably of my essay(s). Last time I looked on Amazon no one posted a review of either of the two essays. Even a short comment would be welcome.

[Kappy]

How about "obsessed with stopping wife beating"?

Nice review, Kappy

Well said, Graverobber. Thanks!