How could I give THE SEWING GIRL'S TALE less than five stars? Every bit of it, down to the smallest detail, is provably true, even though the facts took place during the 18th century. And it is all so interesting I read the appendix just to learn how he could be so sure.

Yes, this story begins with the rape of a 17-year-old girl, Lanah Sawyer. But, although descriptions of THE SEWING GIRL'S TALE give the impression the entire book is about that and its aftermath, I would argue that it’s more.

John Wood Sweet first gives us background. But that involves not only what led to the incident. He also explains the thinking during the late 18th century and how that would have dictated how Lanah, her family, and the community acted and reacted. He gives examples to prove his claims.

The rapist was a "gentleman," meaning his family had money. Lanah's family was working class. That mattered. Some would say it still does. I think of the OJ trial and how money could buy a team of expensive lawyers.

Most of the rest of the book is about the aftermath, including legalities. Although the legal background is interesting, this is where it is sometimes tedious. But I didn’t want to skip one line of it.

THE SEWING GIRL'S TALE is not just based on a true story; every bit of it is true. This includes, as Sweet says in his Appendix, descriptions of ". . . the dynamic world of the emerging American republic: the social history of the rapidly expanding, economically stratified, racially divided, and politically tense city; the cultural history of an era preoccupied with the dangers and attractions of romantic love, sexual double standards, and public battles over honor and the nature of truth; and the legal history of sexual harms . . . ."

Here is a picture of evolving America, where Lanah Sawyer could "embrace the possibility of a different future," where she could feel "she had a right to a revolutionary dream of human equality."

I won this book through librarything.com's Early Reviewer Program.

The Sewing Girl’s Tale: A Story of Crime and Consequences in Revolutionary America, John Wood Sweet, author; Gabra Zackman, narrator
As I read about the life and times of Lanah Sawyer, in September, the very same month that Lanah Sawyer was violated by Henry (Harry) Bedlow, some 225+ odd years ago, I was struck by the idea that the more things change, the more they remain the same. What has really changed in two and a quarter-centuries, regarding women’s rights? What is it, that actually remains the same, will be on the minds of the readers when they turn the final page.
Background information informs us that Lanah Sawyer was a seamstress. She came from a working family. Her father, Francis Sawyer, was a carriage maker, and her stepfather, John Callanan, guided pilot boats to port in the treacherous waters around Sandy Hook. He was eventually honored for his long service. Lanah was born in 1776. Her violation occurred in 1793. Her rapist, Henry (Harry) Bedlow, came from family money. Money always rescued him.
In 1793, Lanah was being verbally abused by some Frenchmen as she was walking along Broadway. A man who called himself Lawyer Smith, came to her defense. He seemed so polite and well-bred. He convinced her to let him walk her home. Soon, they encountered each other again, and she became attracted to him romantically, even though their stations in life were far apart and a relationship was unlikely. As he continued to pursue her, she naively dreamt that the relationship might lead to marriage and could be her ticket out of her life of drudgery. Finally, she consented to go out walking with him. His fine manners impressed her. When this sheltered, innocent, young woman found herself in a bawdy house, a shameful place, she realized that she had been fooled. He was not Lawyer Smith. His real identity was that of Harry Bedlow, the rake. He was a man with a terrible reputation who enjoyed ruining the reputations of women. He was a sexual pervert. With the complicity of the bawd who ran this house of prostitution, Mother Carey, Harry was able to have his way with her. When she was finally allowed to leave the following morning, she was demoralized, bloodied and bruised.
Despondent, but trying to hold her head high, she walked around all day, not knowing what to do or where to go. She did not want to return home because by then, she knew that her parents had to know something was wrong. She had been out all night. Her stepfather was known to be a violent man, and she feared returning home until she could speak with her mother first. She knew that she was now a ruined woman, and that her future was over because she was no longer a virgin. Her parent’s reputation was also now in tatters. In Lanah’s time, there was no sexual freedom for women, and they enjoyed few rights or independence. Men controlled everything and women existed and survived based on their good graces.
When, unexpectedly, her family and friends decided to defend and support her and to fight back, pressing charges against Harry, she had no idea what awaited her, what abuses she would have to face in the courtroom and in the community. Keep in mind that she was only seventeen-years-old. The shame and the guilt would drive her to do unthinkable things, but she would do her best to present herself well, as a respectable young woman that had been wrongfully seduced and raped. Harry needed to be held accountable and should be punished, criminally and civilly, even though he was higher born. When the verdict, absurdly, was not in her favor, the community erupted with indignation and riots followed. For many years afterwards, this tragic crime of passion would continue to haunt her and her family as they sought justice.
I was surprised by the behavior of the people whose names are familiar and have been revered for their contributions to the founding of America. When the author describes the households, they all seem to have abused the people they employed or enslaved, simply by taking advantage of their own status. It only takes a few people to rise up and speak out, telling the real truth, to effect change, but few had the courage because the consequences could be devastating. Personal need and greed motivated everyone, not the idea of discerning right from wrong. Some people then, and now, simply think they are better than and more equal than others. Motivations do not seem to have changed very much. The names of those involved as the tale unfolds, those engaged with, and who support, the societal abuses of women, enslaved people and indentured servants, are names the reader will recognize and wonder about. How could they have been so insensitive, so cold-hearted? Then again, some of the same insensitivities still exist today, only in reverse. When Lanah suffered the indignity of the rape, her story was immediately questioned. First, she was unfairly judged to be a young woman of ill repute who had enticed Harry first, and had encouraged his advances. Until recently, it was still the same. Women were always believed to have been complicit, to have said no when they meant yes. Then the worm turned, and the woman’s word became the be-all, end-all, with the accused rapist, a male, immediately assumed to be guilty. There is zero tolerance for an accused male, in much the same way it used to be for women. He is now helpless even to present a defense in some cases. Somehow, that pendulum needs to swing back to the middle so that facts will be more important than emotion. There have been many a false accusation and many a life was ruined as Lanah’s was, which is unfair no matter in what century it occurs and no matter which sex is abused.
The author did a great deal of research, however, few accurate or complete records exist. Her description of the court case is intense and riveting. The history of the country is also extensive and educational. There are little known facts that come to life. Then, as now, the lawyers manipulated the jury, the news outlets whipped up the population and instigated chaos. They published and promoted their version of the truth, the one they wanted the public to adhere to, regardless of whether or not it was the actual truth. Then and now, it was important for the proper message to be imparted so that the common masses could be controlled by the more elite. In those days, the households held indentured servants and enslaved people. Racism was alive and well, along with elitism and class warfare. All of the socially accepted norms were not virtuous. As it is today, those who profess to have the most virtue, often possess the least amount of conscience as well. The system of justice was skewed to the moneyed classes and those with the power. They were the only ones who could achieve a modicum of justice, since they could afford to buy it, regardless of whether or not the end result was actually injustice, instead. One’s reputation and honor were easily sullied by lies and loose tongues, sexual predators and corrupt justices.
The legal system needed reform and still does. Racism still exists. There were many similarities to the fury in the streets today. The riots then, after the verdict against Lanah, a virtuous woman, were similar, though smaller, to the riots after the death of George Floyd, though no one would accuse him of being virtuous. The people will only take so much injustice before they explode and take some form of action against those who are unfairly taking advantage of them. The book made me think about what the media is calling an insurrection vs. what they called mostly peaceful riots in the last few years. Statues of King George III were torn down as America sought to write its own history after it gained its independence, and I thought, is that what we are doing today, as our Founding Father’s statues and other well known monuments are destroyed, removed or renamed? Are we writing our own history or rewriting it? Who is in charge? The elites still are, apparently, and they are promoting their idea of the truth, which is not necessarily reality.
Sometimes the book had a bit too much description as the story was diverted to explain some extraneous information, quite often. It caused me to lose my concentration as the tale was interrupted or moved back and forth to review or introduce new information and events, but the history of New York and Philadelphia revealed facts that I had not known before, and the readers, too, will discover for themselves, some interesting new information. Why was Bedlow’s Island’s name changed? What was its original purpose? What was debtor’s prison like? Who was sent there, and how were the sentences determined? Was justice ever achieved for the Sawyers? Was all the effort to fight the system for naught, or perhaps since it brought about change of some sort, was it a useful and productive effort? Did Harry ever pay his debts to society? How much different is society today? Have our norms changed very much? Who is in control? Is the media informing the public with the truth or is it still conveying their own message and riling up the public? The book is excellent for discussion since it clarifies the shortcomings of society that still have to be addressed.