Gilded City

In the Hands of Women is a suspenseful historical novel centered on the life of Hannah Isaacson, an obstetrician in training who was determined to improve medical safety for women in a time when women had few choices. This carefully researched work, set in 1900 Baltimore and New York City, when birth control and abortion were both illegal, leaves us contemplating whether history is repeating itself.    With the advent of obstetrics and anesthesia as distinct fields of practice in 1900, hospital births rapidly gained popularity. Midwives, who previously cared for these women, began supplementing their shrinking incomes with abortions, sometimes performing dangerous midterm abortions with disastrous consequences.    Hannah, a devoted women's advocate and suffragist, finds herself overwhelmed by the ignorance and medical needs of her patients, poor and wealthy. She is determined to make a difference and joins Margaret Sanger in her crusade to overturn the restrictive Comstock Laws prohibiting birth control. After coming to the aid of a woman dying from a botched abortion, Hannah is charged with murder and sent to the terrifying Blackwell's Prison to await her trial. With the support of influential friends, including Margaret Sanger and the female trustees of Johns Hopkins Medical School, she challenges the Governor of New York with a novel proposition.

Over There immerses readers in the gripping journey of four family members from Threadbare and In the Hands of Women, all dedicated doctors and nurses, facing the daunting realities of The Great War. Through meticulous research and compelling storytelling, the narrative unfolds across three distinct stages, transporting readers into the terrifying nightmare of trench warfare while showcasing the extraordinary rise of the American Hospital in Paris. It highlights groundbreaking medical innovations fueled by the unwavering commitment of healthcare workers, and finally, those left behind in a state of constant worry. This powerful book courageously addresses the often-overlooked, profound impact of war on children, evoking a deep sense of empathy and prompting critical reflection on the cost of war.

Threadbare recounts the story of Tillie, an innocent but tenacious young girl who chooses to marry Abe, a lonely widower, rather than follow her farming community north as urban development transforms rural Harlem. Convinced Abe will help her attend high school on the Lower East Side, Tillie faces a rude awakening amidst the filth and disease of the tenements. Through the following decades, she turns her energy and intelligence to partnering with Abe as he builds a thriving button business while she and her neighbor Sadie launch a unique garment company. Pushing back against anti-Semitic Victorian values dominating the time, Tillie acquires wealth only to have her life upended by a devastating, unforeseen challenge.