Sapphic Slashers: Sex, Violence, and American Modernity
Duggan (Sex Wars: Sexual Dissent and Political Culture) presents an extensive study of the 1892 murder in Memphis, TN, of Freda Ward by her former lover Alice Mitchell. The author makes extensive use of newspaper accounts of the crime and trial, providing the reader with a wonderful window into the public's perception of these women, their relationship, and the crime. After analyzing the trial, Duggan discusses its broader implications. She explores how the story of Mitchell and Ward, stories of other lesbian couples, and the growing field of sexology created a cultural narrative that marginalized women who challenged the normative, heterosexual, male-dominated household and presented them as dangerous and unbalanced. A compelling read, this book presents a tremendous amount of primary-source material that will make it interesting to students of journalism, as well as those in gay and lesbian studies. Recommended for academic libraries.DDebra Moore, Loyola Marymount Univ., Los AngelesCopyright 2001 Reed Business Information, Inc.