Stray Wives: Marital Conflict in Early National New England
“Wonderful. . . . A fascinating and complex account of husbands struggling to assert their legal dominance in a changing cultural landscape, while law remained static. . . .Stray Wivesis full of creative research and compelling new insights about marriage in early national America. Sievens's nuanced argument about power and interdependence within marriage is absolutely convincing. She also clearly demonstrates that legal change lagged behind cultural change, leaving husbands frustrated by their inability to rule.”-William & Mary Quarterly,“Offers an engaging look at marital conflict at a key transitional time in the emotional and economic landscape of early national New England.”-Journal of the Early Republic,“Sievens focuses on a rich and under-used source: the ads that appeared in early American newspapers alerting readers not to extend credit to run-away wives, as well as occasional replies made by wives themselves. This is a terrific source that illuminates marriage, gender, law, print culture, and community in early America. Sievens has shown considerable sensitivity and acuity, as well as diligence in the pre-digitized days, in her approach to these fascinating sources. This is an impressively lucid coverage resting on persuasive claims. . . . Indeed, this book, in its brevity, clarity, and inherent drama, may be of particular use in the classroom. A fine book on an important topic, it will certainly be of use to many working in this field.”-Journal of Social History,“Sievens shows how even when free of their marriages, women often remained dependent on male kin.”-The Chronicle of Higher Education,“To fully appreciate how far women's rights have evolved by the twenty-first century, all one need do is read a work like this one. . . . Highly recommended.”-Choice,