The Maid and the Socialite: The Brave Women Behind Green Bay's Scandalous Minahan Trials by Lynda Drews

 

Title:  The Maid and the Socialite:  The Brave Women Behind Green Bay's Scandalous Minahan Trials

Author:  Lynda Drews

Narrated by:  Megan Trout

Publisher: Tantor Media

Length: Approximately 10 hours and 29 minutes

Source: Checked out through Libby through the Kewaunee Public Library

Do you like to read or learn about your local history?  The Maid and the Socialite by Lynda Drews was a fascinating look into local to me, Green Bay, Wisconsin history.

Celebrated Green Bay surgeon John R. Minnehan had a complicated history.  Even though he helped to found St. Vincent’s hospital and his name was on many buildings around town, he used his power to abuse women.  He r$%^d his illiterate maid Mary, but she fought back in a court case.  His weapon was to accuse her of being a loose woman with syphilis.  After he was acquitted, he met and married his second wife, Mollie.  On their honeymoon, he accused her of infidelity and of having syphilis.  The verbal and mental abuse began at this point and didn’t end even when the couple divorced.  Why does a man’s word override a woman’s word?  Why are rich and powerful men able to abuse women without repercussions?

My thoughts on this audiobook:

·       This was the August pick for the Page-tuners Book Club at the Kewaunee Public Library.  It made for an interesting discussion.  I listened to the audiobook in July.

·       It really made me think about how scary it was to be a maid living and/or working in a private home.  You could be assaulted by the men in the household or guests and be blamed for your own assault.

·       There was a brief history of Green Bay at the beginning of the novel.

·       It really showed how if you were a man with money and important friends, you could get away with doing anything.  Sadly, this still seems to be true today.

·       It was interesting that this book got a started when the author bought a home in the Astor historic district in Green Bay and started researching the family of the man who used to own her home.

·       I would classify this book as nonfiction, history, book club, audiobook, and true crime.

·       It was strange that John obviously had mental problems but was still a prominent and respected physician.  His obsession with syphilis was also weird.  Did he have it himself?

·       What happened to his first wife?  She was locked up in an insane asylum with no record of her death.  Is this how he got rid of her?

·       Both Mary and Mollie were brave women.  Mollie had her wealthy family’s support which was a big help.

Overall, The Maid and the Socialite:  The Brave Women Behind Green Bay's Scandalous Minahan Trials by Lynda Drews was a fascinating look into local Green Bay history and the abuse of women and power by a wealthy doctor.