The Girl From Greenwich Street by Lauren Willig
 

First line: The shadows were gathering in the back of the house in Greenwich Street.

Summary: Just before Christmas 1799 Elma Sands leaves her cousin’s boarding house and does not return. Did she elope? Run away? No one knows until her body is found the in the Manhattan Well. It appears that she has been murdered. Her family are certain they know who committed the crime, the carpenter boarding at the same boardinghouse, Levi Weeks.

This becomes the talk of Manhattan as the first murder case of the new century. Taking advantage of the publicity and notoriety of the case two rival lawyers take the case of Levi Weeks, Aaron Burr and Alexander Hamilton. As the facts of the case get blurred by the public opinion the two lawyers try to free their client while also trying to damage to a political opponent in the process.

My Thoughts: If you are familiar with the musical Hamilton then you might remember the line, “Gentlemen of the jury, I’m curious, bear with me. Are you aware that we’re making history? This is the first murder trial of our brand-new nation.” Lauren Willig’s new novel brings this line and the history of the trial to life.

I have been a huge fan of Willig’s work since I first picked up her Pink Carnation series. When I saw that she had a new book coming out about Alexander Hamilton I was immediately interested. As with most people probably, the line from the musical is all I knew about the Manhattan Well murder. I was excited to learn about the events involved in this historic trial. I found it fascinating and led me to do a Google search for more information about the timeline and people involved.

Willig gives new life to her subjects. She shows them as human beings rather than footnotes in history. Elma has the stain of being illegitimate and she wants a better life, one where she will be showered with jewels and the good things in life. But the story also shows the prejudices of society in blaming her for wanting these things and her life choices that some believe led to her death. Like many victims they can be misaligned by the world and almost blamed for their own murder.

This novel was well researched and brings the facts of the trial, including actual transcripts of the proceedings, to the general public. It deals with many issues of its day but that can still be seen today. If you were intrigued by that line in Hamilton and want an immersive look into the trial that shook New York then I’d highly recommend picking up a copy of The Girl From Greenwich Street.

Educated by Tara Westover
 

First line: I’m standing on the red railway car that sits abandoned next to the barn.

Summary: Born into a survivalist family in the mountains of Idaho, Tara Westover spent her childhood believing that the government was controlled by the Illuminati and that her mother could heal all their ills with herbs and prayers. Her days were spent preparing for the end of the world and working at her father’s junkyard. When she finally decides she’s had enough of the abuse from her violent brother she started to teach herself enough to get accepted to Brigham Young University. Her integration into mainstream society was a shock to her deeply ingrained worldview and she struggled with her commitment to her family versus the truths she was learning at university. Can she go back to the family she loves but who cannot understand the life she now leads?

My Thoughts: I have been meaning to read/listen to this for YEARS! It was a huge story when it was released and I knew the basics of the story but after completing it I am absolutely blown away by the strength of this woman. She shows the world her life growing up without being mean or overly judgmental of her family. It must have been heart wrenching to bring this private part of herself to a worldwide audience but her narrative is empowering.

As I read I was shocked by the things that her father preached to the family, the way the family lived and the lack of medicine and education the children received. I was cheering her on as she made choices to expand her life and learn about the world she has been kept from. She made many hard choices that would be hard for anyone from such a close knit family. Tara knew that if she was going to survive and live the life she dreamt of she would have to escape this cycle. And she went above and beyond! She earned a PhD while studying at several prestigious universities. It is awe inspiring and I’d highly recommend listening to or reading Tara’s story, some parts may be hard to stomach but it is one that shows how perseverance and the love of learning can change so much.