Reviews
“…tantalizing and beautifully researched…” ―Karen Abbott, The Washington Post
“What better time for a story about a prominent man taken totally aback when he discovers that the rules about what he can get away with have changed….captivating drama.” ―Gail Collins, The New York Times Book Review
“A story from the 19th century that rumbles and resonates in our own.” ―Jennifer Szalai, The New York Times
“It’s impossible to read [Bringing Down the Colonel] without it feeling familiar ― the clear parallels to Trump, Weinstein, Kavanaugh, and other figures in the ‘he said, she said’ dramas of our own time. Miller’s compelling account is both shockingly relevant and a grim reminder that, when it comes to double standards, we haven’t advanced all that far since the Victorian era.” ―Jennifer Latson, The Boston Globe
“This mostly forgotten episode in the long history of Washington sex scandals has been brought vividly to life by Patricia Miller…in “Bringing Down the Colonel.” Her book is a deeply researched account of the affair and its aftermath, along with an examination of the changing sexual mores of the late 19th century….In today’s #MeToo world, “Bringing Down the Colonel” reverberates in unexpected ways.” ―Melanie Kirkpatrick, The Wall Street Journal
“A panoramic examination of women’s changing roles and of women’s efforts to provide for themselves and make their way in the largely male public sphere. Good, timely history for the #MeToo moment.” ― Kirkus Reviews
“Patricia Miller chronicles an explosive but largely forgotten episode in the annals of sexual politics….Ms Miller shows how the scandal laid open previously taboo topics—adultery, illicit pregnancies, abortion and sexual hypocrisy… her wide historical lens makes it a valuable, timely addition to discussions of gender and power, not to mention an eerie echo of recent news.” ―The Economist