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In the Hands of Women: A Gilded City Series Paperback – May 23, 2023

by Jane Loeb Rubin (Author)
4.6 4.6 out of 5 stars 163 ratings
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In the Hands of Women is a suspenseful historical novel centered on the life of Hannah Isaacson, an obstetrician in training who was determined to improve medical safety for women in a time when women had few choices. This carefully researched work, set in 1900 Baltimore and New York City, when birth control and abortion were both illegal, leaves us contemplating whether history is repeating itself. 

 

With the advent of obstetrics and anesthesia as distinct fields of practice in 1900, hospital births rapidly gained popularity. Midwives, who previously cared for these women, began supplementing their shrinking incomes with abortions, sometimes performing dangerous midterm abortions with disastrous consequences. 

 

Hannah, a devoted women's advocate and suffragist, finds herself overwhelmed by the ignorance and medical needs of her patients, poor and wealthy. She is determined to make a difference and joins Margaret Sanger in her crusade to overturn the restrictive Comstock Laws prohibiting birth control. After coming to the aid of a woman dying from a botched abortion, Hannah is charged with murder and sent to the terrifying Blackwell's Prison to await her trial. With the support of influential friends, including Margaret Sanger and the female trustees of Johns Hopkins Medical School, she challenges the Governor of New York with a novel proposition.

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Previous page
  1. Book 1 of 2
    A Gilded City Series
  2. Print length
    350 pages
  3. Language
    English
  4. Publisher
    Level Best Books
  5. Publication date
    May 23, 2023
  6. Dimensions
    6 x 0.78 x 9 inches
  7. ISBN-10
    1685123465
  8. ISBN-13
    978-1685123468
  9. See all details
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Editorial Reviews

Review

"Rubin has written a fascinating novel, well-paced and brimming with historical detail. It's 1905 in New York City, a time and place of dramatic social changes. Hannah Isaacson has graduated from a major university with an MD in obstetrics but faces widespread discrimination as a professional woman. She encounters chronic antisemitism, realistically depicted. One can't help cheering her on as she fights for decent health care for women, for equality within the medical profession, and for respect in her own personal relationships. Ultimately, In the Hands of Women is a compelling and heartwarming historical novel." - Libby H. O'Connell, Chief Historian Emeritus, History Channel, and author, The American Plate

"Vividly written and meticulously researched, In the Hands of Women is a gripping story of female friendship, the challenges women doctors faced in the early 1900s, and the noxious impact of antisemitism. Young obstetrician Hannah Isaacson returns home to her beloved sister and to a job at New York City's Mount Sinai Hospital in 1905 after becoming one of the first female graduates of the Johns Hopkins Medical School. But Hannah's passion for helping pregnant women-at a time when birth control and abortion were illegal-puts her life at risk and leads to high-stake confrontations with her fiancé and some of New York's most powerful men. I lost myself in this novel as I followed Hannah from high-society restaurants and lower East Side tenements to New York City's hospitals and jails ... And I cheered for her every step of the way. I'm crossing my fingers Jane Rubin is working on her next tale starring Hannah, her family, and friends." - Mally Becker, Agatha Award-nominated author of The Turncoat's Widow and The Counterfeit Wife


"Jane Rubin's stunning debut, In The Hands Of Women, is historical fiction at its best...She confronts antisemitism and demands equal treatment in her professional and personal life. With empathy, Rubin takes us through the travails of the medical system when poor women had little access to good maternity care. Her impeccable research weaves the subjects of midwifery and abortion within the intricacies of the twentieth century class system in New York. Rubin's characters stay with me. They're compassionate, smart, and strong. Reading this page-turner gave me more than a thrilling read. It gave me a lesson on history and how we can do better. I couldn't put it down." - Julie Maloney, author and director of Women Reading Aloud, an international writing organization


"A rallying cry from the past to women of today to defend our rights, especially our medical ones-and a reminder of the horrors that can occur when we don't. An immaculately researched and immersive debut novel." - Michelle Cameron, award-winning author of Beyond The Ghetto Gates, https: //michelle-cameron.com

About the Author

A terrifying diagnosis, a genetic defect, and a lifelong fascination with the history of medicine led Jane Rubin to put pen to paper. After an ovarian cancer diagnosis in 2009, Jane, then a healthcare executive, poured her energy into raising research dollars for ovarian cancer and learning more about her familial roots. Her research led her to her great-grandmother, Mathilda (Tillie), who arrived in New York City in 1866, at sixteen married a man twelve years her senior, and later died of 'a woman's disease.' Then the trail ran cold. Jane was left imagining Tillie's life, her fight with terminal disease, and circumstances surrounding her death. With limited facts, she was determined to give Mathilda an exciting fictional life of her own. Her research of the history of New York City, its ultra-conservative reproductive laws, and the state of medicine during that era has culminated in a suspenseful, fast-paced, two-book historical series. Her engaging characters are confronted with the shifting role of midwives, dangers of pregnancy, the infamous Blackwell's Workhouse, and the perilous road to financial success. Jane's other publications include an essay memoir, Almost a Princess, My Life as a Two-Time Cancer Survivor (2009 Next Generation Indie Book Finalist), and multiple articles in the Coping with Cancer periodical. She writes a monthly blog, The Space Between, reflecting on her post- health care career and writing journey. It is available through her website, JaneLoebRubin.com. Jane lives with her husband, David an attorney, in Northern New Jersey. Between them, they have five adult children and seven precious grandchildren.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Level Best Books (May 23, 2023)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 350 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1685123465
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1685123468
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.13 pounds
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6 x 0.78 x 9 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.6 4.6 out of 5 stars 163 ratings

About the author

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Jane Loeb Rubin

Jane Loeb Rubin

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A terrifying diagnosis, a genetic defect, and a lifelong fascination with the history of medicine led Jane Rubin to put pen to paper. After an ovarian cancer diagnosis in 2009, Jane, then a healthcare executive, poured her energy into raising research dollars for ovarian cancer and learning more about her familial roots. Her research led her to her great-grandmother, Mathilda (Tillie), who arrived in New York City in 1866, at sixteen married a man twelve years her senior, and later died of ‘a woman’s disease.’ Then the trail ran cold. With limited facts, she was determined to give Mathilda an exciting fictional life of her own. Jane was left imagining Tillie’s life, her fight with terminal disease, and circumstances surrounding her death.

Her research of the history of New York City, its ultra-conservative reproductive laws, and the state of medicine during that era has culminated in a suspenseful, fast-paced, two-book historical series. Her engaging characters are confronted with the shifting role of midwives, dangers of pregnancy, the infamous Blackwell’s Workhouse, and the perilous road to financial success. In the Hands of Women has a publication date of 5/23 (Level Best Books), and its prequel, Threadbare, 5/24 (Level Best Books).

Jane’s other publications include an essay memoir, Almost a Princess, My Life as a Two-Time Cancer Survivor (2009 Next Generation Indie Book Finalist), and multiple articles in the Coping with Cancer periodical. She writes a monthly blog, Musings, reflecting on her post- health care career experiences and writing journey. Jane also volunteers for the Women's Fiction Writers Association, assisting with the coordination of its annual national meeting.

Jane lives with her husband, David an attorney, in Northern New Jersey. Between them, they have five adult children and seven grandchildren.

Customer reviews

4.6 out of 5 stars
4.6 out of 5
163 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

Todd Lesser
5.0 out of 5 stars Historical fiction at its finest!
Reviewed in the United States on December 17, 2023
Verified Purchase
Historical fiction is one of my favorite genres of literature. “In the Hands of Women” by Jane Loeb Rubin does not disappoint and is a MUST READ!

For a little background - I had the privilege of a chance meeting with Jane on a recent trip to Wyoming. I felt an instant connection with her, as she is an authentic, intelligent, and remarkable woman with an interesting story to tell. Jane is a cancer survivor and former healthcare executive, with a zest for life and drive to help others in so many ways, with one example being her cancer research fundraising efforts.

“In the Hands of Women” is a labor of love for Jane, and you feel her passion come through in every page. The story takes place in NYC at the turn of the century, a very difficult time in history. Jewish immigrants were trying to make their way in the face of antisemitism. In addition, there was little medical advancement, especially in” women’s diseases”, exasperated by the oppression of women’s rights.

There are so many reasons that this book is a standout. First, I was hooked right away knowing that the inspiration behind this novel centered around one of the main characters (Tillie). Tillie was modeled after Jane’s great-grandmother, who lost her battle with a “woman’s disease” at a very young age. Jane honored her memory by telling Tillie’s life story as Jane imagined it. Second, Jane has a unique way of telling a story. She has a knack for describing each scene, depicting not only character traits and thoughts, but also the scenery with such detail that I felt transported back to that period. I kept visualizing my grandfather, a Romanian immigrant, who came to the country in the early 1900’s. I also connected with some of the references that stand the test of time, like lemon Jell-O and laws of Kashrut. Furthermore, Jane weaves in characters who were real people (socialites, Mrs. Garrett and Mrs. Thomson, as examples), which further educated me on the struggles of that era. One big AHA centered around Jewish Eastern vs. Western European immigration rivalry, as well as how the immigration issues back then compare to today.

In closing, trust me when I say that you will love reading this book and gain new insights, fall in love with Hannah, the main heroine, and get to know the other characters as well. I am so excited for the prequel to come out to better understand how it all began.
2 people found this helpful
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Betty J Murphy
4.0 out of 5 stars an insight into women’s healthcare
Reviewed in the United States on January 20, 2024
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Unsophisticated writing style, but lovely story about the early obstetric healthcare for women… From a female physician’s point of view
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Amazon Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars Great read
Reviewed in the United States on April 25, 2024
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I loved this book! Could not put it down. The author will soon be coming out with a new book.
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Teresa Rafferty
5.0 out of 5 stars A gripping story with inspiring women
Reviewed in the United States on August 12, 2023
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Whether your interests include women’s health care, historical and class prejudice, family relationships, immigration, or the Gilded Age, you will be gripped by "In the Hands of Women" by Jane Loeb Rubin. Set in New York City and Baltimore in the early 1900’s, this well-researched novel offers a historical counterpoint to many of the same challenges we face today. Its chief protagonist, Hannah Isaacson, one of the first female obstetricians, is principled, courageous, intelligent, and compassionate. Her professional journey takes us inside the walls and workings of the nation’s most prestigious hospitals (want to imagine what the Mt. Sinai boardroom looked like?), as well as Lower East side clinics, women’s prisons, and the burgeoning struggle for women’s rights. The novel features secondary characters who reinforce the basic goodness, contradictions, and complexity of what it means to be human.
"In the Hands of Women is a compelling read," as relevant today as its themes were to the early 20th century.
2 people found this helpful
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Susan Van Kirk
5.0 out of 5 stars And Strong Hands They Are!
Reviewed in the United States on August 26, 2023
Verified Purchase
This was one of the best historical fiction books I've read in recent times. Hannah Isaacson is an obstetrician-in-training in 1900s Baltimore and New York City. She's determined to make women safer during their pregnancies and childbirth. It's a constant battle against backstreet abortions and the boardrooms of hospitals dominated by men. Even her male colleagues offer her little respect. When a botched abortion takes her to the scene of a dying woman, she is charged with murder and sent to Blackwell's Prison. I found the characters in this story courageous, intelligent, and compassionate. It isn't hard to root for Hannah. The settings were well-researched, and the prison scenes filled with gritty realism. Reading this book makes you consider the days in which we're living with moral questions surrounding us when it comes to the rights of women to make decisions about their own health. Wonderful book! Five Stars!
One person found this helpful
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Steve G
4.0 out of 5 stars Good story
Reviewed in the United States on June 8, 2023
I enjoyed this book. The plot is fascinating and the characters are well developed. I thought that the book painted a vivid picture of turn-of-the century New York life and medicine. The book was well paced after getting off to a slow start. I also thought that the narrative was a little choppy. Overall, this was a good read. Thank you to Netgalley and Level Best Books for the digital review copy.
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Alice Prager
5.0 out of 5 stars Worth a fight for what's right.
Reviewed in the United States on May 30, 2023
Verified Purchase
Jane Rubin's debut novel "In The Hands of Women” transports the reader to New York City at the beginning of the 20th century when women struggled for their rights to live the life they chose. When birth control and abortion was illegal and when antisemitism was rampant. It is a fascinating read of struggle, defiance, a belief in oneself and fighting for it. Not only does Rubin bring to light an accurate record of how constrained women were at that time and the religious bigotry and poverty that was endured but it is impossible not to draw comparisons to today's intolerance in America. The timing of this book is impeccable. It portrays a time in history that none of us should want as our future. I look forward to Rubin's next book knowing I will both be enlightened and engaged in a really good read. A heads up to all book clubs- this is a discussion for the ages
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Top reviews from other countries

Heather A Canuel
5.0 out of 5 stars Read
Reviewed in Canada on November 25, 2023
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Good book
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