Madwoman is one of the best, a magnificent portrayal of Nellie Bly in all her journalistic integrity and daring.’ But when the asylum door swings shut behind her, she finds herself in a place of horrors, governed by a cruelty she could never have imagined. Cold, isolated and starving, her days of terror reawaken the traumatic events of her childhood. She entered the asylum of her own free will - but will she ever get out?

But when the asylum door swings shut behind her, she finds herself in a place of horrors, governed by a harshness and cruelty she could never have imagined. Cold, isolated and starving, her days of terror reawaken the traumatic events of her childhood. She entered the asylum of her own free will—but will she ever get out? their intelligence – this makes a huge difference for a speaker. In the Oxford audience I encountered many experts in the field my book covered and even one of the ambassadors I’d quoted Vivid and written with compassion, Treger illumines Bly's risky reporting that led to radical reform * TORONTO STAR * About the book: “Based on a true story, a spellbinding historical novel about the world's first female investigative journalist, Nellie Bly.”

After getting close to another patient Bly confirms that “so, the women you’ve been telling me about are branded mad simply for rebelling against our system, which keeps them downtrodden? […] Men make up narratives that put them here”. This time in the asylum is a mix of optimism – the sense that her plan is working and the opportunity to write something big – and a place of terrible tragedy: the dispossession of women deemed “mad” or inconvenient. Bly comes to realise that these women may not all be dangerous to themselves and those around them despite being deemed mad, based on this she poses “what is sanity except being able to contain madness inside yourself?” as women are conditioned to do. For these women, it would seem that every extreme feeling they have erupts in physical collapse… deeming them mad. Modern day muse At twenty, she comes across an editorial – a diatribe against working women. With blood boiling, she writes a piece of her mind, which really gets editorial’s attention. Suddenly, reporting becomes something more achievable rather than becoming a lawyer. Plus, journalism would give her better maneuver to express complicated truths of life. She becomes a bone fide news reporter under a pen name Nellie Bly. I loved the whole atmosphere of the Oxford Literary Festival. From breakfast, alongside some of the attendees, who were talking books with each other a mile a minute, to the public event at The Sheldonian where everyone was lively and engaged – I felt I had arrived in a kind of literary heaven. Treger provides a moving story, particularly powerful in its depiction of Bly's desperate efforts to retain her sanity in the midst of institutional madness. * SUNDAY TIMES, Best historical fiction books of 2022 so far *

Every literary festival stays in an author’s mind for slightly individual reasons. I shall remember the Oxford festival for: In 1887 young Nellie Bly sets out for life anew to make a name for herself by becoming a journalist, determined to leave her old life behind and create a future she can be proud of and New York is where it will happen. No matter at what cost.Take a Look at Our Summary of November Highlights, Whether You're Looking for the Latest Releases or Gift Inspiration Unfortunately, Pink’s life changes dramatically when her father dies. Her dream of a career in law lies in tatters, her mother’s second marriage is a disaster but all these experiences will shape her character and her future. It’s clear from the beginning she’s a determined and intelligent young lady, not intent on being outdone by her brothers in any way, and with her sights firmly set on a better life in which she need not be dependent on a man. The night in Oxford was the most beautiful event I have ever done. Not just the spectacular setting (of the Sheldonian), but an unforgettable evening. Will Nellie ever be able to get out of the asylum though? Will she be able to write her story and bring about changes about how vulnerable people are treated? How will she be affected and will she ever be the same again? Nellie is a well-fleshed out character. We get to know her inside out. What shapes her to be who she is and what gives her fire to tread dangerous waters. She is determined to succeed, and she clearly sees it doing with articles that are personal and emotional, giving intimate glimpses into working class female workers.

Will Nellie be able to retain all of the information she learns as she talks to these mistreated women, or will she just become another statistic? The storytelling of Nellie’s courage and willpower to succeed in what she believes in are realistically presented and keeping a reader on edge with her bravery. Louisa Treger takes us deep inside the mind of an extraordinary woman, whose ambition to succeed in a male world leads her to the very brink of madness. It's a moving, absorbing, and beautifully written story, and a terrifying portrait of the fate many women suffered in the late nineteenth century. A must read! -- GILL PAUL If your favourite genre of literature is female rage, then this is the book for you. Bly channels her rage positively through her storytelling. Mad Woman is meandering and personal, and the biographical details of Bly’s life are similar to what many women are [unfortunately] all too familiar with. I flew through the book it’s not an easy read due to the content but it’s an important read we owe it to all those poor unfortunates know just what hell they went through.Mad Woman is a form of catharsis for Bly if not to heal herself, at least to help alleviate some of the physical, emotional, or psychological agony she experienced throughout her life. Based on her observations of her mother’s homelife and asylum patients, “what kills [Bly] is that she wasn’t mad – only desperate”. Would I still recommend it? Sure! It’s an informative, easy-read story, and a strong lady definitely worth learning about.