The Queen of the Platform - by Susan Higginbotham (Paperback)

About the Book

"Question everything, Ernestine vows while growing up in a Poland ravaged by the Napoleonic wars. Accept nothing blindly. Rejecting her rabbi father's religion and an arranged marriage, Ernestine strikes out on her own, arriving in New York in 1836. Distressed by the injustices around her, she takes to the public speaking platform, pressing for the abolition of slavery and for women's rights alongside activists like Frederick Douglass, Susan B. Anthony, and Elizabeth Cady Stanton. But at a time when women are expected to confine themselves to the parlor and the hearth-and when an atheist is best advised to say nothing at all-is Ernestine's adopted country ready to hear her?--

Book Synopsis

"Susan Higginbotham has a gift for telling the tales of strong women who stepped out from the shadows into which society's strictures would have cast them in order to make their indelible marks on history. . . . Weaving together sumptuous prose and groundbreaking research, Higginbotham delivers a read that is both empowering and important."

-Allison Pataki, New York Times bestselling author of Finding Margaret Fuller

From the award-winning author of The Stolen Crown and Hanging Mary comes a novel based on the life of the indomitable Ernestine Rose, whose fearless advocacy helped bring about the rights women enjoy today.

Question everything, Ernestine vows while growing up in a Poland ravaged by the Napoleonic wars. Accept nothing blindly.

Rejecting her rabbi father's religion and an arranged marriage, Ernestine strikes out on her own, arriving in New York in 1836. Distressed by the injustices around her, she takes to the public speaking platform, pressing for the abolition of slavery and for women's rights alongside activists like Frederick Douglass, Susan B. Anthony, and Elizabeth Cady Stanton. But at a time when women are expected to confine themselves to the parlor and the hearth-and when an atheist is best advised to say nothing at all-is Ernestine's adopted country ready to hear her?

Following Ernestine through triumph and heartbreak and across two continents, The Queen of the Platform brings out of history's shadows a heroine who braved public scorn to fight for the values she held dear.

Review Quotes

"This novel is so great that no words can do it justice. . . . Not only is [Ernestine's] story masterfully retold, but it seems that Higginbotham is determined to arouse every conceivable emotion from her readers, and such writing made this book next to impossible to put down."

-Mary Ann Yarde, Yarde's Book Reviews

"Susan Higginbotham seamlessly blends fiction with historical facts, providing readers with a profound perspective on the courage and determination of women to fight for change in a resistant society. . . . It is an interesting mix of exploring relationships, identity search, and adaptation to social changes."

-The Historical Fiction Company

"Author Susan Higginbotham has us on the edge of our seats as we read about [Ernestine]'s fight against slavery and discrimination. . . . A superb read."

-Rebecca De Figueiredo, Readers' Favorite

"Susan Higginbothan's inspiring book is a shining example of the strength and resilience of the human spirit. The protagonist's journey will move readers through her struggles, inspire them with her courage, and uplift them with her triumphs. Higginbotham's masterful storytelling will leave you spellbound and deeply touched. This is a book that will stay with you long after you turn the last page."

-Midwest Book Review