Jennifer Cody Epstein
Author of The Painter from Shanghai
About the Author
Works by Jennifer Cody Epstein
Tagged
Common Knowledge
- Canonical name
- Epstein, Jennifer Cody
- Birthdate
- c. 1966
- Gender
- female
- Nationality
- USA
- Places of residence
- New York, New York, USA
Bologna, Italy
Bangkok, Thailand
Hong Kong - Education
- Amherst College (BA)
Johns Hopkins University (MA)
Columbia University (MFA) - Occupations
- journalist
- Short biography
- Jennifer Cody Epstein has worked in Japan, China, Hong Kong, Thailand and the U.S. for publications including The Wall Street Journal, The Asian Wall Street Journal, Mademoiselle, Self and Parents, as well as for the NBC and HBO networks. She has a Masters degree in International Affairs from Johns Hopkins SAIS, and an MFA from Columbia. She lives in Brooklyn, New York with her husband, filmmaker Michael Epstein, and their two daughters.
Members
Reviews
Lists
Awards
You May Also Like
Associated Authors
Statistics
- Works
- 7
- Members
- 912
- Popularity
- #28,117
- Rating
- 3.8
- Reviews
- 64
- ISBNs
- 40
- Languages
- 8
- Favorited
- 1
It should never be forgotten that a man had the final word, a woman had no standing, no power unless she had extraordinary wealth of her own. These men, who we now call or recognize as brilliant, the forefathers of our understanding of the mind, were one short step from being worse than charlatans. Hypnotizing the more glamorous inmates for public consumption to bolster their power, and ego with little or no concern for the ramifications of their actions upon the victim. So enamored of their self-importance and intelligence their positions remained solid, unshakable. With a word a woman could be reduced to less than nothing. As “any woman in Hysteria could have told you…..The men always get away with it. It was a central tenet of our time, unwritten and undisclosed, but as incontrovertible as any upheld in an actual court of law.” Even the doctors who recognized the madness of certain attitudes and procedures were helpless to effect change.
Cody Epstein manages to explore many of the societal issues of the time including an explanation of the Orphan Labor by les petites de Paris which kept the farms outside the cities in business by paying a stipend for these poor working bodies until they were twelve and the public assistance stopped. Without going off track, France was not the only country to adopt this mean spirited program in the guise of helping and protecting the orphan children.
As far as historical fiction goes, there is none better than this exploration and exposition of the horrific treatment of many women who may or may not have been mentally challenged. This was not a fast nor an easy read for me but it was so well researched and meticulously plotted that it was worth every minute. A solid 4-1/2 stars which I am rounding up for effort and importance. Thanks to Ballantine Books and NetGalley for a copy.… (more)