Petty. Stubborn. Opinionated. Outspoken. Madame Restell (Ann Trow Summers Lohman) was all of these things. But she was also courageous, smart, skilled, and stood firmly in her conviction that women have an absolute right to control their own bodies and the size of their families. Here's a woman who would have absolutely bought herself flowers. And this book is not just about her, but about a time and place, about shifting beliefs and social mores, and about abortion. 19th century New York City (and the USA) weren't as different from today as we'd like to believe, and the author tells this tale with humor, candidness, and no small amount of urgency.