circularcubes's review
5.0
Turn of the century prostitution, the classiest brothel in the United States, and an epic battle between religious reformers and crooked politicians, there is literally nothing you could ask for more. I really liked how The Crimson Petal and the White delved more into the everyday lives of prostitutes, and I wanted to hear more stories from the Everleigh Club butterflies, but it's a minor quibble in an exceedingly well written, fascinating account of a two mysterious sisters in a terribly interesting time in Chicagoan history.
blevins's review
3.0
Four stars for the debauchery, two for the reformers: equals 3 stars. Karen Abbott was clearly drawn to one part of her story more than the other and it really showed. When writing about the harlots, madams, greedy politicians and others of Chicago's expansive sex and sin district in turn of the 20th century, this was riveting, highly entertaining stuff. When she'd write about the reforming, religious do-gooders...it would grind to a halt. I found myself wanting to skip over those sections and get to the juicy bits about the Everleigh Club, the two sisters who ran it and their empire devoted to the selling of female flesh.
skidiva's review
4.0
Interesting look at vice in turn of the century Chicago. I love books that make a time and place real for me, and this one did. A great perspective on the politics, morality, and social framework of Chicago -- and the country -- in the early 1900's. Well written, too.
judyward's review
3.0
A very informative book about the sex and prostitution industry in Chicago at the beginning of the 20th century and the tension in America between sin and Puritanism. The book focuses on the Everleigh Club, the most famous brothel in 20th century America, which was located in the Levee district of Chicago and was run by Minna and Ada Everleigh. Unlike other madams operating in Chicago at that time, the Everleigh sisters made sure that their "butterflies" lived comfortably, made a good living, and were examined regularly by reputable doctors. Minna and Ada Everleigh were under constant pressure during the decade that they operated the Everleigh Club. Other madams hated and feared them. One, for example, tried to frame the sisters for the death of Marshall Field, Jr. Also, the sisters needed to constantly ensure that public officials were willing to tolerate and, even in some circumstances, protect their enterprise. But what finally caused the Everleigh sisters to close the Everleigh Club and go into retirement in New York City were Progressive reformers who flooded the media market across the country with stories of sin, corruption, and white slavery. An interesting episode in American history.
byrdy's review against another edition
dark
informative
sad
slow-paced
3.0
I read Liar Temptress Soldier Spy first, so my expectations were high. Too many characters, not a clear story. Informative and interesting, but slow and confusing.
Content Warnings
Minor: Sexual content
siria's review
3.0
This is a pretty entertaining, if somewhat shallow, slice of pop history which derives much of its verve from its vivid subject matter: the Everleigh Club, an exclusive, world-famous brothel founded in fin de siècle Chicago, populated by Balzac-quoting prostitutes and run by sisters Minna and Ada. Sin and the Second City covers the club's foundation, its rise to notoriety, its ongoing battle with reformers and religious campaigners, and its eventual closure, and it rattles along at a breezy pace.
As a narrative, it's very readable, a sort of nonfiction equivalent of an airport thriller, though as history it's much less satisfying. There are things which Abbott claims are unknown which she could surely have made an attempt at verifying (though I'm sure that doing so would remove a little of the story's glamour and mystique), things which she states as fact which are surely invented (how on earth does she know what people were thinking or feeling at particular moments?), things which are not explored as thoroughly as they could be (race, gender; the fates of some of the prostitutes who passed through the Everleigh Club, because I'm sure some of them at least could be traced).
Abbott's desire to romanticise the sisters—so much classier than those other madams! and of course she never even tries to question their assertions that they never engaged in the practice of buying women or coercing them into prostitution, though by her own account they barter with another madam over a prostitute at least once—is super problematic on a couple of levels, particularly a class one. Have sex with someone for 50 cents: Awful! Be referred to in the text as a whore! Have sex with someone for $500: Well, nothing inherently wrong with that! Be referred to in the text as a courtesan! Blergh.
Great subject matter, but could probably be treated much more thoughtfully by another writer.
As a narrative, it's very readable, a sort of nonfiction equivalent of an airport thriller, though as history it's much less satisfying. There are things which Abbott claims are unknown which she could surely have made an attempt at verifying (though I'm sure that doing so would remove a little of the story's glamour and mystique), things which she states as fact which are surely invented (how on earth does she know what people were thinking or feeling at particular moments?), things which are not explored as thoroughly as they could be (race, gender; the fates of some of the prostitutes who passed through the Everleigh Club, because I'm sure some of them at least could be traced).
Abbott's desire to romanticise the sisters—so much classier than those other madams! and of course she never even tries to question their assertions that they never engaged in the practice of buying women or coercing them into prostitution, though by her own account they barter with another madam over a prostitute at least once—is super problematic on a couple of levels, particularly a class one. Have sex with someone for 50 cents: Awful! Be referred to in the text as a whore! Have sex with someone for $500: Well, nothing inherently wrong with that! Be referred to in the text as a courtesan! Blergh.
Great subject matter, but could probably be treated much more thoughtfully by another writer.
cleaper's review
5.0
Awesome book! Loved the history and politics behind the houses of ill-repute. Gives life and compassion to people that you assume would be heartless given the line of work that they were in.
Makes me want to do more research on the Everleigh sisters to find out what happens after.
Makes me want to do more research on the Everleigh sisters to find out what happens after.
reasie's review
3.0
I don't know what to say about this book. The narrative approach to non-fiction bugged me a bit. "Minna adjusted the broach at her throat" - did she? Really? Or are you making that up to put us in scene?
And, as non-fiction, of course, it suffers from that non-fiction reality problem. I was never quite sure where it was going, but I didn't mind the ride.
And, as non-fiction, of course, it suffers from that non-fiction reality problem. I was never quite sure where it was going, but I didn't mind the ride.