Learn about the era's gender notions, class divisions, and expanding possibilities.
The roles and possibilities for women changed throughout 19th century America. Even as women continued to live under the societal norms of domesticity, they also expanded what was possible for a woman to achieve outside the home. The character of Dr. Lydia Weston in Murder by Degrees was extraordinary for her time indeed; however, we can better understand her if we are also familiar with the gender notions, class divisions, and the role of women in the emerging field of formalized medical training in post-Civil War America.
Janet Rankin is a cultural historian who holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Humanities and a Master of Arts in History with a Concentration in Humanities from Sacramento State University. Her focus in graduate school included the fields of women’s history and the art projects of FDR’s New Deal Administration. Janet is an instructor at OSU-Cascades in Bend and her current research focuses on highlighting women’s voices from the Literary Oregon Trail. Janet lives in Redmond, OR.
Murder by Degrees is a thrillingly atmospheric tale of intrigue, featuring a brilliant female doctor who’s ahead of her time. Set in Philadelphia, 1875, the debut novel by Ritu Mukerji, Dr. Lydia Weston is preparing for the start of a new term at Woman’s Medical College of Pennsylvania, when the body of a young woman is fished out of the Schuylkill River. The death is ruled a suicide, but Lydia is suspicious. As the investigation unfolds, Lydia puts to use all her diagnostic skills and autopsy table acumen to pursue the killer.
Ritu Mukerji was born in Kolkata, India, and raised in the San Francisco Bay area. From a young age, she has been an avid reader of mysteries, from Golden Age crime fiction to police procedurals and the novels of PD James and Ruth Rendell. She received a BA in history from Columbia University and a medical degree from Sidney Kimmel Medical College of Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia. She completed residency training at the University of California, Davis and has been a practicing internist for fifteen years. She lives in Marin County, California, with her husband and three children.
Learn more about A Novel Idea here.
Questions? Contact laurelh@deschuteslibrary.org
AGE GROUP: | Adult |
EVENT TYPE: | Adult Program |
The Redmond Library has a varied collection of English and Spanish language materials for adults, teens, and children. English and Spanish-language programs are offered for all ages.
