A cache of 200-year-old letters inspires a story of two women—married to Supreme Court Justices James Iredell and James Wilson—who find themselves swept up in the events of the federal government's turbulent first decade. Weaving over 100 excerpts from actual letters with fictional diary entries by its two main characters, A More Obedient Wife is a historical novel like no other.

Author's Note____________________

For ten years, I worked as an editor on a history of the United States Supreme Court in its first decade, the 1790s. In the course of reading letters to, from, and about the early Justices, I became captivated by what I learned about the experiences of two women: Hannah Johnston Iredell, married to Justice James Iredell, a North Carolina lawyer; and Hannah Gray Wilson, married to Justice James Wilson, a prominent legal scholar who was one of only six men to sign both the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution. 

While biographies have been written about each of these Justices, none have been written about their wives--and none ever will be. There simply isn't enough information to work from; women's lives weren't considered important enough to document in detail. And yet, I could tell that the lives of both of these Hannahs were eventful, even tumultuous, and I wanted to know more. The only way to get at what their lives might really have been like, I decided, was to fictionalize them. And so, building on clues and evidence in the letters—as well as research about women's lives in general in the late 18th century—I turned each of the Hannahs into a narrator, using their fictional diary entries to fill in the many gaps in the historical record. The letters themselves became part of the narrative, interspersed with the diary entries but also set apart, in italics, so that the interested reader can discern—to a large extent—what is fact and what is fiction. 

Since A More Obedient Wife was published, I've been gratified to hear from many people that they simply "couldn't put the book down." Just as I'd hoped, they say they've not only learned a lot about a fascinating period in American history—the first decade of the federal government, when the nation was inventing itself as it went along—but that they've also found themselves caught up in the human drama of the story. It's always rewarding for a writer to hear that readers are responding so strongly and positively to her work. But beyond that, I'm delighted that I've been able to do my bit to rescue these two remarkable women from historical obscurity, and to relay the story of their lives—or what might have been their lives—to a larger audience. 

                                    --Natalie

P.S.  -- To read about the two women who will be the main characters in my next novel--and who were very different from the two Hannahs--check out my latest blog.

Praise for A More Obedient Wife:

Winner of a bronze medal in the Historical/Military Fiction category of the 2007 Independent Publisher (IPPY) Book Awards.


"Here is a  book capable of gripping the hearts and minds of its readers, a memorable tale of love and friendship played out against the background of the United States' Federalist period."
--Joan Campion, The Bethlehem Press

"Compelling in its portrayal of a turbulent time in American history and its effects on the often forgotten women of the day...  What makes the story memorable is the personal, intimate lives and relationships of the two very different ladies. There is a deep understanding and compassion for their situations."
--Amanda Yesilbas, Historical Novels Review Online

“Reading Natalie Wexler’s novel provided me with that wonderful experience of being so riveted, so engaged, so caught in the tale being spun that I literally could not put the book down. Travel back in time and meet her remarkable (and very real) characters. You won’t be disappointed.”
--Erika Dreifus, Editor, The Practicing Writer

“In addition to expanding my knowledge of American history, Ms. Wexler also managed to get me caught up in the story. I highly recommend this novel. I found myself unable to put it down. A great book for discussion for a women’s readers group. Definitely one not to be missed!”
--Paige Lovitt, Reader Views
 
“The ghost of a love affair, excavated from long-forgotten letters... Wexler has absorbed the language, rhythm, and nuances of the letters to such a degree that her narrative flows together with them seamlessly.”
--Kirkus Discoveries

"As someone who knows the 18th-century Supreme Court well, I found Natalie Wexler's novel not only an accurate and convincing portrait of Court life, but also a charming and affecting page-turner."
--Maeva Marcus, Editor, The Documentary History of the Supreme Court of the United States, 1789-1800

Natalie Wexler is a writer, lawyer, and legal historian who lives in Washington, D.C., with her family. She is a former associate editor of The Documentary History of the Supreme Court of the United States, 1789-1800, and a former Supreme Court law clerk. Her feature articles, essays, and short stories have appeared in a number of publications. A More Obedient Wife is her first novel.