The Trials of Laura Fair

In 1870, Laura Fair's shooting of her lover on a San Francisco ferry became a sensational legal case that revealed evolving societal ideas about morality, gender, health, and mental illness in Victorian America. Supported by medical testimony linking her actions to a temporary insanity caused by her menstrual cycle, Fair’s trials highlighted the era's shifting perceptions of women's physiology and morality. Carole Haber’s book explores these controversial issues, providing insight into how reputation and gender expectations shaped Victorian society and justice.