Ethel Rosenberg: An American Tragedy

charl08

Ethel Rosenberg: An American Tragedy | Anne Sebba

Sartre responding to the Rosenberg sentencing.

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charl08

Ethel Rosenberg: An American Tragedy | Anne Sebba

I've read the first couple of lines several times, but this still doesn't make sense to me. If you were *not* to consider punishment, why would that make opponents of the death penalty ineligible? 🤔🤔

humouress Maybe that's the point she's making? 🤗 2y

Bookwomble It's not clear, is it? I wonder if by mentioning the death penalty, those potential jurors who were opposed to it might recuse themselves so as not to be involved in judicial murder? 🤷‍♂️ 2y

paulfrankspencer If a juror was strictly opposed to the death penalty and knew the prosecutor was seeking it should the defendant be found guilty, then the juror would be far more likely to find the defendant not guilty, regardless of the evidence. In that sense, they would no longer be impartial, even if they said they could be. 2y

Sapphire I think it‘s saying that they wanted the death penalty and would be seeking it, so don‘t let the punishment sway you from finding her guilty. At that place in history there would have been some who though mothers should get mercy. Women were oppressed in different ways but sending them to war and the death penalty were though inappropriate for mothers/women of perceived virtue. 2y

Graywacke A legal way to tilt a jury. Logically anyone for the death penalty should be just as ineligible. 2y

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charl08

Ethel Rosenberg: An American Tragedy | Anne Sebba

‘Proceeding against the wife,‘ Hoover wrote, ‘might serve as a lever in this matter.‘

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SweetP1967

Ethel Rosenberg: An American Tragedy | Anne Sebba

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Interesting insight into treason case that resulted in the US putting the first woman to death for treason. Highlighted many of the flaws in the judicial system, political system, and culture that led to the end result.

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TrishB

Ethel Rosenberg: An American Tragedy | Anne Sebba

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Finished this last night and couldn‘t get to sleep for thinking about Ethel. Basically let down by everyone. Part of me admired her for always sticking to her principles and what she felt was right. But leaving her sons behind, knowing she was going to die like that, so awful.
I think her brother, SIL and husband have a lot to answer to.
Using for #writtenbyajournalist #booked2022

Cinfhen, BarbaraTheBibliophage, alisiakae

Vansa I think Roy Cohn has a lot to answer for! The death penalty for her was so completely extreme. 2y

alisiakae Great pick for this prompt! 2y

Cinfhen I read this one too. It was such a sad story. I agree, she was cheated and made a scapegoat. Her poor boys. And her parents were pretty horrible too 2y

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TrishB @Vansa exactly! So horrible. 2y

TrishB @4thhouseontheleft I did enjoy the read. 2y

TrishB @Cinfhen no one came out smelling of roses in this one ☹️ just awful. 2y

Cathythoughts Sounds like a good one Trish 👍 (edited) 2y

TrishB @Cathythoughts it was fascinating and sad. 2y

BarbaraTheBibliophage Terribly sad … 2y

CarolynM What @Vansa said. 2y

Vansa @CarolynM was apparently covered in quite a lot of detail in India as well, and a lot of sympathy for her! Of course treason is punishable by death in any country in the world,but she was so...peripherally involved,it's such a tragedy. 2y

TrishB @Vansa @CarolynM that was one of the loopholes in the case though that her lawyer (vastly inexperienced!) didn‘t exploit. At the time treason in the US was only applicable if the 2 countries were at war and at the spying/passing info in was in the 1940s, when USSR and US were allies. So even the charge was wrong. Miscarriage of justice on all fronts. 2y

Bookwomble @Vansa I don't think any European countries have the death penalty for treason anymore, nor do Australia, NZ and Canada. Even Russia doesn't currently imposed the death penalty for treason. USA does, though 😕 2y

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Reecaspieces

Ethel Rosenberg: An American Tragedy | Anne Sebba

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What a great biography!

https://reecaspieces.com/2021/06/23/ethel-rosenberg-an-american-tragedy-macmilla...

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Texreader

Ethel Rosenberg: An American Tragedy | Anne Sebba

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/jun/19/rosenbergs-executed-for-spying-195...

Trashcanman Interesting article 3y

GingerAntics What a powerful article. 3y

Chrissyreadit Thanks for sharing this. 3y

Kelly_the_Bookish_Sidekick Interesting! Thank you for sharing. 3y

TheBookHippie That case has always fascinated me. 3y

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DarcysMom

Ethel Rosenberg: An American Tragedy | Anne Sebba

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⭐⭐⭐⭐
#audiobook #ARC #Netgalley #MacmillanAudio #nonfiction2021

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DarcysMom

Ethel Rosenberg: An American Tragedy | Anne Sebba

#ARC #audiobook #Netgalley #MacmillanAudio #nonfiction2021

BethM I‘m intrigued even though I don‘t read nonfiction normally. 3y

DarcysMom @BethM It is starting strong! I am excited to learn more about her. 3y

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Cinfhen

Ethel Rosenberg: An American Tragedy | Anne Sebba

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The title says it all/ An American Tragedy. Ethel Rosenberg‘s only “crime” was being a devoted wife to Julius Rosenberg, a known communist sympathizer. This book is an in depth study of Ethel‘s life, beginning with her sad childhood on the Lower East Side to the final seconds of her life. Ethel remains the ONLY women in US history put to death for a non violent crime. The biggest victims in this story are Ethel‘s 2 young sons, left orphaned 👇🏼

Cinfhen by a corrupt government and a country overtaken by political paranoia. This book was dense, filled with so many shocking details, it really broke my heart. Justice was not served and the real criminals, Ethel‘s own family, have blood on their hands. I split this book between print and audio. Both were excellent #NetGalley 3y

Megabooks Heartbreaking. 3y

Cinfhen It was a really interesting companion to the audio from yesterday @Megabooks as it touched on a lot of similar topics, especially McCarthyism and other anti Semitic/ Jewish sentiments. Also Ethel Rosenberg attended the same school as Gertrude Berg and they grew up in the same neighborhood with similar backgrounds. 3y

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BarbaraBB Interesting. I read a book about them too.

The Book of Daniel: A Novel

Cinfhen The author discusses that book @BarbaraBB and now I want my bookclub to read it 🤓 3y

BarbaraBB It‘s very good I thought! How are you? Holding up in crazy times? 3y

TrishB This sounds interesting. I came to the Rosenbergs via The Bell Jar by Plath but have never read a NF about them. 3y

TrishB Hope all is well ❤️ 3y

Cinfhen Yes, that opening line of the Bell Jar is iconic @TrishB 3y

TrishB This author has written about some interesting people! 3y

Cinfhen Yesterday I was in the shower when an air raid siren went off @TrishB @BarbaraBB and I have to say, it was a little terrifying 😞I had 30 seconds to get to the safe room. I‘m very grateful that we have the Iron Dome, because otherwise I don‘t think I‘d ever feel comfortable to leave my house. Hoping the ceasefire will go into effect tomorrow morning but I‘m not 💯 it will happen. 3y

Cinfhen I haven‘t read anything else by Anne Sebba @TrishB she‘s a good historian/ LOADS of research 3y

TrishB Oh I hope so for you all 🤞🏻♥️ that sounds terrible. 3y

TrishB The ones on Wallis Simpson and Churchill‘s mother sound good. 3y

Cinfhen I agree...I just looked at all of her titles @TrishB Mother Theresa is probably interesting too 3y

Cinfhen Thank you, Trish. It‘s been a surreal few days. 3y

BarbaraBB I am so hoping for the ceasefire too. Thinking of you and sending love and strength ❤️ 3y

EvieBee I‘ve been waiting for this book to get into my hands! So glad it was a pick for you. ARC? 3y

Cinfhen Yes @EvieBee I had both print & audio from #Netgalley / it was good to be able to switch between mediums💕 Have you read other titles by this author?? 3y

Cinfhen Thanks so much @BarbaraBB xxxx 3y

EvieBee Oh nice! I‘ve read this one and really liked her style. When I saw she was writing on a subject I find fascinating (Ethel) I just had to get my hands on it.

Les Parisiennes

Cinfhen Tagged book sounds fantastic @EvieBee I‘m tagging @TrishB who might be interested too!! And yes, Ethel is a fascinating woman. I can‘t recall who said it, but basically the thought was “she called our bluff”. It seems the government believed facing the electric chair Ethel would crack and start to name names or point fingers because they really didn‘t want to kill her, but she remained stoic. I hope you enjoy the book, publishes in June (edited) 3y

TrishB I have stacked that one too! 3y

BethM Would a fiction reader enjoy this? 3y

Cinfhen It was definitely a little dry / it wasn‘t difficult reading just VERY in depth. If you want a good fiction story about Ethel Rosenberg I thought this one was pretty good @BethM 👉

Hours Count

BethM @Cinfhen thanks! That seems more my speed. Working in the justice system can make nonfiction too much like work. 3y

Cinfhen Yeah, I can understand @BethM I will say the Cantor book was written pretty simplistically but the story itself is really fascinating and it covers all the important historical information 3y

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Cinfhen

Ethel Rosenberg: An American Tragedy | Anne Sebba

This #biography is quite dense but also quite shocking. President Hoover ordered the arrest of Ethel Rosenberg, even though they had no evidence against her, as a form of leverage to get her husband Julius to talk. Additionally it was Ethel‘s brother and SIL who gave the government the names of Julius & Ethel in the exchange for clemency. #NetGalley #ARC

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Cinfhen

Ethel Rosenberg: An American Tragedy | Anne Sebba

Even though I‘m in middle of 2 books, I felt like starting a new book #ARC #NetGalley😁A NF account of Ethel Rosenberg, the only American Woman in US history to be electrocuted for a non violent crime. It‘s really engaging so far.

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Read_By_Red

Ethel Rosenberg: An American Tragedy | Anne Sebba

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Sebba presents a well-researched book that presents a complete picture of Ethel--not just the events surrounding her arrest, trial and execution--and is sure to make readers question the things that they think they know about the infimous case. Sebba really humanizes Ethel, showing her is a sympathetic light that many are blind to. She shows the strength of Ethel, the loyality she showed her family and the overwhelming love she had for her sons.

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Monica5

Ethel Rosenberg: An American Tragedy | Anne Sebba

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Wow! I learned so much from this book. The title got it right, this is An AMERICAN TRAGEDY! If you like history, biography, even crime, you need to read this book. If you are wondering why crime, it's because this was a crime to Ethel. This book shows you the government gets what it wants regardless of the consequences.

Thanks to Netgalley for the Kindle Version of this ARC.

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