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Josie Washburn

The Underworld Sewer: A Prostitute Reflects on Life in the Trade, 1871-1909 Paperback – October 1, 1997

by Josie Washburn (Author), Sharon E. Wood (Introduction)

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For twenty years Josie Washburn lived and worked in houses of prostitution. She spent the last twelve as the madam of a moderately fancy brothel in Lincoln, Nebraska. After retiring in 1907 and moving to Omaha, she turned to "throwing a searchlight on the underworld," including the "cribs" of Nebraska’s largest city. The Underworld Sewer, based on her own experience in the profession, blazes with a kind of honesty unavailable to more conventional moral reformers.

Originally published in 1909, The Underworld Sewer asks why "the social evil" is universally considered necessary or inevitable. Washburn minces no words in exposing the conditions that perpetuate prostitution: the greed and graft of landlords, pimps, alcohol vendors, dope dealers, police officers, city administrators, and politicians; the competition for circulation by sensation-seeking newspapers; the indifference or intolerance of law-abiding, church-going citizens; the false modesty that prevents family discussion of venereal disease; the double standard that allows men to indulge their sexuality but punishes women who do so.

Print length

350 pages
Language

English
Publisher

Bison Books
Publication date

October 1, 1997
Dimensions

5.25 x 0.84 x 8 inches
ISBN-10

0803297971
ISBN-13

978-0803297975
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Editorial Reviews

From the Back Cover

For twenty years Josie Washburn lived and worked in houses of prostitution. She spent the last twelve as the madam of a moderately fancy brothel in Lincoln, Nebraska. After retiring in 1907 and moving to Omaha, she turned to "throwing a searchlight on the underworld", including the "cribs" of Nebraska's largest city. The Underworld Sewer, based on her own experience in the profession, blazes with an honesty unavailable to more conventional moral reformers. Originally published in 1909, The Underworld Sewer asks why "the social evil" was universally considered necessary or inevitable. Washburn minces no words in exposing the conditions that perpetuate prostitution: the greed and graft of landlords, pimps, alcohol vendors, dope dealers, police officers, city administrators, and politicians; the competition for circulation by sensation-seeking newspapers; the indifference or intolerance of law-abiding, churchgoing citizens; the double standard that allows men to indulge their sexuality but punishes women who do so. Through her strong words, Josie Washburn, a shrewd businesswoman, was determined to end the social evil by giving a voice to its victims - the women who sold their bodies.

About the Author

Sharon Wood is an assistant professor of history at the University of Chicago.

Product details

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Bison Books; First Edition (October 1, 1997)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Paperback ‏ : ‎ 350 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0803297971
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0803297975
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 14 ounces
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.25 x 0.84 x 8 inches

Best Sellers Rank: #676,089 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #542 in Medical Psychology of Sexuality
- #1,191 in Psychology & Counseling Books on Sexuality
- #4,288 in United States Biographies

Customer Reviews:
14 ratings

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Customer reviews

4.3 out of 5

14 global ratings

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4 star		14%
3 star		12%
2 star		6%
1 star		4%

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S M Senden

Her World

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on November 16, 2016

Verified Purchase

An interesting look back at what she experienced. Preaching about what she saw as the cause of the underworld. she wasn't far off. Worth a read for historians and people interested in the life of a prostitute about 1900.

One person found this helpful

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Sarah S.

Not What I Was Expecting

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on January 30, 2022

Verified Purchase

After learning about Josie Washburn, I thought this story would be very interesting. I wanted to learn what it was like for women who had to choose that profession during the turn of the century. I expected to learn about Josie's day-to-day life and some Omaha history. Unfortunately, it's more about her talking morality at the time and very little about what her life was like.

Helpful

Amazon Customer

Excellent primary source for 19th-century research

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on June 28, 2018

Verified Purchase

Excellent primary source for 19th-century research. I like to read it while sitting in the bar that bears her name.

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on October 11, 2014

Verified Purchase

Great for those who want a little more dirt about the realities of the civilization of the Wild West.

Helpful

mensagrrrl

Very disappointed.....

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on July 9, 2001

Verified Purchase

I bought this book hoping to learn more about the conditions of women during the period the book addresses. I also expected an informed commentary througout. This book actually looks like someone just decided to re-publish what amounts to an "I am truly sorry and I humbly repent" style rant on the evils of prostitution. After a cursory and inconclusive forward, the editor (Sharon Wood) never gives any helpful perspective again. Again, this book was meant for the public, and was meant to "edify". It contains very little true biography.

15 people found this helpful

Helpful

Priscilla Alexander

Not What it Seems

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on July 11, 2001

Unlike Sharon Wood, I suspect this book was written by an abolitionist, not a former prostitute. However, it is an interesting account of the attitudes about prostitution at the time, and the conflicts between reglementation and abolition.

13 people found this helpful

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