The Great Catastrophe of My Life - Divorce in the Old Dominion (Paperback, New edition)

Stories of marital tragedy and legal struggle in the antebellum South; From the end of the Revolution until 1851, the Virginia legislature granted most divorces in the state. It granted divorces rarely, however, turning down two-thirds of those who petitioned for them. Men and women who sought release from unhappy marriages faced a harsh legal system buttressed by the political, religious, and communal cultures of southern life. Through the lens of this hostile environment, Thomas Buckley explores with sympathy the lives and legal struggles of those who challenged it. Based on research in almost 500 divorce files, The Great Catastrophe of My Life involves a wide cross-section of Virginians. Their stories expose southern attitudes and practices involving a spectrum of issues from marriage and family life to gender relations, interracial sex, adultery, desertion, and domestic violence. Although the oppressive legal regime these husbands and wives battled has passed away, the emotions behind their efforts to dissolve the bonds of marriage still resonate strongly.

General

Imprint:	The University of North Carolina Press
Country of origin:	United States
Series:	Studies in Legal History
Release date:	September 2002
First published:	September 2002
Authors:	Thomas E. Buckley, S.J.
Dimensions:	235 x 156 x 23mm (L x W x T)
Format:	Paperback
Pages:	360
Edition:	New edition
ISBN-13:	978-0-8078-5380-1
Categories:	Books > Social sciences > Sociology, social studies > Social institutions > Family & relationships > General Promotions
LSN:	0-8078-5380-1
Barcode:	9780807853801

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