American Infidelity: The Gilded Age Battle Over Freethought, Free Love, and Feminism

American Infidelity is a timely, provocative exploration of a forgotten chapter in American history--one that still echoes in our most urgent cultural debates. In the final decades of the 19th century, America stood at a cultural crossroads.Evangelical Protestantism reigned supreme, shaping laws, morals, and public life.But beneath the surface, a bold countercurrent surged--freethinkers, feminists, and sexual radicals who dared to imagine a freer, more equal society. In American Infidelity, historian Steven K. Green tells the riveting story of this ideological showdown.At its center were two powerful forces: a rising movement of skeptics and reformers who challenged religious orthodoxy and social convention, and the reactionary crusaders--led by the infamous Anthony Comstock--who fought to silence them.These "infidels," as Comstock branded them, weren't just questioning God--they were demanding access to birth control, advocating for divorce reform, and championing women's autonomy ove