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Seven Wives And Seven Prisons: Or Experiences in the Life of a Matrimonial Maniac. a True Story
Multiple bigamy in 19th. Century America
80 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1870
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Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews
May 6, 2014
"Some one has said that if any man would faithfully write his autobiography, giving truly his own history and experiences, the ills and joys, the haps and mishaps that had fallen to his lot, he could not fail to make an interesting story." Well Mr. Abbott, I'm not sure that's true for everyone, but it's certainly true for you!
I knew nothing about Seven Wives and Seven Prisons, but with chapter subtitles like "My first and worst wife" and "My own son tries to murder me," it's been a long time since I got this excited about reading a book, and I wasn't disappointed.
In the early-to-mid 1800s, Abbott bounced around the United States northeast from one state to the next, getting married and - more often than not - getting thrown in prison because of that marriage.
"She said she was lonely; she sighed; she smiled, and I was lost."
Says Abbott, "I was a monomaniac on the subject of matrimony" and after reading a mere couple chapters you will believe him through and through.
The man seemed incapable of even looking at a woman without ending up married to her. Not bothering to get a divorce from his first wife caused many of his problems, as - even though he was still married to her - he continued to elope with other women. Dude needed to get his priorities in order. But time and time again, he fell into the same old trap, never seeming to truly learn from his mistakes: "As my readers know by this time, all experience, even the bitterest, was utterly thrown away upon me; I seemed to get out of one scrape only to walk, with my eyes open, straight into another."
Aiding and abetting him was his love of liquor, an underlying sort of disdain for authority and a fancy-free attitude, an almost vagabond's outlook on life. He may not be to blame for these tendencies, as it appears his father had a wayward nature that forced itself on young Abbott's upbringing. As a young man, he started off as an apprentice blacksmith to his father, moving with him here and there upon his father's whim.
And then - BAM! - Abbott just kinda became a doctor. As an author, he doesn't dally on the little details. He speeds up the timeline of his life so much that occasionally important questions like, oh I don't, "how did you become a doctor?" for the most part go unanswered.
After a while I was asking myself, like poor little drugged up David after the dentist on Youtube...
Is this real life?
This guy's life is almost too ridiculous to believe. He reminds me of Candide. All manner of mishap befalls him. At any second I was expecting him to get one of his buttocks chopped off. Granted, stories can sound like legend when only the most interesting highlights over the length of one's life are compiled into one tightly packed narrative. But in the very least, I would guess that Abbott is giving us a biased account of his side of the story, maybe with a dash of fisherman's-tale embellishment.
I've tried to verify the story, but there is scant info on the man. In the end, does it really matter? This is just a hell of a fun story. Read it and enjoy it.
If you're interested, you can find Seven Wives and Seven Prisons for free at Project Gutenberg: http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/4667
I knew nothing about Seven Wives and Seven Prisons, but with chapter subtitles like "My first and worst wife" and "My own son tries to murder me," it's been a long time since I got this excited about reading a book, and I wasn't disappointed.
In the early-to-mid 1800s, Abbott bounced around the United States northeast from one state to the next, getting married and - more often than not - getting thrown in prison because of that marriage.
"She said she was lonely; she sighed; she smiled, and I was lost."
Says Abbott, "I was a monomaniac on the subject of matrimony" and after reading a mere couple chapters you will believe him through and through.
The man seemed incapable of even looking at a woman without ending up married to her. Not bothering to get a divorce from his first wife caused many of his problems, as - even though he was still married to her - he continued to elope with other women. Dude needed to get his priorities in order. But time and time again, he fell into the same old trap, never seeming to truly learn from his mistakes: "As my readers know by this time, all experience, even the bitterest, was utterly thrown away upon me; I seemed to get out of one scrape only to walk, with my eyes open, straight into another."
Aiding and abetting him was his love of liquor, an underlying sort of disdain for authority and a fancy-free attitude, an almost vagabond's outlook on life. He may not be to blame for these tendencies, as it appears his father had a wayward nature that forced itself on young Abbott's upbringing. As a young man, he started off as an apprentice blacksmith to his father, moving with him here and there upon his father's whim.
And then - BAM! - Abbott just kinda became a doctor. As an author, he doesn't dally on the little details. He speeds up the timeline of his life so much that occasionally important questions like, oh I don't, "how did you become a doctor?" for the most part go unanswered.
After a while I was asking myself, like poor little drugged up David after the dentist on Youtube...
Is this real life?
This guy's life is almost too ridiculous to believe. He reminds me of Candide. All manner of mishap befalls him. At any second I was expecting him to get one of his buttocks chopped off. Granted, stories can sound like legend when only the most interesting highlights over the length of one's life are compiled into one tightly packed narrative. But in the very least, I would guess that Abbott is giving us a biased account of his side of the story, maybe with a dash of fisherman's-tale embellishment.
I've tried to verify the story, but there is scant info on the man. In the end, does it really matter? This is just a hell of a fun story. Read it and enjoy it.
If you're interested, you can find Seven Wives and Seven Prisons for free at Project Gutenberg: http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/4667
August 22, 2020
I read this book (86 pages) a few years ago...I was surfing Gutenberg when I landed upon this hilarious title and absolutely had to read it... Rogue and Scoundrel immediately come to mind just by glancing at the title and chapter headings. Jane Austen also comes to mind - would she had seen into the heart and soul of the villainous Wickham, perhaps she would have penned a humorous novel from his point of view. Try as I may, I could find no record of this author and, despite his interesting moral character, I cannot say whether he was a reliable narrator or not. We were treated only to his unique point of view. This is not haute literature but then neither is much of what I find myself reading today. If you are looking for a quick and humorous read, I recommend.
Kudos to Librivox Narrator Kehinde whoever you may be. Thank you Project Gutenberg and Librivox and thank you Kindle for making this book available for free.
Kudos to Librivox Narrator Kehinde whoever you may be. Thank you Project Gutenberg and Librivox and thank you Kindle for making this book available for free.
July 27, 2018
that was crazy
March 15, 2016
I read this book because I discovered from a family member who does genealogy for our family that the Sara in the book who runs away to marry Mr. Abbott and had a child with him, was my great, great grandmother on my Mother's side of the family. I wanted to hate this Mr, Abbott, as he has been presented to me by this family member as a scoundrel, but I must admit I found his book quite amusing. he sounded like quite a con man. Sarah went on to be a mother to ten children, I think three of them were the children of the older widower her father had her marry. We have some family pictures if her, and she was quite small and petite.
April 25, 2013
Unlike the vast majority of the 19th Century novels that inevitably describe a love at first sight that grows to a long and happy life of matrimonial bliss, this story tells the other side. The illogical first scenario is as unreasonable as this second and I can only assume that the truth lies somewhere in the middle. Seven Wives and Seven Prisons; Experiences in the Life of a Matrimonial Maniac is proposed to be a true story. Age has taught me that my fellow man (or woman) can do extremely stupid things and this could possibly be one of those cases. The book is written in the form of a recollection and recalls the first marriage of this young man. His new bride took to selling her sexual services and her first explanations satisfied her new husband. To prove that he wasn’t a complete imbecile he finally wakes up and smells the roses. Being a kind hearted (if not all too bright) man he amicably parted with his first wife and their children and took off to build his life elsewhere. Neither one appeared to see any necessity in obtaining a divorce (as that may look like they were in strife) and the man eventually found another maiden that caught his eye and stole his heart. As a sexual relation was only right after marriage, they took the plunge and were again in nuptial ecstasy. As the title reveals, it didn’t last and this poor imbecilic man is charged with bigamy. That he repeats this no less than six more times makes the story as a whole comically entertaining (and stretches boundaries of credence). I think almost everyone will enjoy it and nobody will believe it.
March 18, 2017
Great read from the past
Really enjoyed this story. Even written long ago, it was somewhat still relevant to current days and times. He finally learned his lesson in the end, and got hus reward.
Really enjoyed this story. Even written long ago, it was somewhat still relevant to current days and times. He finally learned his lesson in the end, and got hus reward.
January 2, 2011
I found this story most interesting. It grabbed my attention at the beginning and kept me up late at night. Reading about love and marriage from the point of a man running from the law back in the 1800's was a very unique story line for me. I recommend this book to everyone, there is no sex so nothing to offend anyone other than a fool for love.
June 18, 2019
This man could be my relative. I have a full genealogy and will need to check. The story is told in the form and fashion of life in the era of the 1850-1870s. Multiple marriages, frequent travel, business done by word of mouth, and relationships forged by the appearance and trust of a story. Although crazy to 20th century readers, this way of life was common.
May 8, 2012
Pretty good and easy going read. I had some good laughs.
July 14, 2016
This one was just FUN!!!!
I read it in one sitting! It's one of those stories about a sympathetic rogue, rascal, and general all around Character. Highly recommended!
I read it in one sitting! It's one of those stories about a sympathetic rogue, rascal, and general all around Character. Highly recommended!
August 14, 2018
As the author explains later on, most of his matrimonial follies occurred because of alcohol. I'll leave it to the listener to determine whether or not he finally learned his lesson!
I was expecting more varied and entertaining reasons for ending up in prison, but it was always the same reason: bigamy. But the circumstances of each arrest and imprisonment were varied and entertaining in themselves.
I was expecting more varied and entertaining reasons for ending up in prison, but it was always the same reason: bigamy. But the circumstances of each arrest and imprisonment were varied and entertaining in themselves.
July 30, 2025
This is a quirky story which I listened to using audio book from LibriVox. There are so many plot changes and unexpected twists and turns that it keeps interest right to the end. The guy was tied up by his weaknesses in so many relationships that it led to all the bigamy which led to being jailed or escaping so many times. I found this on Gutenberg.
February 24, 2022
My god, I just couldn't care less.
August 20, 2008
This would be 3 stars had it been longer.
I'm not sure whether this is actually autobiographical or merely allegorical, but either way an interesting story. The poor author describes how after being cheated on after marrying his first young love, he failed to obtain a legal divorce but rather a mere 'amicable separation', and how this and a subsequent 'matrimonial monomania' led him to be brought up on bigamy charges throughout the several states of New England. It really serves as an interesting slice of life for mid 19th century America, subtly revealing aspects of law, justice and corrections, social and moral values and sex relations of the period.
I'm not sure whether this is actually autobiographical or merely allegorical, but either way an interesting story. The poor author describes how after being cheated on after marrying his first young love, he failed to obtain a legal divorce but rather a mere 'amicable separation', and how this and a subsequent 'matrimonial monomania' led him to be brought up on bigamy charges throughout the several states of New England. It really serves as an interesting slice of life for mid 19th century America, subtly revealing aspects of law, justice and corrections, social and moral values and sex relations of the period.
June 18, 2013
Abbott's imaginative account of this man's almost reckless pursuit of love and/or marriage is both humorous and tragic. It demonstrates a bitter perspective on the pursuits of men and women. Readers will resonate with some of the situations and will rail against others. It is hard not to feel the ludicrous sense of compassion for the characters while at the same time marveling at their lunacy.
March 10, 2014
The author casts blame for his misfortunes on everyone but himself, he is always the victim. Some of the tales are so outrageous that believing them is difficult. One wonders how he could make money so quickly when he was unable to stay in one place any extended length of time.
One plus the book has going for it is that it is from another era and a read can be justified if only for that reason.
One plus the book has going for it is that it is from another era and a read can be justified if only for that reason.
September 1, 2013
Things to be learned from this book:
- Do get a proper divorce if you are separated from your spouse.
- After going to prison once, stop whatever it was you did to get there, even if it was just illegally marrying.
- Do get a proper divorce if you are separated from your spouse.
- After going to prison once, stop whatever it was you did to get there, even if it was just illegally marrying.
May 16, 2009
Just started listening to the audiobook of this novel. I'm on Chapter 6 - pretty dang quirky, but pretty good nonetheless.
December 13, 2011
Amusing chronicles of one man and his seven wives.
April 5, 2012
A really interesting book, and I think it would make an incredible film.
April 24, 2013
Well written but the main character has a skewed morality and an attitude of entitlement. Just proves that entitlement is not a 20th century problem.
June 20, 2013
This was very interesting and quite amusing in places. I have serious doubts as to the veracity of the tales, but I'm not interested enough to do any research into the matter. Fun and light.
August 12, 2013
Comical.
Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews