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In Kansas City, 1929, Myrtle and Jack Bennett's evening of bridge takes a dark turn when Jack slaps Myrtle for criticizing his game, leading her to shoot him with a Colt .32. The Roaring Twenties saw various fads, but none as unexpected as the rise of contract bridge. Ely Culbertson, a charismatic figure, transformed bridge from a mere pastime into a cultural phenomenon, using Myrtle's murder trial to highlight the battle of the sexes. The trial captivated the nation, showcasing Myrtle as a beautiful housewife amid whispers of infidelity. Her lawyer, James A. Reed, delivered passionate courtroom speeches about womanhood while secretly involved with a feminist neighbor. Bridge became a symbol of rejecting Puritan ideals, embraced by fearless women like Amelia Earhart and Dorothy Parker. Culbertson marketed bridge as a platform for women to assert their equality with men. As the Great Depression loomed, he and his wife, Jo, turned their lives into a media spectacle known as the Bridge Battle of the Century. Through these vivid characters and the game they played, the narrative captures a vibrant era and the timeless tensions within marriage.
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The Devil's Tickets, Gary M. Pomerantz
- Language
- Released
- 2009
- product-detail.submit-box.info.binding
- (Hardcover),
- Book condition
- Good
- Price
- €8.49
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- Title
- The Devil's Tickets
- Subtitle
- A Night of Bridge, a Fatal Hand, and a New American Age
- Language
- English
- Authors
- Gary M. Pomerantz
- Publisher
- Crown
- Released
- 2009
- Format
- Hardcover
- Pages
- 320
- ISBN10
- 1400051622
- ISBN13
- 9781400051625
- Series
- Tags
- Non-Fiction, True Stories, USA, Murders, 20th century, True Crime, American History, Crime Rate, Case Studies, Social Aspects, Bridge
- Description
- In Kansas City, 1929, Myrtle and Jack Bennett's evening of bridge takes a dark turn when Jack slaps Myrtle for criticizing his game, leading her to shoot him with a Colt .32. The Roaring Twenties saw various fads, but none as unexpected as the rise of contract bridge. Ely Culbertson, a charismatic figure, transformed bridge from a mere pastime into a cultural phenomenon, using Myrtle's murder trial to highlight the battle of the sexes. The trial captivated the nation, showcasing Myrtle as a beautiful housewife amid whispers of infidelity. Her lawyer, James A. Reed, delivered passionate courtroom speeches about womanhood while secretly involved with a feminist neighbor. Bridge became a symbol of rejecting Puritan ideals, embraced by fearless women like Amelia Earhart and Dorothy Parker. Culbertson marketed bridge as a platform for women to assert their equality with men. As the Great Depression loomed, he and his wife, Jo, turned their lives into a media spectacle known as the Bridge Battle of the Century. Through these vivid characters and the game they played, the narrative captures a vibrant era and the timeless tensions within marriage.