The Lost Girls of Willowbrook - Ellen Marie Wiseman, Ep59

from Desideratum · host Theresa Bakken

Ellen Marie Wiseman is drawn to the dark corners of history, where rumors and mystery shroud the truth. It's where she finds and develops characters who shine. Listen as she shares how her own history led her to write about hidden truths and social injustices.  We're talking about her new novel, The Lost Girls of Willowbrook, which is set in a real state run institution exposed back in 1972 for its atrocious abuses.  Ellen opens the novel with quotes from a real doctor who was there in 1972.  Dr. William Bronston's physician activism helped bring an end to the institution. He is joining Ellen for some of her book launch events.  You'll hear him describe how Ellen's storytelling takes him back in time, and you'll listen to a few minutes from the chapter of the audiobook that Dr. Bronston says affected him most profoundly.  Thanks to Vida at Kensington Books for connecting me to Ellen and Dr. Bronston.  Kensington generously provides Desideratum listeners the discount code DP20 to save 20 percent across their incredible library. You just enter DP20 at checkout at Kensingtonbooks.com Check out Libro.fm to find The Lost Girls of Willowbrook audiobook narrated by Morgan Hallett. Using the affiliate link to Libro.fm supports this podcast and a local book store of your choice.  You can find more about the heartbreak and hope in all of Ellen’s fictions on her website. https://ellenmariewiseman.com/  You can get a copy of Dr. William Bronston’s book Public Hostage Public Ransom on his website. https://www.publichostagepublicransom.org/

What this episode covers

Ellen Marie Wiseman is drawn to the dark corners of history, where rumors and mystery shroud the truth. It's where she finds and develops characters who shine. Listen as she shares how her own history led her to write about hidden truths and social injustices. We're talking about her new novel, The Lost Girls of Willowbrook, which is set in a real state run institution exposed back in 1972 for its atrocious abuses. Ellen opens the novel with quotes from a real doctor who was there in 1972. Dr. William Bronston's physician activism helped bring an end to the institution. He is joining Ellen for some of her book launch events. You'll hear him describe how Ellen's storytelling takes him back in time, and you'll listen to a few minutes from the chapter of the audiobook that Dr. Bronston says affected him most profoundly. Thanks to Vida at Kensington Books for connecting me to Ellen and Dr. Bronston. Kensington generously provides Desideratum listeners the discount code DP20 to save 20 percent across their incredible library. You just enter DP20 at checkout at Kensingtonbooks.com Check out Libro.fm to find The Lost Girls of Willowbrook audiobook narrated by Morgan Hallett. Using the affiliate link to Libro.fm supports this podcast and a local book store of your choice. You can find more about the heartbreak and hope in all of Ellen’s fictions on her website. https://ellenmariewiseman.com/ You can get a copy of Dr. William Bronston’s book Public Hostage Public Ransom on his website. https://www.publichostagepublicransom.org/

NOW PLAYING

The Lost Girls of Willowbrook - Ellen Marie Wiseman, Ep59

0:00 26:29

1×

No transcript for this episode yet

We transcribe on demand. Request one and we'll notify you when it's ready — usually under 10 minutes.

Share this episode

Similar Episodes

Pt 1 History of the Discovery of the Mississippi River

Jun 18, 2026 ·21m

Pt 2 History of the Discovery of the Mississippi River

Jun 18, 2026 ·25m

Pt 3 History of the Discovery of the Mississippi River

Jun 18, 2026 ·22m

Pt 1 Life of Father James Marquette

Jun 18, 2026 ·25m

Pt 2 Life of Father James Marquette

Jun 18, 2026 ·23m

Pt 3 Life of Father James Marquette

Jun 18, 2026 ·24m

Similar Podcasts

Communication Desideratum Michele Buc, MSC How to Communicate without feeling like a lost bottle drifting in the vast ocean. Discovery and Exploration of the Mississippi Valley by John Gilmary Shea (1824 - 1892) LibriVox "It has long been a desideratum to have in English the early narratives, of the discovery and exploration of the Mississippi. Marquette's map and voyage have indeed appeared, but the narrative varies in no small degree from the authentic manuscript, and the map is not at all a copy of that still preserved, as it came from the hand of the great explorer. These published from original manuscripts, and accompanied by the narratives of the missionaries in La Salle's expedition, are now first presented in an accessible shape, and complete the annals of the exploration.The life of Marquette, and the history of the exploration itself, are the result of many years study of the early Spanish and French authorities, both printed and manuscript, some of which have never before been consulted." - Summary by the Author Discovery and Exploration of the Mississippi Valley John Gilmary Shea "It has long been a desideratum to have in English the early narratives, of the discovery and exploration of the Mississippi. Marquette's map and voyage have indeed appeared, but the narrative varies in no small degree from the authentic manuscript, and the map is not at all a copy of that still preserved, as it came from the hand of the great explorer. These published from original manuscripts, and accompanied by the narratives of the missionaries in La Salle's expedition, are now first presented in an accessible shape, and complete the annals of the exploration.The life of Marquette, and the history of the exploration itself, are the result of many years study of the early Spanish and French authorities, both printed and manuscript, some of which have never before been consulted." - Summary by the Author Discovery and Exploration of the Mississippi Valley John Gilmary Shea "It has long been a desideratum to have in English the early narratives, of the discovery and exploration of the Mississippi. Marquette's map and voyage have indeed appeared, but the narrative varies in no small degree from the authentic manuscript, and the map is not at all a copy of that still preserved, as it came from the hand of the great explorer. These published from original manuscripts, and accompanied by the narratives of the missionaries in La Salle's expedition, are now first presented in an accessible shape, and complete the annals of the exploration.The life of Marquette, and the history of the exploration itself, are the result of many years study of the early Spanish and French authorities, both printed and manuscript, some of which have never before been consulted." - Summary by the Author

Frequently Asked Questions

How long is this episode of Desideratum?

This episode is 26 minutes long.

When was this Desideratum episode published?

This episode was published on September 17, 2022.

What is this episode about?

Can I download this Desideratum episode?

Yes, you can download this episode by clicking the download button on the episode player, or subscribe to the podcast in your preferred podcast app for automatic downloads.

URL copied to clipboard!