Scandal, Seduction, and Suicide

 

The First American Novel Was a Scandal

America’s very first novel wasn’t a story of patriotism, politics, or pioneers. It was a full-blown scandal wrapped in a leather binding.

The book? The Power of Sympathy, published anonymously in 1789. The author? William Hill Brown. His message? A warning for young women about the dangers of emotional excess and moral missteps. His inspiration? A real-life tragedy Boston couldn’t stop whispering about.

Elizabeth Whitman, a well-educated, unmarried woman from a prominent family, died alone in a tavern after giving birth to a child. Her story rippled through the city’s polite society, stirring up a storm of shame, sadness, and speculation. Brown didn’t need to invent drama—he just borrowed from headlines.

His novel tells the tale of Harrington and Harriot, two passionate young people who fall in love, only to discover they’re half-siblings. Harriot dies of heartbreak, and Harrington spirals into despair. The story reads like a sermon, but the characters felt familiar. Too familiar.

Readers quickly realized this wasn’t pure fiction. The book’s characters closely mirrored people in their own neighborhoods. Boston buzzed with questions. Who was the real Harriot? Did you hear what she did? Is this really about…?

Readers didn’t toss the book aside in protest. They passed it around. They read it in secret. Some read it out loud—quietly, of course, and only to trusted company. Morality tale or not, the pages turned fast.

Brown had stirred up America’s first literary gossip storm.

No social media. No book tour. Just a story so rooted in reality, readers couldn’t look away. He had written something raw and risky. Something exposing, warning, and entertaining—sometimes in the same paragraph.

Sadly, Brown didn’t live to enjoy the impact. He died at twenty-seven, just a year after publication. He left behind a single novel and a legacy many still overlook. But for those who love books, especially books with a past, his work remains unforgettable.

Why does this matter now?

Because fiction didn’t begin in America with polished speeches or noble heroes. It began with a gasp. A sideways glance. A story drawn from the messy truth of human choices. In a young nation still defining itself, The Power of Sympathy offered readers something real. Painful, maybe—but real.

These forgotten tales and literary side notes are part of what make history feel alive. We are always on the hunt for more. If this one made you smile—or raise an eyebrow—stick around. There’s more where this came from.

These are the fun facts making reading history feel more like a treasure hunt and less like a textbook. If you enjoy stories hidden between the lines of dusty old books, stick around. There’s more where this came from. Readers and Writers Book Club, where we dig into the fascinating lives of authors, swap trivia about literary legends, and explore hidden stories behind the books we love. If this bit of trivia intrigues you, wait until you hear what else is hiding in the pages of history. Come on in— I promise, there’s always room for another curious mind!

Readers and Writers Book Club

Where every reader is a friend, and every author is approachable: https://bit.ly/41vgvKh

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