It was three and a half years ago that Death by Petticoat was published by Colonial Williamsburg in partnership with Andrews-McMeel Publishers. Since then, to our surprise, it’s sold thousands of copies at bookstores all over the country. However, as a former manager of historic stores for Colonial Williamsburg, my favorite place to see it is on the shelves of museum shops, national park stores, and historic house gift shops. This is where it fits best, in my opinion–where it can make money for museum nonprofits. If you have a connection to any of those institutions, I would appreciate it if you would suggest that your shop consider carrying Death by Petticoat. It’s great retail ($12.95) makes it an impulse item, and it’s lovely color photographs on every page add to its appeal. Wholesalers can click above where it says To Order the Book for wholesale information.
Of course, Death by Petticoat is available at bookstores and online at amazon.com for those who want a copy. Click here. The myths featured in the book are shorter versions of the ones you read here on the blog, so they lack cites and quotations and much of the detail that appeal more to historians and museum professionals than to the general public.
In the past three years, I’ve done 36 presentations at various museums, conferences, bookstores, libraries, teacher conferences, and history groups in Pennsylvania, North Carolina, Delaware, Maryland, Connecticut, Florida, and, of course, Virginia. The next one will be Thursday, November 5 in western Pennsylvania, sponsored by the Ligonier Valley Historical Society. Tea at 5:00; illustrated lecture at 7:00. I hope anyone in the vicinity will check out the details at their website: www.compassinn.com.
That’s my once-a-year advertisement. Now back to our regularly scheduled program . . .
History Myths Debunked 
Not to worry, Mary! You deserve a little self-promo. 🙂 I have your book, and still enjoy reading the rss postings – entertaining as well as informative. A real treat for all of us who love history and work in the profession in some capacity.
CWF definitely has this book, and we use it a lot!! thanks 4 all you do!!
[…] Williamsburg Journal, written by historian Mary Miley Theobald, author of the splendid Death By Petticoat: American History Myths Debunked, also published by CW. Her assessment could not be more […]
I thoroughly enjoyed your Zoom presentation for Chester County History Center (PA) on April 21, 2021. I was particularly pleased to hear your reasoned myth de-bunking of quilts as so-called visual codes on the Underground Railroad. We have often had to refute such comments because the myth simply hangs on. No quilts in the CCHC collection nor any that we documented from the community have ever had the “code” as a provenance. Thanks for helping to keep everyone accurate and realistic.
Thank you Ellen. Check out the quilt myth on this blog for more details.