The Abortionist
196288264London: Gollancz 1962. First U.K. Edition. First Impression. Octavo 22cm. Publisher's maroon cloth titled in gilt to spine; dustjacket; 220pp. Tight clean copy; a Very Good clean copy. In the original dustwrapper price-clipped slightly rubbed on rear panel with an unfortunate closed square tear to the upper left front panel else crisp clean example Very Good or better. Simultaneously published in the U.S. by Doubleday. <br /> <br /> Pseudonymously published tell-all memoir of Dr. Nathan Rappaport a New York City physician who beginning in the Great Depression provided illegal but safe abortions to thousands of clients performing as many as 27 procedures in a single day before finally going to prison in 1950 after being ratted out by a mobster to whom he'd refused to pay blackmail. Includes case studies somewhat dramatized and a lengthy cogent pre-Roe argument for legalizing abortion. Following his parole from prison in 1966 Rappaport became an above-ground spokesman for legal abortion beginning with a lengthy Village Voice profile in 1966. Susan Brownmiller later called him "America's most loquacious abortionist" and he was the subject of an episode of Slate's "Slow Burn" podcast in 2022. For predictable reasons the book was not a huge seller for either Doubleday or Gollancz and well-preserved copies are very hard to find. Gollancz unknown
Lorne Bair Rare Books · États-Unis500,00 $US≈ 423,05 €
