Description
Book SynopsisIn 1939, fifty-nine-year-old Beatrice Alexander was found incapable of managing her own property and affairs, despite her claims that she was perfectly well. A history of mental capacity law in twentieth-century England and Wales, Looking After Miss Alexander examines ideas of mental illness, citizenship, care, and the role of the state.
Trade Review“Weston built her book masterfully on the ‘small story’ of Miss Alexander, recognising the gaps in knowledge due to incomplete archival material. The gaps, as well as the story, create a base for discussion of themes such as personal autonomy, vulnerabilities, care and control, as well as challenges for historians, such as about dealing with ambiguities and filling gaps using imagination or speculation.” The Social History of Medicine
