Shaking the Faith

Set against the backdrop of the 19th-century anti-Shaker movement, Mary Marshall Dyer's journey unfolds as she transitions from a devoted Shaker to a fervent opponent after losing her children to the sect. Her anguish fuels a fifty-year campaign marked by numerous writings and public debates that captivated New England. The narrative explores significant themes of family, religion, and gender dynamics in pre-Civil War America, highlighting the ironic parallels between Dyer and the Shakers as both navigate their marginalization in society.