‘Outrageous: The Victoria Woodhull Saga, Volume One: Rise to Riches’ illuminates historical feminism

“Victoria Woodhull is one of the most fascinating but forgotten characters in American history. She deserves to be better known by anyone who cares about gender equality and the ongoing fight to make America a more tolerant and just country — kudos to Neal Katz for bringing her story to life for a new generation of readers.” –Debby Applegate

Neal Katz’s historical novel “Outrageous: The Victoria Woodhull Saga, Volume One: Rise to Riches,” spotlights gender prejudice, exposes early manipulation of “free markets,” and reveals how political power structures used prison and seizure of assets to prevent innovation and social change. Katz says Victoria Woodhull is one of humanity’s great heroes who has been largely forgotten, despite her long strides in progressing civil society.

While feminism becomes more and more of a cause célèbre among young folks and social media users worldwide, Katz worries that we might be missing vital educational opportunities.

“For example, the recently released movie, ‘Suffragette’ was a missed opportunity,” Katz says. “For one, rather than featuring the vitality of feminism’s history, it was used instead as background.”

Victoria Claflin Woodhull (1838–1927) was the first woman invited to speak to the United State Congress and the first female to run for president. She was nominated in May 1872 by the Equal Rights Party, and her running mate was African-American social reformer and abolitionist Frederick Douglass.

“Harvard scholar Laurel Ulrich wrote in 1976 that ‘well-behaved women seldom make history,'” Katz says. “Victoria would not let anything keep her from what she believed was her entitled destiny, notwithstanding social expectations and prevailing morality.”

Victoria Woodhull and her sister, Tennessee Celeste Claflin, became the first women both to own and operate a Wall Street brokerage firm and to publish the first women-owned newspaper.

“As we’re gearing up for the next election, this book is as timely as possible,” writes Amazon reviewer Meg Mathews, who gave the book five stars. ” … Neal Katz’s rendering of Victoria’s rise to riches, told in first person, is a brilliant read. And for those who love Historical Fiction, ‘Outrageous’ is a must.”

Neal Katz is a serial entrepreneur. He harbors a passion for women’s rights and his lifestyle is centered on self-awareness and love. Katz promotes a new financial paradigm to monetize charities through credit funding that will provide sustainable and renewable funding for diverse charitable endeavors such as micro-finance, low-income housing, education, vocational training, and infrastructure renewal, without a single dollar donated.