Read where you are, take an adventure somewhere new in this Milwaukee-focused book discussion series.
About this Event
In honor of Women’s History Month, we’re the true-life story of Helen Worley Cromwell, a woman who never said "No" and carved out an independent life that transgressed every societal boundary.
This is the long-lost autobiography of a woman who lived life with no regrets from the 1880s to the 1960s and offers a rare look into the colorful criminal underworld from New York to San Francisco and every whorehouse, tavern, and mining camp in between.
Dirty Helen, with the self-assurance of a defrocked debutante, takes you through her life and adventures. Demure, sweet, and wild teenage Helen flees from small-town Indiana to Cincinnati with her first of six husbands. She soon realizes that the traditional role of wife and mother isn't for her.
She meets cunning millionaires, bank robbers, detectives, and gangsters as she hustles her way through life. Her friends were everyone else's enemies - Al Capone, Big Jim Colosimo, and Johnny Torrio all spend time with Helen as she bounces from adventure to adventure. Her life is a rarely seen look into the reality of a working-class woman who chose sex-work as a path to the good life.
In her “retirement,” Helen ran a popular speakeasy, The Sun Flower Inn, at 1806 W St. Paul during prohibition until she lost the property to a loan shark. Helen was beloved by many and others would come from near and far would just to hear what would come out of her mouth.
In honor of Dirty Helen, Great Lakes Distillery recently released the Dirty Helen Barrel Strength Straight Bourbon Whiskey. Grab a glass and join us to discuss this colorful autobiography!
How to Access the Book:
Borrow a physical copy from the Milwaukee Public Library or download it for free using the Hoopla app (just sign in with your library card)
