"In this captivating biography Sharon M. Harris steers away from a simplistic view and showcases Walker as a Medal of Honor recipient, examining her works as an activist, author, and Civil War surgeon, along with the many nineteenth-century issues she championed: political, social, medical, and legal reforms; abolition; temperance; gender equality; opposition to U.S. imperialism; and dress reform."-inside jacket.

"Give me liberty of thought" : the seeds of radicalism -- Dress reform and The sibyl -- "The ark of reform" : Civil War surgeon -- Surgeon, spy, prisoner of war -- Interlude -- Touring Britain : the creation of public self -- "A representative woman" -- A crusader's hit -- Women's rights unmasked -- The courtroom, the legislature, party politics -- A pragmatic utopia -- Anti-Imperialism and the world stage -- The age of alienation -- The pioneer embraced.