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Not Your Founding Father: How a Nonbinary Minister Became America's Most Radical Revolutionary
A thrilling celebration of a forgotten early American renegade, Not Your Founding Father reconsiders just how radical the American experiment could have been.
Early in the morning of October 9, 1776—in the small farming community of Cumberland, Rhode Island, in a house surrounded by cherry trees—twenty-three-year-old Jemima Wilkinson died, and the Public Universal Friend was born.
Old Cherry Wilkinson’s children had already gained a reputation for scandal. Two of his boys had been dismissed from the local Quaker meeting for joining the colonial militia, and one of the girls was expelled for having a baby out of wedlock. Now, here was another Wilkinson child, riding about the countryside, claiming to be a genderless messenger of God.
Yet something about the Public Universal Friend set war-ravaged New England ablaze. The young minister seemed to embody the possibilities offered by the new nation, especially the right to total self-determination. To authorities, however, the minister was “the devil in petticoats,” a threat to the men who sought to keep America’s power for themselves.
And so the Public Universal Friend ventured west to create an Eden on the frontier, a place where everyone would have the right to not only life, liberty, and the pursuit happiness, but also peace and shared prosperity. But into every Eden comes a snake. And soon, financial scams, contested wills, adultery, plagiarism, allegations of murder, and murmurs of another war with England would threaten to destroy this new American utopia.
Early in the morning of October 9, 1776—in the small farming community of Cumberland, Rhode Island, in a house surrounded by cherry trees—twenty-three-year-old Jemima Wilkinson died, and the Public Universal Friend was born.
Old Cherry Wilkinson’s children had already gained a reputation for scandal. Two of his boys had been dismissed from the local Quaker meeting for joining the colonial militia, and one of the girls was expelled for having a baby out of wedlock. Now, here was another Wilkinson child, riding about the countryside, claiming to be a genderless messenger of God.
Yet something about the Public Universal Friend set war-ravaged New England ablaze. The young minister seemed to embody the possibilities offered by the new nation, especially the right to total self-determination. To authorities, however, the minister was “the devil in petticoats,” a threat to the men who sought to keep America’s power for themselves.
And so the Public Universal Friend ventured west to create an Eden on the frontier, a place where everyone would have the right to not only life, liberty, and the pursuit happiness, but also peace and shared prosperity. But into every Eden comes a snake. And soon, financial scams, contested wills, adultery, plagiarism, allegations of murder, and murmurs of another war with England would threaten to destroy this new American utopia.
400 pages, Hardcover
Published January 20, 2026
About the author
Nina Sankovitch
5 books442 followersNina Sankovitch is a bestselling writer, avid historian, and voracious reader. She can be reached via Facebook, Goodreads, Instagram, and on her website, www.ninasankovitch.com.
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Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
October 11, 2025
Long, meandering and not very engaging. There was too much time spent trying to make land deals and lawsuits interesting. The Universal Friend never seems to be overly persecuted for her beliefs like other early American sects like the Mormons, instead she seems to have been accepted or at least tolerated by most, leading to a relatively uninteresting story. While having a female who was able to make her way in Colonial america and gain followers is an interesting story this book is bogged down in too many asides to keep the reader interested.
I was given an ARC from NetGalley for my honest review.
I was given an ARC from NetGalley for my honest review.
September 8, 2025
Growing up in the Midwest with zero familial ties to the northeast US, the story of Public Universal Friend was brand new to me, and I'm so glad I came across this book! Even though I am not particularly religious, the story of this gender-nonconforming, self-proclaimed prophet was such an intriguing look into the early history of our country as it was still trying to figure out what exactly our nation would stand for. At a time when the recently signed Declaration of Independence, declaring the unalienable rights of "Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness" for all, was being turned on its head after it served the purpose of moving a population to fight for their freedom (with slavery continuing, a return to regressive roles for women, and the focus being on that all "men" were equal and therefore the only ones guaranteed these codified rights), there were those who held on to these beliefs of equality and liberty for all, and worked to build their vision of a better society in the newly independent country.
Public Universal Friend was one of those people, preaching for redemption of souls while also encouraging followers to free their enslaved people, allowing women to preach and hold leadership positions, and fostering commune-style living where land was held for the common good of all in the group, and their home was always open to those who needed a safe place to lay their head and find community. However, the author also did the work of showcasing that even such societies, striving for equality, were still only able to be built upon the absolute suffering and destruction of the Native American populations that were slaughtered and pushed out of their ancestral lands. While Public Universal Friend may have been more empathetic towards the indigenous people than others in this time, they were not perfect in their stances on equality and still made the tragedies of these peoples something that they could build success upon. I appreciate Nina Sankovitch not shying away from this difficult aspect of USA's history.
Sankovitch did stellar research, tracking down and notating primary sources throughout to catalogue the experiences of the Friend's society, and was careful to always clue the reader into when thoughts were their own speculations based on these sources, rather than trying to claim things that are impossible to know for certain as truths. This book is filled with details and evidence, but was able to still keep a narrative structure that kept the pages turning quickly, rather than feeling overly dense like a textbook.
Ultimately, as our country feels more and more divided by different interpretations of what America "should" be, the community built by the Friend is a shining light of what America could be: freedom and equal rights for all, shirking archaic gender-normative roles and expectations, and coming together for the good of the group to support our neighbors and build community together. I highly recommend this read to those interested in LGBTQ+ figures in history, 18th century and revolutionary history, or even those just interested in historical fiction who want to venture into more non-fiction titles.
Thank you to Simon & Schuster, Nina Sankovitch, and NetGalley for a review copy of this book.
Public Universal Friend was one of those people, preaching for redemption of souls while also encouraging followers to free their enslaved people, allowing women to preach and hold leadership positions, and fostering commune-style living where land was held for the common good of all in the group, and their home was always open to those who needed a safe place to lay their head and find community. However, the author also did the work of showcasing that even such societies, striving for equality, were still only able to be built upon the absolute suffering and destruction of the Native American populations that were slaughtered and pushed out of their ancestral lands. While Public Universal Friend may have been more empathetic towards the indigenous people than others in this time, they were not perfect in their stances on equality and still made the tragedies of these peoples something that they could build success upon. I appreciate Nina Sankovitch not shying away from this difficult aspect of USA's history.
Sankovitch did stellar research, tracking down and notating primary sources throughout to catalogue the experiences of the Friend's society, and was careful to always clue the reader into when thoughts were their own speculations based on these sources, rather than trying to claim things that are impossible to know for certain as truths. This book is filled with details and evidence, but was able to still keep a narrative structure that kept the pages turning quickly, rather than feeling overly dense like a textbook.
Ultimately, as our country feels more and more divided by different interpretations of what America "should" be, the community built by the Friend is a shining light of what America could be: freedom and equal rights for all, shirking archaic gender-normative roles and expectations, and coming together for the good of the group to support our neighbors and build community together. I highly recommend this read to those interested in LGBTQ+ figures in history, 18th century and revolutionary history, or even those just interested in historical fiction who want to venture into more non-fiction titles.
Thank you to Simon & Schuster, Nina Sankovitch, and NetGalley for a review copy of this book.
February 24, 2026
I really enjoyed this book. I don’t know if the author will see this, but if so- thank you for sharing this important story. I could tell you cared deeply for the people of this book. Please ignore the haters- Goodreads is a cesspool.
August 18, 2026
This book is not what the title, blurb, and introduction make it out to be and the conclusion felt so far removed from the book I read. I also have come away disliking the Friend more than I did based on the rumors that were popularized about the Friend during the Friend’s lifetime and immediately after the Friend’s death. So aside from drawing notice to a historical gender nonconforming figure (who, based on the quotes of Friend’s in the book, would probably *not* have liked being called nonbinary or radical or a revolutionary), I’m not sure what this book really did
January 15, 2026
Instead of being a historical account this book might as well be categorized as historical fiction. After reading it I can certainly understand the impulse to write about someone who seems to have been such a colorful character. But every other sentence including “might,” “maybe,” and “possibly” makes it difficult to take anything said within this book with much salt. I understand the limitations due to the time period and the lack of primary and secondary sources. But ultimately it felt more like guesswork than and the product of harding hitting historical research.
March 23, 2026
Not Your Founding Father: How A Nonbinary Minister Became America's Most Radical Revolutionary. Nina Sankovitch. Simon & Schuster, 2026. 400 pages. Thanks to Simon & Schuster for the free review copy.
In Cumberland, Rhode Island in October 1776, 23-year old Jemima Wilkinson was ill, drifting in and out of consciousness. Her family held little hope. Miraculously, she made a full recovery, but she was different. According to Jemima, she had died, but God returned her to earth with a new charge and a new message for humanity. Oh, and Jemima no longer existed. The new messenger of God was genderless and went by the name of Public Universal Friend. Jemima's family had been Quakers, albeit not in good standing in their local meeting house. Two of her brothers had been expelled for violating the Quaker tenet of nonviolence by joining the colonial militia, and a sister had been expelled for having a baby out of wedlock. Friend's family and several friends and neighbors became followers of Friend's new message, and the Society of Universal Friends was born. The Society was one of several religious movements that developed in the late 18th century, including Mother Ann Lee's Shakers, but Friend's philosophy and practices were unique and stood apart. Friend's message seemed to be in keeping with the lofty aspirational goals of the new nation: liberty, self-sufficiency, personal responsibility, and equality of genders and races. Like other new sects such as the Shakers, members of the Society formed their own communities in New England and eventually New York. However, unlike the Shakers, they didn't seek to separate themselves from the rest of the world, and they rejected celibacy, strict rules on behavior, and traditional division of labor by gender. Families and children were encouraged. Women took on leadership roles in Society communities and worship. At its height, the Society had some 6,000 members. It survived Friend's death in 1819 and many tribulations including repeated attacks by critics who often spread false rumors about Friend and society practices, including accusations of corruption, abuse, and even murder, and, more than once, unscrupulous men took advantage of Friend's naivete and reluctance to get involved in business and property transactions to steal Society land and cheat believers before the Society ceased to exist in the 1860s. Although little is known for certain about Friend, who left little personal writing and few copies of sermons, this book is a very interesting biography and a history of the place and time that saw a bloom of religious fervor, expressed in various forms.
In Cumberland, Rhode Island in October 1776, 23-year old Jemima Wilkinson was ill, drifting in and out of consciousness. Her family held little hope. Miraculously, she made a full recovery, but she was different. According to Jemima, she had died, but God returned her to earth with a new charge and a new message for humanity. Oh, and Jemima no longer existed. The new messenger of God was genderless and went by the name of Public Universal Friend. Jemima's family had been Quakers, albeit not in good standing in their local meeting house. Two of her brothers had been expelled for violating the Quaker tenet of nonviolence by joining the colonial militia, and a sister had been expelled for having a baby out of wedlock. Friend's family and several friends and neighbors became followers of Friend's new message, and the Society of Universal Friends was born. The Society was one of several religious movements that developed in the late 18th century, including Mother Ann Lee's Shakers, but Friend's philosophy and practices were unique and stood apart. Friend's message seemed to be in keeping with the lofty aspirational goals of the new nation: liberty, self-sufficiency, personal responsibility, and equality of genders and races. Like other new sects such as the Shakers, members of the Society formed their own communities in New England and eventually New York. However, unlike the Shakers, they didn't seek to separate themselves from the rest of the world, and they rejected celibacy, strict rules on behavior, and traditional division of labor by gender. Families and children were encouraged. Women took on leadership roles in Society communities and worship. At its height, the Society had some 6,000 members. It survived Friend's death in 1819 and many tribulations including repeated attacks by critics who often spread false rumors about Friend and society practices, including accusations of corruption, abuse, and even murder, and, more than once, unscrupulous men took advantage of Friend's naivete and reluctance to get involved in business and property transactions to steal Society land and cheat believers before the Society ceased to exist in the 1860s. Although little is known for certain about Friend, who left little personal writing and few copies of sermons, this book is a very interesting biography and a history of the place and time that saw a bloom of religious fervor, expressed in various forms.
August 17, 2026
A complicated history, well explained but at times with unnecessary detail on topics that didn’t seem relevant or necessary. I’d find myself skipping pages of background before getting to information relevant to Friend or the Society. The history is what it is, and I’m glad this more neutral take exists on Friend, but I’m left with conflicted emotions.
August 8, 2025
Super engrossing, super timely biography of the Public Universal Friend. I am neither religious nor an 18th century historian, but I loved how this book was constructed and will definitely be recommending it throughout the United States 250th birthday year and beyond.
The Public Universal Friend is not a very famous historical figure, but is relatively well known in the northeast -- I learned SO MUCH that was brand new to me. The Friend was a self-identified prophet of God who left the Quaker church and built a new following of devotees. It was fascinating to learn how the Friend interacted with the politics and religious teachings of the late 18th century.
The author is careful to avoid speculation on details like the Friend's relationships, and was also clear about what the historic record confirmed versus what the sources suggest. As a professor of Native American and Indigenous Studies, I also really appreciated the way the author included Indigenous perspectives and considered how the development of the frontier in what we know today as upstate NY -- from which the Public Universal Friend and followers benefited -- depended on the death and displacement of Indigenous people.
Certainly recommended to fans of 18th century history and biography, but also for fans of historical fiction -- like if you liked J. Courtney Sullivan's The Cliffs, you'll like this.
The Public Universal Friend is not a very famous historical figure, but is relatively well known in the northeast -- I learned SO MUCH that was brand new to me. The Friend was a self-identified prophet of God who left the Quaker church and built a new following of devotees. It was fascinating to learn how the Friend interacted with the politics and religious teachings of the late 18th century.
The author is careful to avoid speculation on details like the Friend's relationships, and was also clear about what the historic record confirmed versus what the sources suggest. As a professor of Native American and Indigenous Studies, I also really appreciated the way the author included Indigenous perspectives and considered how the development of the frontier in what we know today as upstate NY -- from which the Public Universal Friend and followers benefited -- depended on the death and displacement of Indigenous people.
Certainly recommended to fans of 18th century history and biography, but also for fans of historical fiction -- like if you liked J. Courtney Sullivan's The Cliffs, you'll like this.
July 24, 2026
Title: Not Your Founding Father
Author: Nina Sankovitch
Narrated by: Em Grosland
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Audio
Length: Approximately 12 hour and 27 minutes
Source: Physical Book Review copy from Simon & Schuster #HistoryBuffsBookClub. @History_In_Five Thank-you! Audiobook purchased on Audible.
What book do you still plan to finish in July? It’s hard to believe we only have one week left of this month!
On October 9, 1776, Jemima Wilkinson died on her small farm in Cumberland, Rhode Island, and Public Universal Friend was born. Public Universal Friend started to preach about their rebirth as a genderless disciple of God. Will they be able to start their church in this new land?
My thoughts on this book:
• I thought this book would be a great read to help celebrate the 250th birthday of the United States of America.
• Friend followed Galatians 3:28 that “there is neither male nor female in Christ.”
• Friend helped empower women. Friend preached that women should “obey God rather than men.” Women took on leading roles in this church. The church also advocated for freeing of slaves and the inclusion of children.
• I liked that the author wrote about Friend having no role in politics, but living the ideals of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness in the new land and testing the boundaries of this idealism.
• What would our country stand for as it was first being formed?
• Does our country allow for freedom of religion? At the time of our founding, it did. Christian Nationalism now tells a different version of history.
• I wouldn’t call Friend a “founding father,” but more an influential pastor of the time of the founding of the United States.
• At times I wondered, were Friends followers a cult?
• This book really showed me that trans/nonbinary people have always existed. Friend didn’t want pronouns used.
• Friend’s near-death experience changed the entire course of their life.
• Author Nina Sankovitch did great research to bring this forgotten part of history to life.
• There were great notes, bibliography, and index in the physical copy.
• The audiobook had a good narrator and was interesting to listen to.
Overall, Not Your Founding Father by Nina Sankovitch was an interesting nonfiction book that brought out a forgotten part of the history during the forming of the United States that tested the boundaries of what the new nation would stand for.
This review was first posted on my blog at: https://lauragerold.blogspot.com/2026...
Author: Nina Sankovitch
Narrated by: Em Grosland
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Audio
Length: Approximately 12 hour and 27 minutes
Source: Physical Book Review copy from Simon & Schuster #HistoryBuffsBookClub. @History_In_Five Thank-you! Audiobook purchased on Audible.
What book do you still plan to finish in July? It’s hard to believe we only have one week left of this month!
On October 9, 1776, Jemima Wilkinson died on her small farm in Cumberland, Rhode Island, and Public Universal Friend was born. Public Universal Friend started to preach about their rebirth as a genderless disciple of God. Will they be able to start their church in this new land?
My thoughts on this book:
• I thought this book would be a great read to help celebrate the 250th birthday of the United States of America.
• Friend followed Galatians 3:28 that “there is neither male nor female in Christ.”
• Friend helped empower women. Friend preached that women should “obey God rather than men.” Women took on leading roles in this church. The church also advocated for freeing of slaves and the inclusion of children.
• I liked that the author wrote about Friend having no role in politics, but living the ideals of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness in the new land and testing the boundaries of this idealism.
• What would our country stand for as it was first being formed?
• Does our country allow for freedom of religion? At the time of our founding, it did. Christian Nationalism now tells a different version of history.
• I wouldn’t call Friend a “founding father,” but more an influential pastor of the time of the founding of the United States.
• At times I wondered, were Friends followers a cult?
• This book really showed me that trans/nonbinary people have always existed. Friend didn’t want pronouns used.
• Friend’s near-death experience changed the entire course of their life.
• Author Nina Sankovitch did great research to bring this forgotten part of history to life.
• There were great notes, bibliography, and index in the physical copy.
• The audiobook had a good narrator and was interesting to listen to.
Overall, Not Your Founding Father by Nina Sankovitch was an interesting nonfiction book that brought out a forgotten part of the history during the forming of the United States that tested the boundaries of what the new nation would stand for.
This review was first posted on my blog at: https://lauragerold.blogspot.com/2026...
August 19, 2026
I wish more people knew about the Universal Friend—which is why I was excited to discover this book on the new-release shelf of a local bookstore.
In the year of America’s founding, 23-year-old Jemima Wilkinson had a near-death experience, then awoke proclaiming the Gospel as a preacher called the Public Universal Friend—no longer identifying as either male or female. The Friend gathered many loyal followers, and much opposition. The claim to be “neither male nor female” (Galatians 3:28) still challenges religious fundamentalists today.
The Friend went on to establish a frontier settlement in western New York that practiced radical equality of the sexes in religion, labor, and community life. The Friend opposed slavery; African Americans lived within the community; and local Haudenosaunee people knew the Friend as honest and an advocate for their rights. The Friend also successfully resisted religious prosecution—an important early assertion of America’s new principle of religious freedom.
Living less than an hour north of the Friend’s settlement (modern-day Penn Yan), and having served as a minister in a Progressive Christian church, I’m fascinated and inspired by the Friend’s use of religion as a force for radical equality. This spiritual leader was, in many ways, two-and-a-half centuries ahead of contemporary religious trends.
There have been two previous biographies, but Nina Sankovitch’s new one is by far the best. Her research goes deeper into the Friend’s personality and thinking, yet somehow the whole book reads like a novel.
Anyone interested in American history or the history of religion would benefit from reading it. The Public Universal Friend was a trend-setter for today’s American spirituality whom far too few people know about.
In the year of America’s founding, 23-year-old Jemima Wilkinson had a near-death experience, then awoke proclaiming the Gospel as a preacher called the Public Universal Friend—no longer identifying as either male or female. The Friend gathered many loyal followers, and much opposition. The claim to be “neither male nor female” (Galatians 3:28) still challenges religious fundamentalists today.
The Friend went on to establish a frontier settlement in western New York that practiced radical equality of the sexes in religion, labor, and community life. The Friend opposed slavery; African Americans lived within the community; and local Haudenosaunee people knew the Friend as honest and an advocate for their rights. The Friend also successfully resisted religious prosecution—an important early assertion of America’s new principle of religious freedom.
Living less than an hour north of the Friend’s settlement (modern-day Penn Yan), and having served as a minister in a Progressive Christian church, I’m fascinated and inspired by the Friend’s use of religion as a force for radical equality. This spiritual leader was, in many ways, two-and-a-half centuries ahead of contemporary religious trends.
There have been two previous biographies, but Nina Sankovitch’s new one is by far the best. Her research goes deeper into the Friend’s personality and thinking, yet somehow the whole book reads like a novel.
Anyone interested in American history or the history of religion would benefit from reading it. The Public Universal Friend was a trend-setter for today’s American spirituality whom far too few people know about.
June 3, 2026
Not Your Founding Father: How a Nonbinary Minister Became America's Most Radical Revolutionary by Nina Sankovitch
Well-written, engaging, and respectfully constructed. There's a frustrating abundance of history of land deals and such, alas, and while that's understandable, it does make the narrative drag a bit.
But I enjoyed learning more about this intriguing anomaly of American religious history!
Hollywood, we got an excellent film treatment of Ann Lee last year, when are we getting one for Public Universal Friend? I'm all in!
Reading history:
Normally I keep this in my private notes section, but I'm moving it. Yay!
Reading history was not added on Goodreads, but was instead kept on a small piece of paper with the book.
Started May 30th, 2026.
Finished June 2nd, 2026.
May 30th, 2026: listened to intro + chapters 1-5 (pp. 1-70) via Audible with physical copy nearby.
May 31st, 2026: listened to chapters 6-12 (pp. 71-137) via Audible with physical copy nearby.
(Note: I bought the book on Amazon and used that for my physical copy on May 30 & 31; I then checked out the book from WPPL on May 31 and that became my physical copy for reference.)
June 1st, 2026: listened to chapters 13-25 (pp. 138-285) via Audible with physical copy nearby.
June 2nd, 2026: listened to chapter 26-epilogue (pp. 286-307) via Audible + read acknowledgments in physical copy.
Well-written, engaging, and respectfully constructed. There's a frustrating abundance of history of land deals and such, alas, and while that's understandable, it does make the narrative drag a bit.
But I enjoyed learning more about this intriguing anomaly of American religious history!
Hollywood, we got an excellent film treatment of Ann Lee last year, when are we getting one for Public Universal Friend? I'm all in!
Reading history:
Normally I keep this in my private notes section, but I'm moving it. Yay!
Reading history was not added on Goodreads, but was instead kept on a small piece of paper with the book.
Started May 30th, 2026.
Finished June 2nd, 2026.
May 30th, 2026: listened to intro + chapters 1-5 (pp. 1-70) via Audible with physical copy nearby.
May 31st, 2026: listened to chapters 6-12 (pp. 71-137) via Audible with physical copy nearby.
(Note: I bought the book on Amazon and used that for my physical copy on May 30 & 31; I then checked out the book from WPPL on May 31 and that became my physical copy for reference.)
June 1st, 2026: listened to chapters 13-25 (pp. 138-285) via Audible with physical copy nearby.
June 2nd, 2026: listened to chapter 26-epilogue (pp. 286-307) via Audible + read acknowledgments in physical copy.
September 9, 2026
A little dry, but what a fascinating person to read a biography about.
What might have surprised me the most was that the story of the Friend is also the story of the early United States. Revolutionary war, the beginnings of westward expansion, and the early legal system all play major roles. The book spends a little time on Native Americans, but honestly not enough considering that the Society of Universal Friends moved onto land that they were expelled from.
The book reckons with that very little, aside from wondering what the Friend thought about it in a passing sentence and making sure to mention that Friend had a good relationship with Native Americans.
While I admit it's hard not to get a little optimistic about the egalitarian society of the Friend, I think the author was a bit too starry-eyed about it all. The sections describing the Native Americans being forced out of their lands is very dry, and then we get treated to a lot of "the sparkling pristine water of the lake and the shining light on the trees and wind blowing with the faint scent of flowers....etc" when the Society moves onto that land and begins to "tame it" and turn it into their little commune.
I'm a little disappointed because I find the Friend to be a really interesting and complicated historical figure, and I would have liked a biography of the Friend to have a little more nuance and depth.
What might have surprised me the most was that the story of the Friend is also the story of the early United States. Revolutionary war, the beginnings of westward expansion, and the early legal system all play major roles. The book spends a little time on Native Americans, but honestly not enough considering that the Society of Universal Friends moved onto land that they were expelled from.
The book reckons with that very little, aside from wondering what the Friend thought about it in a passing sentence and making sure to mention that Friend had a good relationship with Native Americans.
While I admit it's hard not to get a little optimistic about the egalitarian society of the Friend, I think the author was a bit too starry-eyed about it all. The sections describing the Native Americans being forced out of their lands is very dry, and then we get treated to a lot of "the sparkling pristine water of the lake and the shining light on the trees and wind blowing with the faint scent of flowers....etc" when the Society moves onto that land and begins to "tame it" and turn it into their little commune.
I'm a little disappointed because I find the Friend to be a really interesting and complicated historical figure, and I would have liked a biography of the Friend to have a little more nuance and depth.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
The Public Universal Friend, the nonbinary minster of God who replaced Jemima Wilkerson in her body (who Friend said died at that point), is a fascinating subject for a book, and I was incredibly excited to get to read more about this intriguing person. Unfortunately, the author and I find different aspects of Universal Friend's situation and ministry interesting, and the book's subtitle promised a focus that is not really descriptive of the book's content. This is not really a book about radicalness or nonbinary experience; it also isn't really a biography of Universal Friend. (Unfortunately, that is the book I wanted to read.) It is a solid and detailed history of the movement Friend created, concerned with property rights and land expansion and the history of the movement's spread; it has interesting things to say about the intersection between the creation of Universal Friend's ministry and the new United States. (They were born nearly simultaneously, with Universal Friend emerging in October of 1776.)
Thanks to the author, the publisher, and Netgalley for my free earc in exchange for an honest review. My opinions are all my own.
Thanks to the author, the publisher, and Netgalley for my free earc in exchange for an honest review. My opinions are all my own.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
“Not Your Founding Father” by Nina Sankovitch grabbed my attention when I first saw it. I’d heard about Public Universal Friend’s transformation from a young Quaker woman into a self-proclaimed genderless messenger of God who lived in the late 18th century. Stories like the Friend’s are important to tell.
I really wanted to like this book. Again, it’s an under-known aspect of American history that matters. However, the writing was stiff and uncompelling. I found myself slogging through pages of what felt like filler to get back to the Friend. Additionally, I found that the author’s total avoidance of pronouns for the Friend led to stilted prose when using they/them would have been so much more readable. I get the rationale, but it must’ve been a pain to write and it’s odd to read.
I wasn’t a fan, but that doesn’t mean that this book doesn’t have merit. As far as I know, there’s not many other major sources about the Friend out there, so this is a good start. Thanks to Netgalley and Simon & Schuster for an advance eARC for review.
June 23, 2026
This was super interesting! There wasn’t as much overlap with the Revolutionary War as I had hoped, but that’s just me. Sankovitch does a wonderful job of discussing this sect, Universal Friend, and also with handling the discussion of Friend and gender identity. I do wish it focused just a little more on that, but I guess with not a lot of evidence you really can’t so?
The book was super easy to follow, and not bogged down by a lot of super detailed historical explanations, while also providing enough that the reader understands what’s going on in the rest of the US. I do think maybe gives the author gives Universal Friend maybe too credit for their forward thinking? She brings up at the end that maybe it just happened, and that Friend maybe didn’t mean to be as forward thinking as their sect was. I wish that point would have been discussed more in the rest of the book?
All in all, a super easy read, with some interesting information about a figure in history I knew nothing about!
The book was super easy to follow, and not bogged down by a lot of super detailed historical explanations, while also providing enough that the reader understands what’s going on in the rest of the US. I do think maybe gives the author gives Universal Friend maybe too credit for their forward thinking? She brings up at the end that maybe it just happened, and that Friend maybe didn’t mean to be as forward thinking as their sect was. I wish that point would have been discussed more in the rest of the book?
All in all, a super easy read, with some interesting information about a figure in history I knew nothing about!
June 26, 2026
That's right, bitches, the enbies have been around since the very beginning of this country! Happy Pride! Seriously though, I love learning new pieces of American history that the education system failed to impart. I feel that it helps me understand that this country has always been a conglomeration of different beliefs and opinions and lends me a deeper understanding of where we're at today. Friend is an inspiration and if you have any interest in American history or you just want to hear about a 18th century enby, this is your book.
June 21, 2026
I love a religious radical, and I'm happy a book exsists about the Public Universal Friend. The author does a very job of placing the Friend in the social, religious and political context of the time. However, since the Friend didn't leave many writings, it's very hard to get a good sense of the person behind the religious figure, and how the Friend was able to amass and keep hundreds of dedicated followers.
January 29, 2026
3.5 stars, this is certainly a piece of history worth preserving for gender history, but they were really not exciting enough to follow around for 400 pages. I don't think radical revolutionary is quite what I'd call them, though maybe the nonbinary part is enough to warrant the title for the time period.
April 24, 2026
This took me ages to finish. The minister's sermons were mostly not written, the Friend's followers are all too vaguely sketched to keep track of, and the real estate stuff is just not very exciting. I was looking forward to this one since learning about the Friend a few years ago but it really felt like a chore.
February 4, 2026
I've been really interested in the life of the Public Universal Friend for a long time and this is an incredible nonfiction work that pulls everything together and uses some level of speculation to connect smoothly. 5 stars. tysm for the arc.
January 29, 2026
First heard about Universal Friend on a podcast, and I feel like this perfectly provides more information on their life.
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