Out of the Darkness Audiobook By Eric A. Shelman cover art

Out of the Darkness

The Story of Mary Ellen Wilson

 Preview
LIMITED TIME OFFER

3 months free
Try for $0.00
Offer ends July 31, 2025 at 11:59PM PT.
Pick 1 audiobook a month from our unmatched collection.
Listen all you want to thousands of included audiobooks, Originals, and podcasts.
Access exclusive sales and deals.
Premium Plus auto-renews for $14.95/mo after 3 months. Cancel anytime.

Out of the Darkness

By: Eric A. Shelman
Narrated by: Deb Thomas
Try for $0.00

$0.00/mo. after 3 months. Offer ends July 31, 2025 at 11:59PM PT. Cancel anytime.

Buy for $23.08

Buy for $23.08

Confirm purchase
Pay using card ending in
Switch payment method
By confirming your purchase, you agree to Audible's Conditions of Use, License, and Amazon's Privacy Notice. Taxes where applicable.
Cancel

In New York City, in April of 1874, a most unusual event took place. A severely abused nine-year-old girl named Mary Ellen Wilson became the first child in America to be rescued from an abusive home. She had been beaten, burned, slashed with scissors, locked in a closet, and had never been outside of her tenement home in over 7 years. Thanks to the concern and dedication of a missionary named Etta Wheeler, the child was finally saved from her cruel captors. Henry Bergh's ASPCA - yes, the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals - was instrumental in securing her rescue. When no other agencies would become involved, the ASPCA used its power and influence to not only save Mary Ellen, but to charter the first organization of its kind to prevent cruelty to children, the NYSPCC - the New York Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children. This book remains the only book that tells the dramatic story of Mary Ellen's life and rescue.

©Print Version: 1999 Audiobook: 2014 Dolphin Moon Publishing (P)2014 Dolphin Moon Publishing Abuse Americas Criminology Historical Personal Development Relationships Social Sciences
Compelling History • Well-researched Content • Enjoyable Character Voices • Emotional Impact • Engaging Storyline
Highly rated for:
All stars
Most relevant  
I find it so hard to believe anyone would mistreat a child. Poor defenseless innocence stolen!

So disturbing

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
Not realizing I was reading a book about how two organizations I am very fond of and support, how they were started! The timeline of the story amazed me! How one organization started another!
If you like historically true stories, this may be the book for you! I believe it is worth the read or listen!

Loved this book!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
Incredibly written and wonderfully performed. A truly in depth view into how some children and animals were treated in the early days of American history. This book brought me to tears more than once. Thank you for this Mr. Shelman.

Hope for mankind

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

Yes it was easy to listen to and kept my attention

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Yes, it was very easy to listen to. Some audio books can distract from the story.

historical fiction

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

If you could sum up Out of the Darkness in three words, what would they be?

Interesting - History - overcoming

What do you think the narrator could have done better?

Many of her voices...I was not really happy with...too much...over acting...southern voices in New York...was out of place to me. Her narrating did not stop me from listening & enjoying the book...but some character voices became irritating to me.

Any additional comments?

This was a book that I did want to listen to all in one sitting...but it took two sittings. The writer had a lot of history..which some say dragged on, but I didn't feel that way. I enjoyed all of the book.

Humanity at it's worst and best.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
it got me almost in tears 😢 . really love the book. and like the there was and update

how this little girl was so innocent to even not holding a grudge to the person's that abused her

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
She did all different voices, which I enjoyed. I wish more time was spent on the story of Mary Ellen a bit more, but it was, overall, a good book!

Good narration

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
This was my first audible book ever, and I found I could not put it down.

great review for my 1st audible

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
Very sad but also beautiful. Mary Ellen's resilience is amazing. What a strong little girl.

So sad yet so beautiful

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
Even though I didn’t care at all for the narrator changing voices, I couldn’t stop listening. I recommend this one

Great one

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
See more reviews