Roberta Rich > Quotes

“Christians were squeamish about matters of the body, like foreskins and the monthly flow of women, yet they adored their paintings of Christ’s crucifixion, his hands and feet dripping with blood, and thorns gouging his scalp. There was no fathoming the gentile mind.”
― Roberta Rich, The Midwife of Venice

“arms. Never had she attended a weaker mother.”
― Roberta Rich, The Midwife of Venice

“It is not natural to withhold love from a child.”
― Roberta Rich, The Midwife of Venice

“You might try herbs—fenugreek and blessed chisel are known to help the supply of milk.”
― Roberta Rich, The Midwife of Venice

“Odd that you should choose to be a midwife, having never experienced birth yourself.” In other circumstances the words would have stung. She thought, Do not physicians provide medicaments for illnesses they have never suffered?”
― Roberta Rich, The Midwife of Venice

“Tova said, “Leah planned to change into her own kaftan someplace out of the way. But with my little mishap, she didn’t have a chance.” Both women were still dressed”
― Roberta Rich, The Harem Midwife: A Novel

“shmekele.”
― Roberta Rich, The Midwife of Venice

“His need to be fed, to be cuddled, to be loved was all that prevented her from abandoning hope.”
― Roberta Rich, The Midwife of Venice

“Hannah darted around the enormous room, opening drawers, cupboards, and all the doors, releasing the sashes holding back the drapes, and lifting the lids off chests. It was well known that this would facilitate the opening of the birth passage.”
― Roberta Rich, The Midwife of Venice