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The Midwife Trilogy #1-3
The Midwife Trilogy
This omnibus edition of Call the Midwife, Shadows of the Workhouse and Farewell to the East End chronicles Jennifer Worth's career as a midwife from start to finish, from her arrival in the war-scarred Docklands as a wide-eyed trainee, to the demolition of the tenements and subsequent closure of Nonnatus House. It provides a fascinating snapshot of social history, documenting the East End in the days when there was a real sense of community, when times were tough but there was plenty of good humour and neighbourly support to help the inhabitants through the harsh econonic climate. The book also enables readers to follow Jennifer's personal story, as she discovers the amazing resilience of a population still bearing the scars of war, and the vibrant community of nuns with whom she lives and who teach her the skills of midwifery. In stories that are funny, disturbing and moving in equal measure, we meet prostitutes and abortionists, bigamists and mischievous nuns, and see Jennifer earn the confidence of people whose lives are often stranger than fiction.
759 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2009
445 people are currently reading
6906 people want to read
About the author
Jennifer Worth
18 books960 followersWorth, born Jennifer Lee while her parents were on holiday in Clacton-on-Sea, Essex, was raised in Amersham, Buckinghamshire. After leaving school at the age of 14, she learned shorthand and typing and became the secretary to the head of Dr Challoner's Grammar School. She then trained as a nurse at the Royal Berkshire Hospital, Reading, and moved to London to receive training to become a midwife.
Lee was hired as a staff nurse at the London Hospital in Whitechapel in the early 1950s. With the Sisters of St John the Divine, an Anglican community of nuns, she worked to aid the poor. She was then a ward sister at the Elizabeth Garrett Anderson Hospital in Bloomsbury, and later at the Marie Curie Hospital in Hampstead.
She married the artist Philip Worth in 1963, and they had two daughters.
Worth retired from nursing in 1973 to pursue her musical interests. In 1974, she received a licentiate of the London College of Music, where she taught piano and singing. She obtained a fellowship in 1984. She performed as a soloist and with choirs throughout Britain and Europe.
She later began writing, and her first volume of memoirs, 'Call the Midwife', was published in 2002. The book became a bestseller when it was reissued in 2007. 'Shadows of the Workhouse' (2005; reissued 2008) and 'Farewell to the East End' (2009) also became bestsellers. The trilogy sold almost a million copies in the UK alone. In a fourth volume of memoirs 'In the Midst of Life', published in 2010, Worth reflects on her later experiences caring for the terminally ill.
Worth was highly critical of Mike Leigh's 2004 film Vera Drake, for depicting the consequences of illegal abortions unrealistically. She argued that the method shown in the movie, far from being fairly quick and painless, was in fact almost invariably fatal to the mother.
Worth died on 31 May 2011, having been diagnosed with cancer of the oesophagus earlier in the year.
A television series, Call the Midwife, based on her books, began broadcasting on BBC One on 15 January 2012.
Lee was hired as a staff nurse at the London Hospital in Whitechapel in the early 1950s. With the Sisters of St John the Divine, an Anglican community of nuns, she worked to aid the poor. She was then a ward sister at the Elizabeth Garrett Anderson Hospital in Bloomsbury, and later at the Marie Curie Hospital in Hampstead.
She married the artist Philip Worth in 1963, and they had two daughters.
Worth retired from nursing in 1973 to pursue her musical interests. In 1974, she received a licentiate of the London College of Music, where she taught piano and singing. She obtained a fellowship in 1984. She performed as a soloist and with choirs throughout Britain and Europe.
She later began writing, and her first volume of memoirs, 'Call the Midwife', was published in 2002. The book became a bestseller when it was reissued in 2007. 'Shadows of the Workhouse' (2005; reissued 2008) and 'Farewell to the East End' (2009) also became bestsellers. The trilogy sold almost a million copies in the UK alone. In a fourth volume of memoirs 'In the Midst of Life', published in 2010, Worth reflects on her later experiences caring for the terminally ill.
Worth was highly critical of Mike Leigh's 2004 film Vera Drake, for depicting the consequences of illegal abortions unrealistically. She argued that the method shown in the movie, far from being fairly quick and painless, was in fact almost invariably fatal to the mother.
Worth died on 31 May 2011, having been diagnosed with cancer of the oesophagus earlier in the year.
A television series, Call the Midwife, based on her books, began broadcasting on BBC One on 15 January 2012.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 459 reviews
June 20, 2024
These three books are not a light read. Having seen and loved the show "Call the Midwife," about nurse midwives and nuns (also midwives) delivering babies in the East End of London in the mid to late 1950s and very early sixties, I guess I was expecting more lighthearted fare. However, the first book in the series, "Call the Midwife," is remarkably like the show. It was as if the chapters translated directly into the screenplays, detail for detail. Jennifer Worth must have kept a diary for years because these books are filled with intricate detail, in addition to being thoroughly researched.
However, if you shrink at brutality, especially toward children and the elderly, then the second book, "Shadows of the Workhouse," might not be for you. (The first book touched on the workhouses in one of the chapters.) I almost stopped reading the series with book 2 and couldn't sleep one night because of several chapters which dealt with the horrifying brutality to a little girl in the workhouse. However, it opened my eyes to what workhouses were really like, their purpose, and their "conversions" in the 1930s. I said to my husband that, sadly, it puts "Downton Abbey" in another light. However, as he pointed out, the workhouses were, however horrifying, a way of getting people off the streets and giving them a modicum of shelter and food. Here in Los Angeles many of us too often ignore the brutal fact that we have almost 60,000 people living on the streets (in 2013), enough to make a small city.
The third book, "Farewell to East End," was a gentler read, again enlightening and filled with stories and background information on the lives of the nuns and nurse midwives. It was heartening and uplifting to read stories of the lasting friendships they forged in this desparately poor area of London, and what they did in the East End to bring remarkable health services to the poor, especially to pregnant women. Their calling was truly a life changer for women in that area for over 100 years.
Jennifer Worth was (she passed away in 2011 after a brief illness) a wonderful and detailed writer, who not only told compelling "life" stories, but revealed an aspect of London history that has disappeared and probably would have been forgotten if not for her. The books contain bibliographies, glossaries of medical and obstetrical terms, lists for further reading, and even an appendix dealing with the Cockney dialect. I am indebted to Jennifer Worth for enlightening me about life in the East End of London in that era, as well as educating me about medical conditions, details of pregnancy and childbirth, and the health profession.
However, if you shrink at brutality, especially toward children and the elderly, then the second book, "Shadows of the Workhouse," might not be for you. (The first book touched on the workhouses in one of the chapters.) I almost stopped reading the series with book 2 and couldn't sleep one night because of several chapters which dealt with the horrifying brutality to a little girl in the workhouse. However, it opened my eyes to what workhouses were really like, their purpose, and their "conversions" in the 1930s. I said to my husband that, sadly, it puts "Downton Abbey" in another light. However, as he pointed out, the workhouses were, however horrifying, a way of getting people off the streets and giving them a modicum of shelter and food. Here in Los Angeles many of us too often ignore the brutal fact that we have almost 60,000 people living on the streets (in 2013), enough to make a small city.
The third book, "Farewell to East End," was a gentler read, again enlightening and filled with stories and background information on the lives of the nuns and nurse midwives. It was heartening and uplifting to read stories of the lasting friendships they forged in this desparately poor area of London, and what they did in the East End to bring remarkable health services to the poor, especially to pregnant women. Their calling was truly a life changer for women in that area for over 100 years.
Jennifer Worth was (she passed away in 2011 after a brief illness) a wonderful and detailed writer, who not only told compelling "life" stories, but revealed an aspect of London history that has disappeared and probably would have been forgotten if not for her. The books contain bibliographies, glossaries of medical and obstetrical terms, lists for further reading, and even an appendix dealing with the Cockney dialect. I am indebted to Jennifer Worth for enlightening me about life in the East End of London in that era, as well as educating me about medical conditions, details of pregnancy and childbirth, and the health profession.
April 30, 2022
Jennifer Lee arrives in the London’s East End in the early 1950’s, as a trainee midwife, she's assigned to work with the Anglican nuns at Nonnatus House. The nuns have been helping the poor people of Poplar for almost a hundred years, and Jennifer lives and works right alongside them.
Jennifer witnessed the best and the worst of humanity and the area was notorious for petty crime, gangs, gambling and prostitution. The stories nurse Lee shares are a real mixture, some are uplifting and humorous and others are extremely concerning and will break your heart. Nothing is left out, details about pregnancy, childbirth, unwanted pregnancies, the lack of hygiene and privacy, illness, bodily functions and death.
The trilogy covers the overcrowded war damaged and condemned testaments and goes further back to the appalling conditions of the workhouses. You discover the beliefs of the Cockney people, their unique language and traditions. It's a lasting and well written testimony to the nuns and midwives Jennifer worked with at Nonnatus House and her patients. I felt so many mixed emotions reading this series, it's hard to explain how it made me feel, please discover this historical treasure for yourself and five stars from me.
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Jennifer witnessed the best and the worst of humanity and the area was notorious for petty crime, gangs, gambling and prostitution. The stories nurse Lee shares are a real mixture, some are uplifting and humorous and others are extremely concerning and will break your heart. Nothing is left out, details about pregnancy, childbirth, unwanted pregnancies, the lack of hygiene and privacy, illness, bodily functions and death.
The trilogy covers the overcrowded war damaged and condemned testaments and goes further back to the appalling conditions of the workhouses. You discover the beliefs of the Cockney people, their unique language and traditions. It's a lasting and well written testimony to the nuns and midwives Jennifer worked with at Nonnatus House and her patients. I felt so many mixed emotions reading this series, it's hard to explain how it made me feel, please discover this historical treasure for yourself and five stars from me.
https://karrenreadsbooks.blogspot.com/
https://www.facebook.com/KarrenReadsH...
December 31, 2017
Another book from my mother's house.
I read these before the birth of my son, in 2009, before the TV show based on these memoirs came to be. It's a fascinating look into the past, and really made me think that life as a working class woman in the 1950s was bloody hard work. Jennifer Worth writes with real love and affection for her profession and patients, and I alive the eclectic mix of women she meets throughout her journey. Some of the stories, especially those about the work houses, are difficult to read at times, but this is social history retold at its best. God bless the NHS.
The TV show is pretty good too.
I read these before the birth of my son, in 2009, before the TV show based on these memoirs came to be. It's a fascinating look into the past, and really made me think that life as a working class woman in the 1950s was bloody hard work. Jennifer Worth writes with real love and affection for her profession and patients, and I alive the eclectic mix of women she meets throughout her journey. Some of the stories, especially those about the work houses, are difficult to read at times, but this is social history retold at its best. God bless the NHS.
The TV show is pretty good too.
March 5, 2018
This book is a true story. After finding the DVD series so well worth watching I tried the book which was written by Jennifer Worth who at twenty two became one of the practicing midwives in the East End and her character is portrayed in the early series. I found her story totally absorbing and full of fascinating detail, but in truth I think I preferred the DVD series. Having said this, I'm so glad I watched the DVDs first as it has been a most interesting experience to read the book while able to see the characters from the DVDs in my mind.
My own children were born 1960 to 1963 in the North East of England and in a Maternity hospital with all the modern facilities that were available at that time. How blessed I was! What a contrast to the rough slums of the East End of London where children were being born into dreadful surroundings around the fifties and early sixties. Prostitution, crime, brothels, lack of work was rife. People lived in cramped shocking conditions often without the basic needs we all take for granted, but there seemed to be such an amazing state of togetherness and loyalty among these women.
The midwives lived in a Convent - Nonnatus House with a small community of nuns who were also trained midwives. You really have to read these wonderful books that Jennifer wrote to discover just what life was truly like in those days. I have shed so many tears over and over again whilst watching the DVDs. They have to be viewed to be understood and many of the stories left me heartbroken. I can't begin to imagine what it must have been like for those brave women, all of them. This actual book, the first of four gives us much more detailed information but it is not in any way dry and is most readable. I would imagine more women would read them than men and I will definitely read the remaining three.
My own children were born 1960 to 1963 in the North East of England and in a Maternity hospital with all the modern facilities that were available at that time. How blessed I was! What a contrast to the rough slums of the East End of London where children were being born into dreadful surroundings around the fifties and early sixties. Prostitution, crime, brothels, lack of work was rife. People lived in cramped shocking conditions often without the basic needs we all take for granted, but there seemed to be such an amazing state of togetherness and loyalty among these women.
The midwives lived in a Convent - Nonnatus House with a small community of nuns who were also trained midwives. You really have to read these wonderful books that Jennifer wrote to discover just what life was truly like in those days. I have shed so many tears over and over again whilst watching the DVDs. They have to be viewed to be understood and many of the stories left me heartbroken. I can't begin to imagine what it must have been like for those brave women, all of them. This actual book, the first of four gives us much more detailed information but it is not in any way dry and is most readable. I would imagine more women would read them than men and I will definitely read the remaining three.
June 10, 2013
I've only read the first book, Call The Midwife, but the box set is the only option coming up when I search.
This book came highly recommended, and I'm glad I read it, not only for the childbirth stories, but also for the glimpse into the late 1800's/early 1900's in England. I had heard many times about workhouses in England through literature starting with Charles Dickens, however, until this book, I never understood what exactly they were and how they operated. So heartbreaking! I understood how poverty became a vicious cycle, nearly impossible to break free from. I also understood for the first time why, when given another option, women through time return again and again to prostitution! This book was incredibly illuminating to some of the biggest conundrums within the ills of society.
As a side note there is an appendix at the end of the book explaining the "rules" and origins and pronunciation of the Cockney accent, a very difficult dialect spoken among England's poor. I found it interesting because of a play i was in once where I had to study the accent. Most would probably just skip this section, but it was very informative. If I ever had the need for this accent again, this section is thorough enough to serve as a pronunciation guide. It even goes over the glottal stops.
There is also an appendix for midwife terminology.
In the past when I've read midwife books, they've been kind of prettied-up versions, fit for the general public. This book talks about everything, including smells, sewage, waste, sex, blood, body parts & functions, STD's, prostitution, human filth, everything. If you can handle that, you'll probably love it! I found it to be a more of an honest accounting. And FASCINATING! my review makes it sound nasty, but the truth is, I LOVED IT! All the humanity, the stories of the nuns & midwives, birth & death, the rich, the poor (mostly poor), hope & heartbreak, hilarity, tears, & all.
Most of all, this book is full of stories. And who doesn't love a good story?! Enjoy!
This book came highly recommended, and I'm glad I read it, not only for the childbirth stories, but also for the glimpse into the late 1800's/early 1900's in England. I had heard many times about workhouses in England through literature starting with Charles Dickens, however, until this book, I never understood what exactly they were and how they operated. So heartbreaking! I understood how poverty became a vicious cycle, nearly impossible to break free from. I also understood for the first time why, when given another option, women through time return again and again to prostitution! This book was incredibly illuminating to some of the biggest conundrums within the ills of society.
As a side note there is an appendix at the end of the book explaining the "rules" and origins and pronunciation of the Cockney accent, a very difficult dialect spoken among England's poor. I found it interesting because of a play i was in once where I had to study the accent. Most would probably just skip this section, but it was very informative. If I ever had the need for this accent again, this section is thorough enough to serve as a pronunciation guide. It even goes over the glottal stops.
There is also an appendix for midwife terminology.
In the past when I've read midwife books, they've been kind of prettied-up versions, fit for the general public. This book talks about everything, including smells, sewage, waste, sex, blood, body parts & functions, STD's, prostitution, human filth, everything. If you can handle that, you'll probably love it! I found it to be a more of an honest accounting. And FASCINATING! my review makes it sound nasty, but the truth is, I LOVED IT! All the humanity, the stories of the nuns & midwives, birth & death, the rich, the poor (mostly poor), hope & heartbreak, hilarity, tears, & all.
Most of all, this book is full of stories. And who doesn't love a good story?! Enjoy!
February 9, 2013
I loved this book. I got it on a visit to the UK before it was discovered by TV. I think what enthralled me was the way was if I was sitting on the Estée with a cup of tea listening to my mother telling me about her life. Matter of fact just how it was. What shocked me is that it wasn't so very long ago! And having just driven through the East End as it prepared for the Olympics it really took on a whole new meaning. As I sit here using my I Pad I wonder about how far we have come and where are we going. This book shows us humanity at his worst and its best. So excited to read the next book.
September 16, 2013
Jennifer Worth recounts her experiences of midwifery and nursing in the East End during the 1950s. Her narrative is quite profound; her characters are brought to life through her thorough recollections and representation of the East End dialect. These are honest and insightful memoirs, and in no way does Worth hold back on the things that she witnessed, both heartwarming and disturbing. This boxset preserves not only Worth's memories, but those of the countless people she met and nursed during her time in the East End. She has ensured that this significant period in history won't be forgotten.
June 22, 2013
As a social history alone of London's Docklands in the first half of the 20th century, this book is a superb piece of writing. The author has a fine eye and memory for detail, coupled with excellent research skills. As a series of narratives, it's utterly compelling. At times gut wrenching, at times humorous, the characters leap off the page and draw the reader into their story. What shines through even more is the deep love and appreciation the author felt for her colleagues and the compassion they had for the people they served. I couldn't put it down.
May 29, 2023
I love the television series, but it is very sanitised, and I wanted the truth! I was delighted at the characters who are perfectly portrayed in screen, but there is so much more to some of the cases on television, some actually shocking - I can understand why certain facts were changed or omitted! Anyone who says things were better in the 1950s should read these books. Nostalgia often lies. I am so glad I read these at last, I learned so much.
March 20, 2015
I was engrossed in every one of these books, couldn't get enough of them.
My one criticism is that there is one chapter the first in the series with a case of waaaay too much information. I would have liked to poke my eyes out, it was that bad. Ok, so we know that midwives had to work on all classes of people including women of the night. But what goes on in these "entertainment" halls is NOT what I want to know, just stick to the characters we need to know about, please! Why the smutty diversion? It wasn't necessary at all.
That being said, once I edited that chapter in my book (yes yes I know, must not desecrate books yada yada yada) I was able to lend it to a friend as well as my 14 year old daughter without concern.
As I enjoyed all three books tremendously (apart from that one scene) and most stories in the books were well worth MORE than 5 stars, I rounded the rating out and gave the collection 5 stars.
My one criticism is that there is one chapter the first in the series with a case of waaaay too much information. I would have liked to poke my eyes out, it was that bad. Ok, so we know that midwives had to work on all classes of people including women of the night. But what goes on in these "entertainment" halls is NOT what I want to know, just stick to the characters we need to know about, please! Why the smutty diversion? It wasn't necessary at all.
That being said, once I edited that chapter in my book (yes yes I know, must not desecrate books yada yada yada) I was able to lend it to a friend as well as my 14 year old daughter without concern.
As I enjoyed all three books tremendously (apart from that one scene) and most stories in the books were well worth MORE than 5 stars, I rounded the rating out and gave the collection 5 stars.
February 7, 2013
I'd already seen some of the Call the Midwife episodes on TV and really enjoyed the series. I have to say this is one of those rare occasions when I actually enjoyed the TV programme more than the book it was based on. The book was interesting, but failed to move me as much as the programme did. It gives a good impression of life in the 1950's in the East End and of the midwifery training and knowledge of the time. But it didn't move me as much as I expected it to. Each story is quite short so I didn't get particularly involved with the characters. Very interesting nonetheless and as the author states in the introduction there are fewer stories about widwives than you'd expect given the drama they deal with everyday. Worth a read but it didn't blow me away.
November 10, 2013
The most shocking thing I discovered from reading this book, was the oppressive and dangerous minds of the doctors of the Victorian era: In order to secure their own income, 1 guinea per delivery if I remember correctly, they halted the development of midwifery almost completely until the beginning of the 20th century. By comparison, the city of Amsterdam employed a midwife by the mid 1600s, and the first school of midwifery in Denmark-Norway was established in Copenhagen in 1787. I read a study of midwives in Denmark, and how their work affected both the maternal and infant mortality rate. One can only imagine how much suffering English mothers and babies could have avoided, if the the likes of Jennifer had been able to start their work sooner.
August 31, 2010
I thoroughly enjoyed this book, both as an auto-biography of sorts and as an historic source. Worth's style of writing made it an easy read even though at times the subject matter was somewhat difficult to digest.
I enjoyed the different characters that came up throughout the trilogy and the humour that they brought to the different scenarios in which they were placed.
On the one hand, as a woman having been through labour and child-birth, this book gives you a new appreciation for all the medical advances of the past 60 years and for the hard work and dedication of midwives everywhere. Whilst on the other hand it gives you a great insight into a lost people. The kind of people who were a little rough around the edges, but, the kind of people that make you proud of your heritage and proud to be British! What the people of Poplar faced and dealt with everyday, makes todays worries of economic decline and housing prices pale into insignificance.
The Midwife Trilogy certainly made me appreciate the era that I grew up in and had children in.
A book that will be highly recommended to all that will listen.
I enjoyed the different characters that came up throughout the trilogy and the humour that they brought to the different scenarios in which they were placed.
On the one hand, as a woman having been through labour and child-birth, this book gives you a new appreciation for all the medical advances of the past 60 years and for the hard work and dedication of midwives everywhere. Whilst on the other hand it gives you a great insight into a lost people. The kind of people who were a little rough around the edges, but, the kind of people that make you proud of your heritage and proud to be British! What the people of Poplar faced and dealt with everyday, makes todays worries of economic decline and housing prices pale into insignificance.
The Midwife Trilogy certainly made me appreciate the era that I grew up in and had children in.
A book that will be highly recommended to all that will listen.
July 10, 2013
Great conclusion to the Call the Midwife series of books. I normally do not like series but this was different. Worth introduced the reader to new and interesting people throughout each of her three books. Some stories ended in a chapter and others continued on as she developed relationships with these people. I enjoyed seeing some of the stories "wrapped up" in this book, but am still left wondering more about Worth and her life. Who was the man that broke her heart and left her when she was young? I'd also love to know more about her life after leaving the dock area. Worth was such a great writer, I'm sure that other books about her life would have been interesting. One other note, we've been watching the television series and as is true with most stories, the book is better!
August 7, 2013
I loved all three of these books. The times, the setting, the characters and their stories. I grew up in the post WWII era also and just loved reading what it was like for these people. Not only did England have a baby boom just like other countries, they had it in the aftermath of the physical devastation of much of London and the outlying areas. I also liked that she went into the history of childbirth related health care and the care of the impoverished in England.
Like many others, it was the PBS tv series that drew me to these books. While there were differences in some of the stories, it did not detract from my enjoyment of the books or the screen depiction.
Like many others, it was the PBS tv series that drew me to these books. While there were differences in some of the stories, it did not detract from my enjoyment of the books or the screen depiction.
January 18, 2021
Absolutely fantastic books!
November 25, 2024
Rapidfire review for all three heree we gooo!
1 - 4 stars, Call the Midwife the way it should always be; from the perspective of the biggest hater on the show, Miss Jenny Lee. Said with all affection, love this Diva and her pick me attitude
2 - 3 stars, too much sadness not enough babies
3 - 3.5 stars, more babies and MORE CHUMMY!
1 - 4 stars, Call the Midwife the way it should always be; from the perspective of the biggest hater on the show, Miss Jenny Lee. Said with all affection, love this Diva and her pick me attitude
2 - 3 stars, too much sadness not enough babies
3 - 3.5 stars, more babies and MORE CHUMMY!
January 22, 2018
This series is a work in progress. I loved the first book. I got into nursing because I wanted to deliver babies. I haven't been able to do it, and may never, but it reminded me of what drove me into nursing. I loved the stories, the home births, all of it. I was particularly interested in Jenny's observations on the faith of the nuns, their dedication and commitment.
A quote from the second book particularly struck me: "More than anything else a dying person needs to have someone with them. This used to be recognized in hospitals, and when I trained, no one ever died alone. However busy the wards, or however short of staff, a nurse was always assigned to sit with a dying person to hold their hand, stroke their forehead, whisper a few words. Peace and quietness, even reverence for the dying, were expected and assured.
"I disagree wholly with the notion that there is no point in staying with an unconscious patient because he or she does not know you are there. I am perfectly certain, through years of experience and observation, that unconsciousness, as we define it, is not a state of unknowing. Rather, it is a state of knowing and understanding on a different level that is beyond our immediate experience."
I loved this passage. Science, including nursing science, has moved forward in learning, but has lost quite a lot in compassion, I think. I believe that individuals are compassionate, but I believe it is the rare nurse (or -more and more- CNA) who will sit with the individual dying in an institution when call bells are going off all around them. Further, if it is quiet, I am confident that the nurses and aides are instead occupying their professional island - the desk that is the barrier between them and the patients with their unceasing demands. I also think that science - or perhaps simply the more arrogant scientists - asserts that if it can't be measured objectively, it can't be credited. I believe that there are things beyond objective measurement, or even rational explanation.
A quote from the second book particularly struck me: "More than anything else a dying person needs to have someone with them. This used to be recognized in hospitals, and when I trained, no one ever died alone. However busy the wards, or however short of staff, a nurse was always assigned to sit with a dying person to hold their hand, stroke their forehead, whisper a few words. Peace and quietness, even reverence for the dying, were expected and assured.
"I disagree wholly with the notion that there is no point in staying with an unconscious patient because he or she does not know you are there. I am perfectly certain, through years of experience and observation, that unconsciousness, as we define it, is not a state of unknowing. Rather, it is a state of knowing and understanding on a different level that is beyond our immediate experience."
I loved this passage. Science, including nursing science, has moved forward in learning, but has lost quite a lot in compassion, I think. I believe that individuals are compassionate, but I believe it is the rare nurse (or -more and more- CNA) who will sit with the individual dying in an institution when call bells are going off all around them. Further, if it is quiet, I am confident that the nurses and aides are instead occupying their professional island - the desk that is the barrier between them and the patients with their unceasing demands. I also think that science - or perhaps simply the more arrogant scientists - asserts that if it can't be measured objectively, it can't be credited. I believe that there are things beyond objective measurement, or even rational explanation.
March 1, 2013
Muchos pensareis, 5 estrellas?? Pues si, 5 estrellas!! A ver este libro está escrito por jennifer worth, comadrona en los años 50 en un barrio muy humilde de Londres. Esta narrado en primera persona, pero no como una autobiografía estrictamente, sino un poco novelado. Me ha gustado mucho en primer lugar por que me he acercado a una realidad social que desconocía, el modo de vida en los años 50, los alumbramientos en aquella época, instituciones como las casa de trabajo.... En segundo lugar, por que algún día, espero ser madre, y aunque no es un libro científico, he aprendido algunas cosas acerca del parto, enfermedades... Todo esta narrado de una manera sencilla y emotiva, con delicadeza, y la misma escritora/protagonista explica como la vida le ha enseñado a ser mas tolerante, comprensiva, a amar a los demás... Se lo recomendaría a cualquier mujer, tanto si es madre como si no, por que emociona, y a cualquier hombre, por que antes no, pero ellos también forman parte de un momento tan especial.
P.D: he visto que es una trilogía, deseando con ansia que traduzcan los siguientes ejemplares!!!!!!!!!
P.D: he visto que es una trilogía, deseando con ansia que traduzcan los siguientes ejemplares!!!!!!!!!
October 25, 2019
Excellent writing -- really enjoyed this memoir and medical history of the bicycle riding nurse-midwives of London's East End in the 1950s.
Worth provides fascinating details about early prenatal care along with delightful anecdotes about patients and their families living cheek to jowl in the tenements; the eccentricities of her fellow nurses; and Cockney characters in the neighborhood. The medical descriptions are graphic, so, fair warning if you're squeamish.
Worth provides fascinating details about early prenatal care along with delightful anecdotes about patients and their families living cheek to jowl in the tenements; the eccentricities of her fellow nurses; and Cockney characters in the neighborhood. The medical descriptions are graphic, so, fair warning if you're squeamish.
December 28, 2015
I didn't want this one to end! Every chapter warmed my heart. :)
July 16, 2022
Wow! I never could have guessed that reading a book would take me on such a journey spiritually, emotionally, and socially. This book will open your heart and your mind, asking the reader to embrace the lives of people in a vibrant community from the past, to understand the hearts and souls of so many people. while doing that, it is entirely possible that you will be asked to understand something within yourself more deeply as I was. I read this book slowly, trying to understand and absorb so many facets of this community, the midwives, and the Anglican nuns that served this area tirelessly.
I’m having trouble finding the words to explain that I am a different person now that I have read this book. Something has opened and changed in my heart and spirit, and I don’t think it’s a temporary change.
One of the themes of the book is how changing social mores and well-meaning projects from welfare offices have destroyed tightly knit communities that have not been replaced with something better. I have lived this myself, though in the United States and on a smaller scale. The majority of the people whose stories are shared in this book have passed on, and I hope I will meet many of them in heaven one day. I am so glad I was able to share in the author’s recollections of a time in the community I never really knew existed. May God bless them all.
I’m having trouble finding the words to explain that I am a different person now that I have read this book. Something has opened and changed in my heart and spirit, and I don’t think it’s a temporary change.
One of the themes of the book is how changing social mores and well-meaning projects from welfare offices have destroyed tightly knit communities that have not been replaced with something better. I have lived this myself, though in the United States and on a smaller scale. The majority of the people whose stories are shared in this book have passed on, and I hope I will meet many of them in heaven one day. I am so glad I was able to share in the author’s recollections of a time in the community I never really knew existed. May God bless them all.
January 14, 2019
Have you ever wondered why the Baby Boom Generation has this name? I have.
After WWII, people were expected to have as many children as they could so Europe would be reborn after the physical and human losses up to calamity levels. And who was going to help all those pregnant wives (either married or widowed), single mothers, abandoned lasses and plain lost souls (prostitutes) to deliver these babies? Why, the midwife, of course.
Set in the mid-50s and early 60s, this box covers a numerous compillation of stories about times of poverty, resilience, compassion and the rise of feminism. Highly recommended.
After WWII, people were expected to have as many children as they could so Europe would be reborn after the physical and human losses up to calamity levels. And who was going to help all those pregnant wives (either married or widowed), single mothers, abandoned lasses and plain lost souls (prostitutes) to deliver these babies? Why, the midwife, of course.
Set in the mid-50s and early 60s, this box covers a numerous compillation of stories about times of poverty, resilience, compassion and the rise of feminism. Highly recommended.
May 24, 2017
I very much enjoyed reading these books, even though I had already seen the TV show (also excellent). They are intellectually stimulating so as not to be boring, but definitely easy, quick reads. Jennifer Worth is an excellent story-teller.
February 10, 2017
Zeer interessante verhalen, maar veel somberder dan de TV serie, zeker boek 2 en 3.
September 20, 2019
Sad and happy, thoughtful and inspiring. A lot like the wonderful series, but with far more insights into historical and sociological backgrounds into an England of the past, into the people of the old Poplar, into the human soul.
November 2, 2024
A shocking glimpse into working class life in 1950s East london (also really good tv show, would reccomend)
IT BROKE MY HEART
IT BROKE MY HEART
June 30, 2022
This book tells it like it was in London's East End during the first decade after the war.
The author doesn't hesitate to tell us her impressions, feelings or opinions of those she met and worked with. Gentle humour and honest views of abject poverty and the humaness of us all. I've come to realize how fortunate and progressive our maternity care is and how much we take this for granted.
The author doesn't hesitate to tell us her impressions, feelings or opinions of those she met and worked with. Gentle humour and honest views of abject poverty and the humaness of us all. I've come to realize how fortunate and progressive our maternity care is and how much we take this for granted.
March 3, 2020
I read this book for my book club - it is not normally something I would choose to read but it was full of very interesting characters and stories. I tried watching the tv series but it did not appeal to me. The writing was very good and really captured the essence of the East End after WW11.
June 29, 2019
I have loved the PBS program for years. The author is a wonderful storyteller. The birth scenes were so real and descriptive and I felt chills as I read. Women, midwives and mothers are amazing.
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