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Liked It1 of 1 members found this review helpful “This is a revealing look back into the life of 1700's Maine. A woman, Martha Ballard, kept a diary for twenty-seven years about her life. She accomplished this at a time when most citizens couldn't read or write. She was a Midwife by profession, a mother, and a wife. She delivered 814 babies,...” see full review » see other reviews » |
Didn’t Like It “This book won a pulitzer. If you like history, especially of medicine, and childbirth and women's issues this is good. I am very interested in midwives since all six of my children were delivered by one so I find this very intriguingl” see full review » see other reviews » |
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“I really just skimmed it. I thought it was going to be a novel, but it is more of a comparison of Ballad's diary and two novels about midwives written during the same time period. Ballad's entries were interesting, but I was looking more for a story than an analysis. ”
Brittany C wrote this review 2 weeks ago. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
“wonderful”
lynn c wrote this review Wednesday, September 23 2009. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No“This book won a pulitzer. If you like history, especially of medicine, and childbirth and women's issues this is good. I am very interested in midwives since all six of my children were delivered by one so I find this very intriguingl”
Susan M wrote this review Monday, August 17 2009. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
“A case of mistaken identity gets a nature writer sent off as a war correspondent. Funny in a very dated and very British way. ”
Jocelyn B wrote this review Saturday, October 4 2008. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
“Great historical read. Amazing that these journal entries have been so well kept.”
Alizabeth S wrote this review Sunday, August 17 2008. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
“I greatly enjoyed this book, which gave a truly unique and rare perspective into female life in early Colonial New England. Thoroughly absorbing the chapters is truly co-dependent on simultaneously reading through the footnotes at the back, so know in advance that there will be a lot of flipping back and forth, but that this will enrich and enhance the interpretation and absorbability of the diary. I love firsthand historical accounts, and now have a renewed appreciation for early colonial life, particularly that of the female voice in this era, and even moreso women in childbirth in rural Maine in the winter (!). It almost seems voyeuristic to read Martha's diary, knowing that she likely never intended for it to be read by anyone else, let alone 220+ years later, but her voice is fluid, peaceful, humble, and dutiful to her family and her society. If you enjoyed this, also rent or buy the PBS documentary video of it by the same name, which has period re-enactments, and live narration by the author as she explains the journey of putting this work together. A fabulous read, ripe for discussion particularly in examining the parallels between this life so long ago, and our own today.”
Stephanie N wrote this review Sunday, June 29 2008. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
“Been reading and discussing this as part of my family history course”
Trish C wrote this review Thursday, May 15 2008. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
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rebekah m wrote this review Thursday, April 24 2008. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No1 of 1 members found this review helpful“This is a revealing look back into the life of 1700's Maine. A woman, Martha Ballard, kept a diary for twenty-seven years about her life. She accomplished this at a time when most citizens couldn't read or write. She was a Midwife by profession, a mother, and a wife. She delivered 814 babies, used her knowledge of herbal medicine to heal those who had become ill and attended the dying. She endured her husband ending up in debtor's prison. She doctored her farm animals and described her daughter's marriages and son's violence. This woman was independent and did not flinch from incest, murder, birth, healing, everyday struggle. This is a really amazing woman's story.”
khabira wrote this review Wednesday, April 9 2008. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
“Ulrich brings to life an American revolution-era woman whose cryptic diary entries would otherwise be impenetrable to non-historian/scholars. By teasing out the background of myriad dry references, she gives us full picture of the daily life of a New England frontier town and its inhabitants, particularly this impressively capable, pragmatic and hard-working woman who was a cornerstone of her community.”
Jill J wrote this review Monday, March 24 2008. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
