The sequel to Jennifer Worth’s New York Times bestselling memoir and the basis for the PBS series Call the Midwife
When twenty-two-year-old Jennifer Worth, from a comfortable middle-class upbringing, went to work as a midwife in the direst section of postwar London, she not only delivered hundreds of babies and touched many lives, she also became the neighborhood’s most vivid chronicler. Woven … neighborhood’s most vivid chronicler. Woven into the ongoing tales of her life in the East End are the true stories of the people Worth met who grew up in the dreaded workhouse, a Dickensian institution that limped on into the middle of the twentieth century.
Orphaned brother and sister Peggy and Frank lived in the workhouse until Frank got free and returned to rescue his sister. Bubbly Jane’s spirit was broken by the cruelty of the workhouse master until she found kindness and romance years later at Nonnatus House. Mr. Collett, a Boer War veteran, lost his family in the two world wars and died in the workhouse.
Though these are stories of unimaginable hardship, what shines through each is the resilience of the human spirit and the strength, courage, and humor of people determined to build a future for themselves against the odds. This is an enduring work of literary nonfiction, at once a warmhearted coming-of-age story and a startling look at people’s lives in the poorest section of postwar London.
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This was quite a departure from the first book, with very little to do with midwifery, which took me by surprise. But once I got over my disappointment, I very much enjoyed this lovely sequel. This time, we’re given an in-depth look at what life was like in the British workhouses, the life story of an elderly male patient who’s being treated for leg ulcers, and more insight into my favorite character, Sister Monica Joan, and her secret that might send her to jail.
Detailed stories of the old London era. Well written with great point of view- very head of time.
Excellently written. Gives a new perspective of how far we’ve come since the fifties thank goodness.
loved the PBS revisionist series and the book is a great companion to that series..
A very touching story of the workhouses in England in the late 19th century.
great book could not put it down will now read the next one
The delightful PBS show is based upon this book. The books, however, go into a lot more detail about the hardships these people lived with, and had a bit of an activist edge to it which made it even more interesting. Thank the gods for the pill!
excellent book to show what was happening in England in that time period with the work houses and poor houses. It was unbelievable to me how those in power can treat others. Very sad. Glad they got rid of the poor houses. Makes me now want to do research on how this country dealt with the poor in the 19th century
the show is very close to the book!
Interesting look into post war living conditions in the UK.
I enjoyed this book just as much as the TV show. It was also very informative about social problems in the 50s that I was unaware of before reading this book.
I happen to be interested in this topic and in the history in London. This work of nonfiction brings to life the difficulties of the patients and the midwives in postwar London.
Absolutely wonderful series of books.
Love the books and love the PBS shows. Very entertaining yet conveys the heartfelt love the midwives had for their patients.
Eye-opening account of life near the London docks in the years after World War II, seen through the eyes of a young midwife. I couldn’t put it down and look forward to reading the second book.
Shows a world we haven’t thought about.
While some of this book provided amusing and unusual stories other parts were much more depressing than I expected.
A well written story based on how life was like after WW II for the people living in the East End of London. This story is written by a Midwife/nurse who lived and worked in the East End during WWII and after.
Watch the show on PBS-Love the books!
Reading it now