The Midwife of Hope River

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Call Number: Fiction
On Shelf At: Downtown Library

Location & Checkout Length	Call Number	Checkout Length	Item Status
Downtown 2nd Floor 4-week checkout	Fiction	4-week checkout	On Shelf

Midwife Patience Murphy has a gift: a talent for escorting mothers through the challenges of bringing children into the world. Working in the hardscrabble conditions of Appalachia during the Depression, Patience takes the jobs that no one else wants, helping those most in need--and least likely to pay. She knows a successful midwifery practice must be built on a foundation of openness and trust--but the secrets Patience is keeping are far too intimate and fragile for her to ever let anyone in. Honest, moving, and beautifully detailed, Patricia Harman's The Midwife of Hope River rings with authenticity as Patience faces nearly insurmountable difficulties. From the dangerous mines of West Virginia to the terrifying attentions of the Ku Klux Klan, Patience must strive to bring new light and life into an otherwise hard world.

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COMMUNITY REVIEWS

lovely book submitted by 21621031390949 on June 20, 2014, 10:34pm I stumbled upon this book when I was researching and preparing for a trip to Appalachia. Wanting to learn about the culture and the people, I punched in the keyword "Appalachia" and checked out everything that looked interesting.
I really enjoyed this book. Usually, I have only a little time each day to curl up with a book, but I found myself making more time for this one. I loved reading about the people and their lives during the Great Depression, and I loved the midwifery. It was a bit unrealistic in some ways -- people didn't always behave believably -- and the ending was disappointingly unlikely. It just tied things up too neatly. But I find this is often true with new or lesser authors: they write a good story, but don't know how to resolve it well.

Still, an enjoyable read, especially if you like reading about midwifery, Appalachia, the Depression.