Call the Midwife: Illustrated Edition
Attached to an order of courageous, kind and eccentric nuns, apprentice midwife Jennifer Worth tells the story of the women she treated and the horrifying conditions in which they lived and gave birth in the Docklands slum areas of the 1950s. While she witnessed loss and brutality, she also met with incredible compassion, understanding and a large dose of Cockney humour. Funny, moving and tragic, Jennifer’s stories bring to life London’s impoverished East End of the 1950s.
From the moment I opened this beautifully-illustrated hardback, I was enchanted –– from the poignant sepia photographs, to the author’s engaging, conversational prose. Obviously not penned by a trained writer, this doesn’t detract from the story, but rather enhances it. Written straight from the heart, she does not try and impress with any forced, literary skills, her no-nonsense narration echoing, even more resoundingly, her down-to-earth characters.
My own training and work as a midwife perhaps rendered this story even more enjoyable. I certainly identified with the midwives and their difficult situations, but I would highly recommend this book for anyone looking for a moving and heart‑warming memoir.
