Journal Entry 1 by spiderchic from Droylsden, Greater Manchester United Kingdom on Monday, June 13, 2011

Jennifer Worth came from a sheltered background when she became a midwife in the Docklands in the 1950s. The conditions in which many women gave birth just half a century ago were horrifying, not only because of their grimly impoverished surroundings, but also because of what they were expected to endure. But while Jennifer witnessed brutality and tragedy, she also met with amazing kindness and understanding, tempered by a great deal of Cockney humour. She also earned the confidences of some whose lives were truly stranger, more poignant and more terrifying than could ever be recounted in fiction. Attached to an order of nuns who had been working in the slums since the 1870s, Jennifer tells the story not only of the women she treated, but also of the community of nuns (including one who was accused of stealing jewels from Hatton Garden) and the camaraderie of the midwives with whom she trained. Funny, disturbing and incredibly moving, Jennifer's stories bring to life the colourful world of the East End in the 1950s.  

Journal Entry 2 by spiderchic at Droylsden, Greater Manchester United Kingdom on Sunday, June 26, 2011

I really enjoyed this book. It made me laugh and cry. I feel very lucky to have had a baby in this day and age and not back in the 50's.

I have sent this via surface mail to Elsi who won it in the June YBS bookswap on bookobsessed. 

Journal Entry 3 by elsi at Sanger, Texas USA on Saturday, July 02, 2011

Arrived in yesterday's mail. (I'd have thought surface mail would have been much slower!) I'll be sharing this book with my sister before passing it along to another reader. Thanks also for the bookmark you included. I may be selfish and keep it instead of sending it along with the book.