pickMartha Ballard is an 18th Century midwife living in Hallowell, Maine. Lawhon has written a fictional account of a harrowing winter in the life of Mrs. Ballard, a real woman known to us through her diary and a Pulitzer winning biography. The novel is driven on its‘ arc through the account of a horrific rape and Martha‘s quest for justice for the female victim.
Exceptionally researched, and well written. The characters will be hard to forget.
Last week I forgot to post, so this week I‘m doing my #hyggehourreadathon a little early. I‘m tucked away in a corner of the cafe at a little local shopping area. I just had a yummy chicken and avocado sandwich, and I‘m nursing a raspberry mocha latte. There‘s Christmas music softly playing. And across the cafe a family is conversing in what I think is Italian. I just have one more gift to buy before I go home to wrap. But first, latte and book!
1. After Libby said it would be two more weeks, I got a notification that I could check out the tagged book.
2. The Crime Writers of Color podcast is back after a long hiatus.
3. I got together with a friend for dinner and a movie.
4. We enjoyed War of the Rohirrim!
5. I bought a new wet-dry floor cleaner.
#5joysfriday
pickWhat an excellent book—a huge shoutout to the power of women over misogyny early last century, mostly set in #Canada but a few important moments in #Boston. The main character was raised to be a midwife. When a male doctor comes to town, he insists the old ways are dangerous and his newfangled ways (including forceps) are safer. There is so much to unpack about this book a short review cannot do it justice. In general, it speaks to the power ⬇️
I got this book awhile ago and meant to read it but never got around to it. It takes place in December and it‘s so cold and snowy here so I think it‘s now time.
pickAbsolutely brilliant. I‘ll always love a story about a badass female heroine, but Martha Ballard is more than that and the author‘s love for her emanates from every page. It isn‘t an easy book to read, but seems necessary, especially considering the state of women‘s rights today. The fact that events in 1790 could parallel anything in 2024 - baffling. Anyway, read this, y‘all!
@AmyG have you read this?
