Sara Says: Call the Midwife
Let your neighbors ruminate on ins and outs of the fictional village of Pagford, invented by J.K. Rowling. I’ve just come across a writer who knows the pettiness and peculiarities, the wonderful weirdness of British social life even better. Her name is Jennifer Worth, a nurse who wrote Call the Midwife, a memoir about the slums of London’s East End right after WWII.
You might vaguely have heard the book’s title–except you might have thought it was “only” a TV show; starting last Sunday, PBS began airing a mini-series based on Midwife and its two sequels; the series, like the books, are hugely popular in the UK. As, I predict, they will be here, too: in a week or two, those of us who stood around arguing the merits of Downton Abbey or Girls, will be chatting each other up about the warm hearted nuns, the bicycling midwives and the brave and pregnant “guttersnipes” of the late 50s.
Worth’s is that rare book that perfectly, naturally, evokes a specific time and place while also having a feeling of timelessness. She makes you care about the women she and her fellow midwives visit, either before they give birth or during it. (Worth’s encounter with the surprisingly young woman in her 24th pregnancy – yes, you read that right, though Worth was sure someone had mistakenly put the wrong number on the medical chart–is both terrifying and laugh-out loud funny.) But what’s great about this book (and, I imagine, the unfolding miniseries) are the characters. My favorite: the giant, mannish midwife who learns to ride a bicycle as some street kids taunt her. (That one of those tormentors becomes the midwife’s protector is a lovely surprise–as is the fact that that guy eventually grows up to become, thirty years later, one of Princess Diana’s bodyguards.) Full of charming anecdotes that feel fresh and never charm-by-the-yard, the book also manages to teach you something without making you feel taught–about what happens during birth (spoiler alert: it can be pretty unpretty), about health care in general, about “feminism,” well before they invented the word. In other words, If The Paris Wife made you feel a bit smarter about Hemingway, this one makes you wiser about… well, about humanity.
Not to mention what it says about the book business, and karma, and believing in yourself, among other old fashioned ideas. As it happens, Jennifer Worth, a nurse then in her 50s, wrote a book about allergies and sold it to a tiny publisher in the UK – and fell in love with writing. Over the next ten years she began compiling tales of her post-war experiences as a midwife; as a courtesy, that small house also published that book. Nobody much read it… until an enterprising agent stumbled on a newspaper article about Worth, tracked down the manuscript and resold it as a trilogy in 2007. Suddenly, in her 70s, Jennifer Worth, now sick with cancer, was a bestselling author; all three midwife titles reached #1 on the UK bestsellers lists and were sold to a production company. Though Worth didn’t live to see the miniseries – she died in 2011– she did know that the whole world was about to discover her life story.
equity tips on October 02, 2012 at 10:40 PM
Useful information shared..I am very happy to read this article..Thanks for giving us nice info. Fantastic walk-through. I appreciate this post. Good work…unique site and interesting too… keep it up…looking forward for more updates.i was really impressed by your blog please keep on sharing such blog.
Shannon on October 03, 2012 at 11:55 AM
Lovely interesting tidbits! Thanks!
Chris Allen on October 03, 2012 at 11:00 PM
So interesting to read this - I didn't know the show was based on a book.
I first watched this program the night before our second son was born (my wife elected to catch some sleep instead - wisely, I think) and really enjoyed it.
As an emerging thriller writer with aspirations for TV and film these kind of tales do a lot to keep my vision sharp and fire in my belly. Although, I hope the books make it before my 70's!
Chris
MONTGOMERY on October 04, 2012 at 04:34 AM
I watched the first showing of "CALL THE MIDWIFE" on PBS last Sunday and enjoyed it very much. Interestingly enough, I had bought the 3 books (i.e. their UK paperback editions) earlier this year. So, when I heard that a TV drama based on them was slated to be shown here in the U.S., I was delighted. I'm fascinated with how life was lived during the early postwar years. Seeing "CALL THE MIDWIFE" has a special resonance for me as I was born in the early 1960s. So I grew up at a time when a lot of the older, established standards and practices were being altered or abolished altogether. I'm looking forward to seeing the next episode of "CALL THE MIDWIFE." (Enjoyed reading your blog, Sara.)
tablet pc on December 14, 2012 at 01:48 AM
Welcome to Boundless, Ashley! :)
And Elizabeth from Canada (#5)-
thank you for your honest and encouraging comment.
Supreme Hoodie on January 07, 2013 at 04:46 AM
Not to mention what it says about the book business, and karma, and believing in yourself, among other old fashioned ideas.
Mcx Tips on January 22, 2013 at 11:07 AM
Bullionguru.com is india's no.1 advisory company offers mcx tips, commodity tips, forex signals and stock market tips with 99% accuracy for the traders
usd inr tips on January 23, 2013 at 01:29 AM
Indian FOREX Currency Tips is the very innovative pack which is based the traders choice which helps the traders to make easy money with some little risk levels. We are providing signals or tips in all major 4 currency pairs . This Package is specially designed for the traders who trade in Forex Indian Currency pairs like low risk and high rewards ratio. In this package , We assures above 90% accuracy. We are also offereing hassle free trial of 1 day free tips via SMS.We provide daily usd/inr,euro/inr,gbp/inr and inr/jpy.