The Birth House

[hipmummy]

Has anyone read this. I can't find it at the library and I am low onthe list at paperback book swap, so I was thinking about buying it, but before I do I woul like to get your opinions.

[ananas]

Read it, loved it, will definitely buy it one of these days

[alaskaberry]

Excellent book, definitely one that's a keeper. I borrowed it from the library and I wasn't disappointed.

[heatherbell]

Its on my PBS list too! I can't wait to finally get it.

A good one I've read thats along similar lines is "The Baby Catcher" by Peggy Vincent. Its one of the best books I've ever read.

[TranscendentalMom]

LOVED IT! It was heavy in parts (oppression of women) but I would think its a must read for MDCers.

[Whittliz]

Loved this book! You must buy it.

[Amaranth]

Come on folks, I'm the reviewer for my book club on this book next month. I was hoping for some specifics.

[g&a]

Originally Posted by Amaranth

Come on folks, I'm the reviewer for my book club on this book next month. I was hoping for some specifics.

What are you looking for exactly.

This is close to my favourite book of all time. Even my non-birth-junkie sister read it and loved it.

g.

[PeacefulSeams]

This book was awesome! Definately one of my top 10 favorites.

[Amaranth]

Well, what all did you like about it? Was it the stuff about midwives vs. doctors, the marriage stuff, the historic stuff?

I like it all right so far, but I'm not loving it as much as all of you.

[g&a]

Have you got to the part where the doctor treated her for hysteria, or whatever they called it? I was rolling on the floor with laughter at that part. splitting a gut.

I guess I just got caught up in the story. I kept on wanting to know what was going to happen next. I wanted to scream at her not to marry that guy. You know, that kind of stuff...

(I'm trying not to give anything away...)

g.

[KaraMaia]

I reviewed this book on my birth blog and I loved it! I wrote a lot more about it over here: http://birthecology.squarespace.com/...rth-house.html
I think it would be a really fun book for a book club, it would stimulate a lot of conversation, it has funny bits, and serious bits, and history mixed with interesting characters.

The author has a website with a funny hysteria quiz, check it out here: http://www.thebirthhouse.com/hysteriaquiz.htm

[kangamitroo]

i think i learned of the book through karamaia's website (thanks!)

the book is set, if i am recalling correctly, during WWI. it is set in a community that is economically poor, and paints a very realistic picture about how people get by. also, in a tiny town one's options can be few, and if you ar ein a bad sitaution, everyone knows about it. the protagonist becomes a lay midwife at a time when doctors are trying to outlaw midwifery. it shows the stark difference (and unrealistic assumptions) of medically based birth versus birth with the support of women who honor birth as a natural event.

the women have a tough time and yet are funny and powerful. it is one of my favorites.

[Scribe]

I liked it a lot. You can see my review of it here, if you want.

[abac]

I liked it. I didn't love it. I didn't care for the writing style tbh, although I did think it was a good story. It didn't draw me in as much as some of my favorites, I just didn't feel it, iykwim. Interesting, though.

[lorijds]

I'm 125 pages into this book, and I love it.

I'm a nurse at a hospital (high intervention) and used to be a nurse at a very low key birth center. I feel (thus far) catches the spirit of medical midset vs midwifery midset of birth. When the midwife gets so mad at the doctor's use of the word "exact" I felt like she expressed how I feel about the medicalization of birth.

I hope, since this is a small quote, it won't violate the user agreement:

"The danger's in fogettin' who's really in charge. Science don't know kindness. It don't know kindness from cabbage," Miss B interrupted.

The doctor raised his voice. "Science is neither kind nor unkind, Miss Babineau. Science is exact."

"Exact? Exact don't do a woman no good when she's wailin' for her mama."


I think the writing is fine, and I like the story. It's not an "I can't possibly put this book down, I will read it all night and suffer the consequences" type of book; but I feel that few books are. This is well worth the read, especially if you are at all involved in the politics of birth.

Like I said, I'm only about 1/3 the way through; but I really, really like it. It has a lot of themes--poverty, women's rights, "progress" vs tradition, and it is also a coming of age story for the main character. It would be great for a reading group, in my opinion.

ETA: LOL! I took the hysteria quiz on her website-I apparently need two treatments a week, but NEVER on a sunday!

[Amaranth]

Originally Posted by lorijds

It's not an "I can't possibly put this book down, I will read it all night and suffer the consequences" type of book; but I feel that few books are.

Yes....I just finished it. I liked it a lot, but I thought the plot was rather slow. It just didn't grab me like I thought it would (like The Shadow of the Wind, for instance).

I did love Jen's review on LiteraryMama - here - and it will be loads of fun for discussion at book club next week.

McKay did do a really good job with the history. And her writing is utterly beautiful. I just wanted more to happen, or the characters to do different things.

[lisac77]

Originally Posted by Amaranth

McKay did do a really good job with the history. And her writing is utterly beautiful. I just wanted more to happen, or the characters to do different things.

Me too! The plot was so slow. I loved the characters (well, the women anyway), loved the historical aspects, but disliked the disjointed, slow plot.