SKYE SMITH

I’ve always believed that to truly understand where we are going, we have to be willing to look at where we’ve been, even the parts of our history that are uncomfortable. 

 

A book I often cite when prompted to name a book comparable to mine is The Frozen River by Ariel Lawhon. It's a story seen through the eyes of Martha Ballard, a midwife who lived in Maine in the late eighteenth century. Ms. Lawhon's publicity materials call it subversive historical fiction. I believe the same could be said of Long Lost Midwife. 

 

A favorite review of  Long Lost Midwife comes from Diane Donovan, who writes for Midwest Book Review. An excerpt:

 

"...The result is not just a book about midwifery or even African American interactions with whites in 1930s Missouri, but a powerful story of women and men confronting and defying social norms against all odds, risking death in the course of pursuing their freedom as a murder places each one of them in the legal and social crosshairs of justice.

Librarians and readers seeking a thought-provoking, engaging novel steeped in history and mystery will find Pamela's struggles dovetail nicely with those around her in a story that simmers with unsettling truths and new perceptions.

Long Lost Midwife is especially highly recommended for book clubs seeking evocative discussion material about the role of women and prejudice in 1930s America."