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Primary Reference List for the NARM Written Examination
Alphabetical by author
Davis, Elizabeth; HEART AND HANDS: A MIDWIFES GUIDE TO PREGNANCY AND BIRTH. Berkeley: Celestial Arts.
Frye, Anne; HOLISTIC MIDWIFERY: A COMPREHENSIVE TEXTBOOK FOR MIDWIVES AND HOME BIRTH PRACTICE, VOL.1, Care During Pregnancy; New Haven: Labrys Press.
Frye, Anne; UNDERSTANDING DIAGNOSTIC TESTS IN THE CHILDBEARING YEAR; New Haven: Labrys Press.
Gaskin, Ina May; SPIRITUAL MIDWIFERY; The Farm, TN.: The Book Publishing Co.
Klein, Susan. A Book for Midwives: A MANUAL FOR TRADITIONAL BIRTH ATTENDANTS AND COMMUNITY MIDWIVES; Palo Alto: The Hesperian Foundation
Myles, Margaret. TEXTBOOK FOR MIDWIVES, 12TH EDITION 1993, Churchill Livingston Publishers.
Myles, Margaret. TEXTBOOK FOR MIDWIVES, 13TH EDITION 1998, Churchill Livingston Publishers.
Olds, Sally et. al; MATERNAL NEWBORN NURSING: A FAMILY CENTERED APPROACH. 5th edition; Addison Wellesley, 1996..
Oxhorn and Foote. HUMAN LABOR AND BIRTH.
Pritchard and McDonald. WILLIAM'S OBSTETRICS, 20TH EDITION. Prentiss Hall, 1996.
Sweet, Betty; MAYES MIDWIFERY TEXT BOOK.
Harcourt Brace, 1996.
Varney, Helen. Nurse-Midwifery. 2nd edition 1980, Blackwell Scientific Publications. Out-of-Print
Varney, Helen. Midwifery 3rd edition, 1997, Jones and Bartlett.
Weed, Susan; WISE WOMAN HERBAL FOR THE CHILDBEARING YEARS;Ash Tree Publishers, 1985.
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Secondary Reference List for the NARM Written Examination
Alphabetical by author
American Heart Association. TEXTBOOK OF NEONATAL RESUSCITATION, Bloom and Cropley, 1994.
Baldwin, Rahima; SPECIAL DELIVERY; Berkeley, CA, Celestial Arts press.
Barnhart, Edward. PDR PHYSICIAN'S DESK REFERENCE. Medical Economics Co., 1997.
Beischer and MacKay. OBSTETRICS AND THE NEWBORN, 3RD EDITION. Harcourt and Brace, 1997.
Federation of Feminist Women's Health Centers; HOW TO STAY OUT OF THE GYNECOLOGISTS OFFICE.Peace Press, 1981.Out-of-Print
Frye, Anne. HEALING PASSAGE, 5th edition. Labrys Press, 1995.
Gardner, Joy; HEALING YOURSELF DURING PREGNANCY. Harper and Row, 1987.
La Leche League, International; BREASTFEEDING QUESTIONS AND ANSWER BOOK.
Miller, A. & Callender, R; OBSTETRICS ILLUSTRATED. 5th edition, Harcourt Brace, 1997
Renfrew, Fisher & Arms; BESTFEEDING: GETTING BREASTFEEDING RIGHT FOR YOU: AN ILLUSTRATED GUIDE.Celestial Arts, 1990.
Swanson and Forrest. MEN'S REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH. Springer Publishing, 1984.
Thomas, Clayton; TABERS MEDICAL DICTIONARY; Philadelphia: FA Davis Co. TABERS MEDICAL DICTIONARY(cd-ROM version)
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Other Text Books
Alphabetical by author
Buckley & Kulb, Eds; HANDBOOK OF MATERNAL NEWBORN NURSING; Wiley Medical Publications.
Castro, Miranda; HOMEOPATHY FOR PREGNANCY, BIRTH, AND YOUR BABY'S FIRST YEAR. New York: St. Martin's Press.
Chester, Penfield; SISTERS ON A JOURNEY (paperback); 1998 Rutgers University Press, New Brunswick, NJ SISTERS ON A JOURNEY (hardcover);
Ehrenreich & English; WITCHES, MIDWIVES AND NURSES: A HISTORY OF WOMEN HEALERS.
Enkin, Murry; GUIDE TO EFFECTIVE CARE IN PREGNANCY AND CHILDBIRTH
Goer, Henci; OBSTETRIC MYTHS VERSES RESEARCH REALITIES: A GUIDE TO THE MEDICAL LITERATURE; West Port, CT.: Bergin & Garvy
Hartly, Carla; HELPING HANDS: THE APPRENTICE WORKBOOK; Conroe, TX. Apprentice Academics.
Jensen & Bobeck; MATERNITY AND GYNECOLOGICAL CARE.
Kapit, W. & Elson, L; THE ANATOMY COLORING BOOK; New York: Harper & Row.
Kapit, W. & Macy, & Meisami; THE PHYSIOLOGY COLORING BOOK; New York: Harper & Row
Kirschmann, Gayla J.; NUTRITION ALMANAC; New York: McGraw Hill.
Kitzinger, Sheila, Ed; THE MIDWIFE CHALLENGE; Unwin Hymen.
Leavitt, Judith Walzer; BROUGHT TO BED: CHILDBEARING IN AMERICA, 1750-1950 Oxford University Press, 1986
Lichtman, Ronnie Papera, Susan; GYNECOLOGY , WELL WOMAN CARE, Appleton and Lange
Lutz & Przytulski; NUTRITION AND DIET THERAPY, Philadelphia, FA Davis Company
Moore, Keith L; BEFORE WE ARE BORN
Moore, Keith L; STUDY GUIDE AND REVIEW MANUAL OF HUMAN EMBRYOLOGY.
Olds, Sally et. al.; MATERNAL NEWBORN NURSING WORKBOOK; Addison Wellesley.
Romm, Aviva Jill & William Sears; Natural Healing for Babies and Children; (March 1996)
Crossing Press.
Romm, Aviva Jill; The Natural Pregnancy Book : Herbs, Nutrition, and Other Holistic Choices; 1997
Romm, Aviva Jill; Pocket Guide to Midwifery Care; 1998 (The Crossing Press Pocket Series).
Steiger, Carolyn; BECOMING A MIDWIFE; Portland, OR; Hoogan House Publishing. Out-of-Print
Tritten, Jan & Joel Southern; PATHS TO BECOMING A MIDWIFE: GETTING AN EDUCATION; Eugene, Oregon, Midwifery Today.
Van Nostrand, Jillian & Sarles, Christie; WILD WOMAN'S GARDEN: 7 RADICAL WEEDS FOR WOMEN OVER 40; Mirror Lake NH, Radical weeds
Weaver, Pam & Evans, Sharon; PRACTICAL SKILLS GUIDE FOR MIDWIFERY. Bend, Oregon
Wertz & Wertz; LYING - IN: A HISTORY OF CHILDBIRTH IN AMERICA 1750-1950.
Youngkin & Davis; WOMAN'S HEALTH, A PRIMARY CARE GUIDE , Norwalk CT, Appleton and Lange
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Other Helpful Books
Alphabetical by author
Arms, Suzanne; IMMACULATE DECEPTION. Out-of-Print
Arms, Suzanne; IMMACULATE DECEPTION 2.
Armstrong, P. & Feldman S; A MIDWIFES STORY;
Auckett, Amelia; BABY MASSAGE: PARENT CHILD BONDING THROUGH TOUCH.
Bach, E; THE BACH FLOWER REMEDIES; New Canaan, CT.: Keats Publishing Co..
Balaskas, Janet; ACTIVE BIRTH.
Balaskas, Janet; NATURAL PREGNANCY.
Baldwin, Rahima & Palmarini; PREGNANT FEELINGS.
Bates, Barbara; A GUIDE TO PHYSICAL EXAMINATION; Lippencott.
Becker & Selden; THE BODY ELECTRIC: ELECTROMAGNETISM AND THE FOUNDATION OF LIFE; New York: William Marrow & Co.
Blatt, Robin Jr.; PRENATAL TESTS. Out-of-Print
Borg & Laske; WHEN PREGNANCY FAILS. Out-of-Print
Bradley; NATURAL CHILDBIRTH THE BRADLEY WAY.
Brennon, Barbara; HANDS OF LIGHT.
Brewer, Tom & Gail; THE VIP PREGNANCY BOOK.
Brewer, Tom & Gail; WHAT EVERY PREGNANT WOMAN SHOULD KNOW. Out-of-Print
Bruyere, Roselyn; WHEELS OF LIGHT; Arcadia: Bon Productions.
Burke, G; MAGNETIC THERAPY: HEALING IN YOUR HANDS; Oklahoma City, OK. H. George Press.
Butman, Marcia; PRENATAL NUTRITION: A CLINICAL MANUAL.
Capra, F; THE TAO OF PHYSICS; New York: Bantam Books.
THE TAO OF PHYSICS (audio cassette series)
Cassidy, Brinn Ginny; WOMEN CENTERED PREGNANCY AND BIRTH; Federation of Women's Health Centers.
Cerney, J.V; ACUPUNCTURE WITHOUT NEEDLES; USA: Parker Publishing Co.
Chalker Rebecca; THE COMPLETE CERVICAL CAP GUIDE. Out-of-Print
Chang, S; THE COMPLETE BOOK OF ACUPUNCTURE; CA.: Celestial Arts.
Chester, L., ed; CRADLE AND ALL.
Chia & Chia; CULTIVATING FEMALE SEXUAL ENERGY (book)
CULTIVATING FEMALE SEXUAL ENERGY (audio cassettes)
Chopra, D; PERFECT HEALTH; Harmony Books.
PERFECT HEALTH (audio cassettes)
Clark, A & Alfonso, D; CHILDBEARING: A NURSING PERSPECTIVE. Out-of-Print
Cohen, Wainer Nancy; OPEN SEASON
Cohen, Wainer Nancy; SILENT KNIFE.
Committee; ASSESSING ALTERNATIVE BIRTH SETTINGS: RESEARCH ISSUES IN THE ASSESSMENT OF BIRTH SETTINGS; National Academy Press.
Cummings Ullman; EVERYBODYS GUIDE TO HOMEOPATHIC MEDICINES.
Davis, Elizabeth; ENERGETIC PREGNANCY.
Davis-Floyd, Robbie; Birth As an American Rite of Passage (Paperback)HARDCOVER
Davis-Floyd, Robbie (Editor); Carolyn Fishel Sargent Editor); Childbirth and Authoritative Knowledge : Cross-Cultural Perspectives (Paperback)HARDCOVER
Davis-Floyd, Robbie (Editor); Cyborg Babies : From Techno-Sex to Techno-Tots (Paperback) HARDCOVER
Davis-Floyd, Robbie & Gloria st John; From Doctor to Healer : The Transformative Journey (Paperback) HARDCOVER
Davis-Floyd, Robbie; Intuition : The Inside Story (Paperback) HARDCOVER
Edwards, M.& Waldorf, M; RECLAIMING BIRTH: HISTORY AND HEROINES OF AMERICAN CHILDBIRTH REFORM; The Crossing Press.Out-of-Print
England, Pam & Rob Horowitz; BIRTHING FROM WITHIN
Federation of Feminist Women's Health Centers; A NEW VIEW OF A WOMAN'S BODY. Simon & Schuster.Out-of-Print
Fischback, Frances; MANUAL OF DIAGNOSTIC TESTS.
Fogel, Catherine Ingram; HEALTH CARE OF WOMEN.
French, Ruth; GUIDE TO DIAGNOSTIC TESTS.
Gardner, Joy; THE NEW HEALING YOURSELF OR HEALING THE FAMILY, PREGNANCY, BIRTH, AND CHILDREN'S AILMENTS. Out-of-Print
Gaskin, Ina May; BABIES, BREASTFEEDING AND BONDING. Out-of-Print
Gaskin, Ina May; Ina May's Guide to Childbirth: Discover the Proven Wisdom That Has Guided Thousands of Women Through Childbirth With More Confidence, Less Pain, and Little or No Medical Intervention
Green, James; THE HERBAL MEDICINE MAKERS HANDBOOK.
Gruden, Lorien; LOVE IS GREEN: AN HERBAL FOR PARENTS.
Gurudas; FLOWER ESSENCES AND VIBRATIONAL HEALING; Albuquerque, NM.: Brotherhood of Life, Inc..
Haire, Doris; THE CULTURAL WARPING OF CHILDBIRTH.
Harper. GENTLE BIRTH CHOICES
Hatcher, et. al; CONTRACEPTIVE TECHNOLOGY.
Hathaway, M & J; CHILDREN AT BIRTH.
Hazell; COMMONSENSE CHILDBIRTH. Out-of-Print
Heardman, Helen; A WAY TO NATURAL CHILDBIRTH. Out-of-Print
Heavilin, Marilyn Willett; ROSES IN DECEMBER (A Book to help parents deal with the loss of a child)
Hobbins, Winsberg & Berkowitz; ULTRASOUND IN OBSTETRICS AND GYNECOLOGY.
Hobbs, Valerie; HERBS FOR WOMEN, A GUIDE FOR LAY MIDWIVES.
Horvilleur, Alain; THE FAMILY GUIDE TO HOMEOPATHY.
Israeloff, R; COMING TO TERMS.Out-of-Print
Jordan, Brigitte; BIRTH IN FOUR CULTURES, 4TH EDITION, Prospect Heights, IL, Waveland Press
Kalengis, Mary; GIVING BIRTH; (PHOTO ESSAY)
Kastenbaum, Robert; DEATH, SOCIETY AND HUMAN EXPERIENCE.
Katz-Rothman, Barbara; IN LABOR: WOMEN AND POWER IN THE BIRTH PLACE.
Katz-Rothman, Barbara; RECREATING MOTHERHOOD.
Katz-Rothman, Barbara; THE TENTATIVE PREGNANCY.
Kee, Joyce Lefever; LABORATORY AND DIAGNOSTIC TESTS WITH NURSING IMPLICATIONS; Norwalk, Connecticut: Allpeton and Lange
Kitzenger, Sheila; THE COMPLETE BOOK OF PREGNANCY AND CHILDBIRTH; London, Dorling Kindersley Ltd.
Kitzinger, Sheila; BREASTFEEDING YOUR BABY.
Kitzinger, Sheila; EPISIOTOMY AND THE SECOND STAGE OF LABOR.
Kitzinger, Sheila; BIRTH AT HOME.Kitzinger & Davis; THE PLACE OF BIRTH. Out-of-Print
Kitzinger, Sheila; YOUR BABY, YOUR WAY.
Kitzinger & Davis; THE PLACE OF BIRTH. Out-of-Print
Klaus & Klaus; THE AMAZING NEWBORN.
Klaus and Klaus and Kennell. MOTHERING THE MOTHER
Korte, Diane & Scaer, Roberta; A GOOD BIRTH, A SAFE BIRTH.
Krieger D; THE THERAPUTIC TOUCH: HOW TO USE YOUR HANDS TO HELP TO HEAL.
Kubler-Ross, Elizabeth; ON DEATH AND DYING.
La Leche League, International; THE WOMANLY ART OF BREASTFEEDING.
Lamaze, Fernand; PAINLESS CHILDBIRTH: THE LAMAZE METHOD. Out-of-Print
Lawrence, R; BREASTFEEDING: A GUIDE FOR THE MEDICAL PROFESSION.
Le Fever, Joyce Kee; LABORATORY TESTS WITH NURSING IMPLICATIONS.
Leavith; BROUGHT TO BED: CHILDBEARING IN AMERICA.
Leboyer, Frederick; BIRTH WITHOUT VIOLENCE.
Lichtman & Papera; GYNECOLOGY WELL - WOMAN CARE.
Litoff, Judy; THE AMERICAN MIDWIFE DEBATE.
Logan, O.L. & Clark, Kathlene; MOTHERWIT: AN ALABAMA MIDWIFE'S STORY.
Love, Susan; DR. SUSAN LOVE'S BREAST BOOK.
Lowey, Ken & Kevin; THE HEART OF CHIROPRACTIC.
MacDonald, Dr. Bertrum H; MIDWIFERY IN CANADA, 1980-1997: A BRIEF HISTORY AND SELECTIVE BILIOGRAPHY OF PUBLICATIONS IN ENGLISH.This part of the Dalhousie University Occasional Paper Series. It can be purchased from : Dr. Bertrum H. MacDonald, Series Editor
The Occasional Papers Series
School of Library and Information Studies
Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia
Canada, B3H 3J5
There is an order form on the web which you can send by email, fax or regular mail. The address is: http://www.mgmt.dal.ca/slis/OcPap/orderinf.html
You can get a look at the write-up about the bibliography at: http://www.mgmt.dal.ca/slis/OcPap/occpap60.html Mangay-Maglacas & Simons, eds; THE POTENTIAL OF THE TRADITIONAL BIRTH ATTENDANT.
March, Dea Trien; WINTERS CHILD.
McGregor, Deborah Kuhn; FROM MIDWIVES TO MEDICINE: THE BIRTH OF AMERICAN GYNECOLOGY; Rutgers University Press.
Mitford, Jessica; THE AMERICAN WAY OF BIRTH.Out-of-Print
Monroe, R; JOURNEYS OUT OF THE BODY; Garden City, N.Y.: Anchor Press/Doubleday.
Mothering Magazine Booklets; CIRCUMCISION & VACCINATIONS.
Nilsson, Lennart; A CHILD IS BORN. (Paperback) (Hardcover)
Nissim, Rina: Natural Healing in Gynaecology
Noble, Elizabeth; CHILDBIRTH WITH INSIGHT.Out-of-Print
Noble, Elizabeth; ESSENTIAL EXERCISES FOR THE CHILDBEARING YEARS.
Noble, Elizabeth; HAVING TWINS.
Northrup, Christiane; WOMEN'S BODIES, WOMAN'S WISDOM. NY Bantam Books
Oakley, Anne; THE CAPTURED WOMB. Out-of-Print
Odent, Michael; BIRTH REBORN.
Odent, Michael; ENTERING THE WORLD: THE DE-
MEDICALIZATION OF CHILDBIRTH.
Odent, Michael; SCIENTIFICATION OF LOVE, Free Association Books, Nov. 1999.
Panuthos, Claudia; TRANSFORMATION THROUGH BIRTH. Out-of-Print
Panuthos, Claudia & Romeo; ENDED BEGINNINGS: HEALING CHILDBIRTH LOSSES.
Perez & Snedeker; SPECIAL WOMEN: THE ROLE OF THE PROFESSIONAL LABOR ASSISTANT
Peterson; AN EASIER CHILDBIRTH: A MOTHER'S WORKBOOK FOR HEALTH AND EMOTIONAL WELL-BEING DURING PREGNANCY AND DELIVERY. Out-of-Print
Peterson, G. & Mehl, L; PREGNANCY AS HEALING Peterson, G. & Mehl, L. Cesarean Birth.Out-of-Print
Peterson, Gayle; BIRTHING NORMALLY.
Pies, Cheri; CONSIDERING PARENTHOOD.
Prechtl, Heinz; THE NEUROLOGICAL EXAMINATION OF THE FULL TERM INFANT.
Presser, J., Brewer, G; Freehand, J; BREASTFEEDING.Out-of-Print
Raphael, Diana; THE TENDER GIFT: BREASTFEEDING.
Read; CHILDBIRTH WITHOUT FEAR.
Reeder, et. al; MATERNITY NURSING.
Rice & Young; BIRTH WAYS.
Rich, Adrienne; OF WOMAN BORN: MOTHERHOOD AS EXPERIENCE AND INSTITUTION New York: Bantam Books, 1977
Sagov, Feinbloom & Spindel with Brodsky; HOMEBIRTH: A PRACTITIONERS GUIDE TO BIRTH OUTSIDE THE HOSPITAL.
Sanford, A; THE HEALING LIGHT; USA: Macalister Park Publishing Co.
Savage, Wendy; A SAVAGE INQUIRY: WHO CONTROLS CHILDBIRTH?.
Siegel, B; LOVE, MEDICINE AND MIRACLES; New York: Harper & Row.
Simkin, Penny; GOOD BIRTH; SAFE BIRTH, THE BIRTH PARTNER, PREGNANCY, CHILDBIRTH, AND THE NEWBORN: THE COMPLETE GUIDE.
Smith, Trevor; HOMEOPATHIC MEDICINES FOR WOMEN.
Spallone, Patricia; BEYOND CONCEPTION: THE NEW POLITICS OF REPRODUCTION.
Spiegel, Allen; HOME HEALTH CARE: BIRTHING TO HOSPICE CARE. Out-of-Print
Sullivan & Weitz; LABOR PAINS: MODERN MIDWIVES AND HOMEBIRTH.Out-of-Print
Tew, Marjorie; SAFER CHILDBIRTH? A CRITICAL HISTORY OF MATERNITY CARE.
The Boston Woman's Health Collective; THE NEW OUR BODIES OURSELVES.
Ulrich; A MIDWIFES TALE.
van Olphen-Fehr, Juliana ; Diary of a Midwife: The Power of Positive Childbearing; 1998, Bergin and Garvey Publishers.
Veatch, Robert; DEATH DYING AND THE BIOLOGICAL REVOLUTION: OUR LAST QUEST FOR RESPONSIBILITY.
Venning, Saito; WILDFLOWERS OF NORTH AMERICA.
Vithoulkas, G; HOMEOPATHY: MEDICINE OF THE NEW MAN; New York: Grove Press Inc.Out-of-Print
Vithoulkas, G; THE SCIENCE OF HOMEOPATHY; New York: Grove Press Inc.
Wagner, Marsden; PURSUING THE BIRTH MACHINE: THE SEARCH FOR APPROPRIATE BIRTH TECHNOLOGY; Australia & U.K.: Ace Graphics
Wallach, Jacques; INTERPRETATIONS OF DIAGNOSTIC TESTS - A HANDBOOK.Out-of-Print
Weed, Susan; HEALING WISE; Woodstock, NY: Ash Tree Publishing.
Weinstein, Merryl; YOUR FERTILITY SIGNALS: USING THEM TO ACHIEVE OR AVOID PREGNANCY NATURALLY; St. Louis: Smooth Stone Press.
Wellish, Pam; HEARTS OPEN WIDE.
Whitly, Nancy; CLINICAL OBSTETRICS.Out-of-Print
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Entertaining Reading (Novels, etc.)
Midwives (paperback)
Midwives (hardcover)
Midwives (audio cassette) Kate Burton (Reader)
A Novelby Chris Bohjalian
In Midwives, Chris Bohjalian chronicles the events leading up to the trial of Sibyl Danforth, a respected midwife in the small Vermont town of Reddington, on charges of manslaughter. It quickly becomes evident, however, that Sibyl is not the only one on trial--the prosecuting attorney and the state's medical community are all anxious to use this tragedy as ammunition against midwifery in general; this particular midwife, after all, an ex-hippie who still evokes the best of the flower-power generation, is something of an anachronism in 1981. Through it all, Sibyl, her husband, Rand, and their teenage daughter, Connie, attempt to keep their family intact, but the stress of the trial--and Sibyl's growing closeness to her lawyer--puts pressure on both marriage and family. Bohjalian takes readers through the intricacies of childbirth and the law, and by the end of Sibyl Danforth's trial, it's difficult to decide which was more harrowing--the tragic delivery or its legal aftermath.
The Red Tent (paperback)by Anita Diamant
The Red Tent (hardcover)
A minor character from the book of Genesis tells her life story in this vivid evocation of the world of Old Testament women. The only surviving daughter of Jacob and Leah, Dinah occupies a far different world from the flocks and business deals of her brothers. She learns from her Aunt Sarah the mysteries of midwifery and from her other aunts the art of homemaking. Most important, Dinah learns and preserves the stories and traditions of her family, which she shares with the reader in touchingly intimate detail. Familiar passages from the Bible come alive as Dinah fills in what the Bible leaves out concerning Jacob's courtship of Rachel and Leah, her own ill-fated so- journ in the city of Sechem and her half-brother Joseph's rise to fame and fortune in Egypt. After several non- fiction works on Judaism, Diamant's fiction debut links the passions of the early Israelites to the ongoing tradi-
tions of modern Jews, while the red tent of her title (where women retreat for menstruation, childbirth and illness) becomes a resonant symbol of womanly strength, love and wisdom. Despite a few unprofitable digressions, Diamant succeeds admirably in depictingthe lives of women in the age that engendered our civilization and our most enduring values.
The River Midnight by Lilian Nattel
Like the mythical Polish shtetl of Blaszka in which it is set, The River Midnight is boisterous, tangled with secrets, and startlingly generous. Told more as nine interwoven stories, Lilian Nattel's debut novel portrays Jewish village life in the 19th century as both dense and wondrous. The novel uses a roughly nine-month period in 1894 as its framework, each chapter recounting many of the same events through the eyes of successive characters. Along the way we encounter the pettiness, charity, gossip, and customs that sustain the village, making its cramped life both full and frustrating. At the center of this whirl is Misha, the midwife, whose own pregnancy is one of the book's abiding mysteries, and who, despite her inscrutability, elicits a resolute affection from her fellow villagers: the men who have loved or admired her, and the women she has befriended, provoked, and, ultimately, redeemed. "I have to hold the secrets of the whole village," Misha explains, and as we learn of her girlhood friendships and adult loves, the twined network of those secrets becomes increasingly apparent.
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