Anyone read/reading "Call the Midwife - A True Story of the East End in the 1950s "?

[bohemianbint]

here

Am half way through and it's fascinating!

Finished now. Found the whole book fascinating. I thought the saddest part was the life of Mrs Jenkins . I wasn't expecting it to finish so soon as there was still so many pages left in the book!

I agree with hamster - I sobbed my heart out over Mrs Jenkins' life. It was a really compelling read - I bought it on Sunday and had finished it by 1.45am on Monday!

I loved it, and have passed it on to my nan who was born on the isle of dogs so she was very interested in it. I loved about Conchita's and Lens secret to a happy marriage I think i read it in less than 2 days.

No, but I really want to. is aw it advertised on Amazon and it sounded really good. Wil have to wait a while for it though

Yes my mother leant it to me, Liked it but it just appeared to end as was not a complete story, more like short stories but def enjoyed reading the difference between then and now.

I've been reading this book and while I found the story and the stories interesting and I did enjoy it overall, I didn't think it was well written at all. Also found it riddled with typos which drove me mad, so it clearly hadn't been properly edited.

I have read this i thought it was a really good read

I did enjoy it, despite complaints. I liked that the descriptions were so much of stuff that you would actually think of - mounds of unwashed female flesh, smells, etc. No romanticising.

i am reading this too - she is a great storyteller, if not a great writer

am just up to Mrs Jenkin's story

the squalor is unimaginable and all less than two generations ago

len and conchita

think they had the secret of a happy marriage!

I love any social history brought to life like this.

i have just read the Mrs Jenkins chapter

my heart has been well and truly wrenched

there is another follow on book to this but i dont think it has anything to do with midwifery. but thought it might be worth a read as this one was so good.
its called shadows of the workhouse.

Have just read this and loved it too.
Agree that the Mrs Jenkins story made me cry.
Coincided with me doing some family history and finding out that my great-great grandfather was brought up in Whitechapel workhouse at a similar time to Mrs Jenkins...
Have ordered the sequel.

Yes, read it last year

Fascinating (and I used to live in the area which made it all the more interesting)

It made me cry a lot though

Mrs Jenkins - blub

The young Irish girl - blub

And the wonferful story near the end (Conchita's premature baby) - blub

I really really enjoyed the Midwife book. Couldn't put it down and read it in a day or two. My mum also loved it. She got the Workhouse book in hardback for Christmas, but said that it wasn't such a gripping read.

I loved both books and passed them on to mum with a bar of chocolate and a box of tissues.

Yes, have read this last year and thought it was really interesting and very well written.

Found some parts incredibly sad and generally its a very hard book to put down.

found it amazing. and very interesting that women then would do anything to avoid going to hospital to give birth!

Loved this book, was really fascinating, read it in about 2 days!

Have just read the 3rd in the series 'Farewell to the East End'.
Again a great read.
Cried buckets.
Wonderful insight into social/women's history.

I'm now reading Farewell to the East End. I agree that Workhouse isn't as good as CTM, Farewell is better but not as great, and has some more midwife stories as well as others. But they're still well worth a read.