The Midwife of Hope River by Patricia Harman

417 pages plus Q & A with Patricia Harman, Reading Group Discussion Guide and Historical Photographs. New York, William Morrow/HarperCollins, 2018. What more could a reader possibly want?” - Alicia Bay Laurel. “Patricia Harman.brings to life the impact of the First and Second World Wars upon the people of early 20th century rural America.True love, family, friendships, politics, history, nature, culture and babies.

Patricia Harman did it so well.” - Suzanne Arms. “I almost devoured, Once a Midwife.It’s not easy to write a novel that includes so many interwoven historical details, all the while keeping the reader’s attention on the human story, the impact of outer events on people’s lives and personal journeys. Told with great historical and personal depth, it also is the obvious love for the people of West Virginia that sets this novel apart. The USA Today bestselling author of The Midwife of Hope River returns with a heartfelt sequel, a novel teeming with life and full of humor and warmth, one that celebrates the human spirit. He served in World War I, but when the second world war erupted, he chose to be a conscientious objector to it. As a former West Virginia midwife herself, Harman tells the story with expertise, but in many ways the story centers more around Daniel, the husband of Patience, the midwife. From the dangerous mines of West Virginia to the terrifying attentions of the Klu Klux Klan, Patience must strive to bring new light, and life, into an otherwise cruel world.This is the fifth novel, and fourth set at Hope River, West Virginia, from Patricia (friends call her Patsy) Harman following two extraordinary memoirs. A stirring piece of Americana, The Midwife of Hope River beats with authenticity as Patience faces seemingly insurmountable conditions: disease, poverty, and prejudices threaten at every turn. Patience is willing to do what it takes to fulfill her mentor's wishes, but starting a midwife practice means gaining trust, and Patience's secrets are too fragile to let anyone in.

Just beginning, she takes on the jobs no one else wants: those most in need-and least likely to pay. A William Morrow Paperback Original A debut novel featuring Patience Murphy, an Appalachian midwife in the 1930s struggling against disease, poverty, and prejudices-and her own haunting past-to bring new light, and life, into an otherwise cruel world As a midwife working in the hardscrabble conditions of Appalachia during the Depression, Patience Murphy's only solace is her gift: the chance to escort mothers through the challenges of childbirth. A remarkable new voice in American fiction, creates an uplifting novel that celebrates the miracle of life.

The Midwife of Hope River by Patricia Harman