M. Griffith: The Erudite scholarship and analysis of Ulrich is really incredible- what she draws forth is wonderful- highly recommended reading. Really amazing.
United States on Nov 18, 2023
Client Kindle: Incredible book. The historic methodology of Thatcher is amazing, the writing's too. I'm persuaded that it is a TV series adaptation material. A beautiful work of micro-history.
France on Sep 20, 2023
Diane T: I have read this book for the second time and was as fascinated with Martha Ballard as the first time. An excellent read.
United States on Sep 15, 2023
Amazon Customer: Vivid and very informative. I enjoyed the actual words of Martha herself more than the analytical side of the diary. I read this for genealogy purposes and was not disappointed .
United States on Jun 20, 2023
Brenda M: Enjoyed this book
United Kingdom on Aug 21, 2017
Kindle Customer: I bought this book because I found the subject matter interesting. As I started reading I was shocked to find out that Martha Ballard was from my home town and many of the people and events mentioned in her diary were familiar to me.
As a historian and I found the author's research in combination with the diary very impressive. I really enjoyed this book and am looking forward to reading more of her work.
Germany on Apr 24, 2015
Javeron: I nearly abandoned this after the first few pages because it seemed so inconsequential, but then it sucked me in and I became completely immersed in the world of Martha Ballard. It is a book that will now stay with me - a reference point in recognising the significance of quiet lives and how the detail illuminates the big themes of history. And I am in awe of the skill with which Ulrich has bound together the diary extracts with commentary that brings her subject to life and leaping off the page.
United Kingdom on Jan 12, 2014
Amateur123: I'm a history student and bought this for one of my medical history modules, but I enjoyed it far beyond just a scholarly case study. Ulrich has really gone above and beyond in picking apart the diary of Martha Ballard, an eighteenth century midwife and medicine woman in her New England town. She says herself that the diary had previously been dismissed as just boring, repetitive women's work but Ulrich shows that this is what's so interesting about it. It shows the day-to-day life of women who would otherwise go down in history as just someone's wife (or be left out of history altogether), and shows their important role in the house, the family and in society. Martha was a respected woman of medicine and provides an insight into the role of women at childbirth, as well as into a transitional period in medicine where science and male doctors were becoming more involved. The diary furthermore reveals more about early American medicine, beliefs and society in general. It can sometimes be difficult to plow through, as well as frustrating when Martha says so little about something juicy! But it is also a rare primary source on the female perspective from this period and I found myself...
United Kingdom on Oct 06, 2013
Solana: This book is rather complicated. With excerpts from Martha's diary, we are treated to a peek at life in Hallowell Maine from 1785-1812. Part of what fascinated me was the use of herbal remedies, and other resources close to hand.
In years past I have done a bit of study into these things myself, and was intrigued by how and what herbs were used by this woman who was midwife and doctor, nurse and friend to the women in her community. He usual fee was 6 pence, but she was often paid in goods or service and often according to the means of the family she visited. One family might pay nothing, and Martha would forgive the debt, just to see the woman brought to bed with her child safely and in good health for both. Another family would take pride in paying her very handsomely with goods and money far beyond what she requested.
Martha made her way to these families in the best and the worst of circumstances. A winters night might find her plowing through waist high snow on foot. Another early morning might find her ensconced in a carriage and carried by this means to her door. This, as you can imagine was a rare event. Far more often is was on foot or horseback.
It...
United States on Oct 24, 2010
| The Incredible Life of Martha Ballard: A Midwife's Tale | Alexander Hamilton's Impact on the American Revolutionary War, 1814-1815 | John Adams and David McCullough's "1776": A Comprehensive Look at the Revolutionary War | |
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| B2B Rating |
78
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97
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96
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| Sale off | $18 OFF | $24 OFF | |
| Total Reviews | 10 reviews | 519 reviews | 80 reviews |
| Dimensions | 5.11 x 0.93 x 7.97 inches | 6.45 x 1.98 x 9.51 inches | 6.25 x 1.7 x 9.25 inches |
| Language | English | English | English |
| Item Weight | 12.2 ounces | 2.64 pounds | 2.55 pounds |
| Paperback | 444 pages | ||
| ISBN-13 | 978-0679733768 | 978-1594200090 | 978-0684813639 |
| Best Sellers Rank | #58 in Women in History#178 in Women's Biographies#179 in U.S. State & Local History | #16 in American Revolution Biographies #68 in Presidents & Heads of State Biographies#355 in United States History | #24 in American Revolution Biographies #49 in U.S. Revolution & Founding History#96 in US Presidents |
| Customer Reviews | 4.4/5 stars of 642 ratings | 4.7/5 stars of 31,886 ratings | 4.7/5 stars of 5,201 ratings |
| Publisher | Vintage; Reprint edition | The Penguin Press | Simon & Schuster; First Edition |
| Women's Biographies | Women's Biographies | ||
| Women in History | Women in History | ||
| U.S. State & Local History | U.S. State & Local History | ||
| ISBN-10 | 0679733760 | 1594200092 | 0684813637 |
United States on Dec 13, 2023