![]() ![]() ![]() Orphan, unwed mother, widow, midwife-Patience Murphy is a worthy adversary.įollowing her acclaimed memoirs ( Arms Wide Open: A Midwife’s Journey, 2011, etc.), Harman offers her debut novel, tracing the life of a midwife in Appalachia. Yet Patience Murphy is no ordinary midwife. Indeed, much of society would question whether she meets the primary qualification for midwives in early-20th-century America: good moral character. Orphaned at the age of 14, Patience is sent to live first with a kind widow and then to Saint Mary’s House of Mercy Orphanage. She makes good use of herself, reading to the younger children and working in the laundry. Eventually, Patience escapes her drudgery to become a chorus girl, lying about her name and age to secure the job. ![]() Prohibition, the Ku Klux Klan, unions, Mother Jones-the early-20th century would be a tough world for anyone. ![]()
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