Call the Midwife

A Memoir of Birth, Joy, and Hard Times

By: Jennifer Worth

Narrated by: Nicola Barber

Audie Award Nominee, Solo Narration - Female, 2013

At the age of 22, Jennifer Worth left her comfortable home to move into a convent and become a midwife in postwar London’s East End slums. The colorful characters she met while delivering babies all over London - from the plucky, warm-hearted nuns with whom she lived to the woman with 24 children who couldn't speak English to the prostitutes and dockers of the city’s seedier side - illuminate a fascinating time in history. Beautifully written and utterly moving, Call the Midwife will touch the hearts of anyone who is, and everyone who has, a mother.

©2002 Jennifer Worth (P)2012 HighBridge Company

Critic reviews

"A charming tale of deliveries and deliverance." ( Kirkus Reviews)

Fantastic Book...

If you could sum up Call the Midwife in three words, what would they be?

The PBS series was fascinating, the book was better.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Call the Midwife?

To find out one of the boys became one of Lady Di's drivers. Not only ar there wonderful stories of birth, but so much history after WW 2.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

It made me smile, with so many stories it told.

Any additional comments?

Think this book is for all.

Outstanding performance by Nicola Barber

I loved the television production and even more loved the audio version of the book. The narrator faced a real challenge with so many different characters and she deserves six stars for her performance.

A memoir of Birth, Joy and hard Times

Would you consider the audio edition of Call the Midwife to be better than the print version?

Probably. Nicola Barber did a commendable job with this book. Some reviewers do have complaints regarding the low whispering tone she takes sometimes, and I found it a little annoying at first, but the short stories in the book were so compelling that I was able to look past the minor annoyance.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Conchita, jennifer (of course), and Chummy.

Which scene was your favorite?

The birth of a baby during Christmas dinner; a tortoise appearing from under the bed! I laughed out loud!

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

yes, the births of Conchita Warren's children. I hope to hear more from this family in subsequent books.

Any additional comments?

This book is a wonderful addition to any library. While it primarily addresses women's issues, it details the way life was lived in the 1950s, contrasted with life today... certain things just surprised me about the advances in medical science, and how sometimes human intuition can be as or more beneficial than the most scientific of medical care.

I am thrilled that the other two books in this trilogy are FINALLY available on Audible; I will be reading them shortly!

Enjoyed the book after watching the series

I enjoyed watching the TV series and the book was great, too. I think the narrator did a commendable job and I don't have an complaints about her.

The author paints a very vivid picture of childbirth and midwifery in mid 20th century England, and it seems we certainly have come a long way since then. Her experiences with the birthing mothers, their families, and particularly the nuns make for delightful stories.

I would recommend both the book and the series.

Fascinating, but heart-wrenching in parts

This was an amazing glimpse into nursing care in the 50s. I admired the author's unflinching honesty both of the situations she found herself in and her own character through the trials she experienced.

There were some spots that were so graphically horrid that I had to leave the book for a few days before returning. Again, it was just honestly, but how anyone lived through seeing some of what she saw and heard is beyond my comprehension. I've always had great respect for nurses, but these women were more than nurses, they were heroes and saviors to those they helped.

These reviews very interesting

Seems that if you were a child a this era you will appreciate it more. I was born at the end of this era and love the heating the inside story of the nuns and personalities. I love historical stories too. Now add being 2nd generation Irish I found it charming. Such a relief to hear good writing and great characters!

Outstanding narration of evocative history

The performance of the narrator makes this audio book. It sounds like you are sitting across from someone taking about their life more than reading a book... And the variety of accents of people of different backgrounds completes the picture of the time and place as voices I'd make up in my own head could never.

The book is not as emotionally affecting as the show on PBS, but it does a lot towards describing the post war conditions in England and the (halting) social transformation during that period-something that the PBS show soft-pedals a bit.

It does seem to romanticize at times and is likely not a reliable source for historic social analysis, but memoir is less about the truth of history and more an account of what a person who has lived through it take away from the experience.

Highly recommend.

Like the PBS series...

Like the PBS series of yester-year... the series spawned by this book... Worth's writings are lovely, thoughtful, and true-to-life, showing a great understanding of human nature and of the human condition. Though I don't share her particular brand of religion, I was touched by the honesty of her own personal convictions.

Love and Light... Jade Dragon

Better than I had imagined

At first the cockney brogue put me off, but it was a necessity for telling the story. I might add that the reader does an exceptional job of slipping in and out between characters. The stories, or incidents, that comprise the book are all very interesting and make good life lessons.

Loved this book - fascinating historical info

If you could sum up Call the Midwife in three words, what would they be?

Fascinating, humourous, informative.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Call the Midwife?

The story of the Spanish lady coming to the UK at around the age of 12 and the birth of her 24th child was very touching.

Which character – as performed by Nicola Barber – was your favorite?

Les, the husband of the Spanish lady. His character was so well described I felt like I knew him.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

The story about Jean (?) and her 5 children in the workhouse was very sad. The suffering and poverty in those days makes us look like a pack of complainers.

Any additional comments?

Nicola Barber's voice is a rather 'squeaky' and I found it faded in and out a fair bit which was very irritating. Her pronunciation is not the best either. For example, she couldn't decide whether it was NON-atus or non-ATUS House.