The Blue Cotton Gown, A Midwife’s Memoir by Patricia Harman
I have gotten so behind in the number of books that I’ve read but not yet reviewed that I hope you forgive me for failing to write my own summary for The Blue Cotton Gown, A Midwife’s Memoir by Patricia Harman. From the jacket flap:
Patricia Harman, a nurse-midwife, manages a women’s health clinic with her husband, Tom, an ob-gyn in West Virginia – a practice where patients open their hearts, where they find care and sometimes refuge. Patsy’s memoir juxtaposes the tales of these women with her own story of keeping a small medical practice solvent and coping with personal challenges. Her patients range from Appalachian mothers who haven’t had the opportunity to attend secondary school to Ph.D’s on cell phones. They come to Patsy’s small, windowless exam room and sit covered only by blue cotton gowns, and their infinitely varied stories are in equal parts heartbreaking and uplifting. The nurse-midwife tells of their lives over the course of a year and a quarter, a time when her outwardly successful practice is in deep financial trouble, when she is coping with malpractice threats, confronting her own serious medical problems and fearing that her thirty-year marriage may be on the verge of collapse.
The Blue Cotton Gown is one that I enjoyed reading while I was reading it but it’s not one that I flew through either. I would often just read short sections of the book at a time, walk away for a while and then be pulled back for another story. What I liked best about the book were the stories that Patsy would share about her patients. As a nurse-midwife, she practiced more than just medicine, she was a sounding board. Somebody that people felt comfortable confiding in.
While I was drawn into the reminiscing of Patsy’s life, her boys, worry about financial trouble, marriage, and background living on a commune as a hippie, I would have rather read more patient stories and less of Patsy. For some reason when the title said, “a midwife’s memoir” I was expecting all kinds of delivery stories (actually, Patsy doesn’t deliver babies at this time in her practice) and less about the the midwife. Which is crazy. Why would I think this? The book is a memoir. Memoir = an account of the author’s personal experiences. I feel that the fault of my expectations was my own. I don’t know why.
So long story short: the book took me a bit off guard. It wasn’t what I expected. I loved the patient stories. And would have loved even more of them. I liked learning about the practice of a midwife.
The Blue Cotton Gown is a quiet book. Very contemplative. Makes for a thoughtful read but don’t expect to be blown away by it.
Links of interest: Patricia Harman website.
Genre: Memoir
Publisher: Beacon Press. October 1, 2009
Hardcover, 296 pages. ISBN 0807072915
Source copy: review copy.
The Blue Cotton Gown is available from your favorite independent bookstore, Powell’s, and Amazon.
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Tags: A-D Title, E-H Author, female author, Non-Fiction, published 2009, review copy
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I think I would have expected more birth stories too.
on January 25th, 2010 at 8:04 amHmm, this sounds interesting!
on January 25th, 2010 at 8:11 amThe story doesn’t sound that appealing to me, but I looooove the cover! I often daydream about laying in a field of summer grass when I’m stuck in this dirty, messy, cold city.
on January 25th, 2010 at 10:12 amI actually got to meet Patsy at SIBA, so I have a good idea what the book’s like. I’m looking forward to reading it.
on January 25th, 2010 at 11:46 amI recently read a book that had an ending that just “suddenly stopped”. It was by a very notable author. I understand how we sometimes do not get what we want from a book. But sometimes, I suppose we must be taken on the journey the author wants to take us. Maybe by going to this unexpected place, we can find something within ourselves.
After I thought about the “suddenly ending novel”, I realized that the author had done it for a reason. It turned out to be a most pleasant thought process for me.
As an author, it can sometimes be difficult to fulfill the need of every single reader. I do try.
Just a thought, I wanted to share.
on January 25th, 2010 at 12:55 pmGL
Love the cover of your book. I could do that right about now. It would be hard for me to lie in the yard right now..we are surrounded by water from an overflowing stream due to heavy rains last night and this morning. It is going down now that the rain stopped but I do think it is very wet there yet. ha ha I will just dream of lying in the yard for now. Good luck on the book. susan L.
on January 25th, 2010 at 1:25 pmHi Natasha and friends, I just saw your website and comments about The Blue Cotton Gown: A Midwife’s Memoir. I’m the author!
I know what you mean about people expecting the book to be more about birth…part of the point of writing it was to show that midwive’s do much more. I’m surprised that it seemed slow. Most readers whip right through it in a day or two.
I wanted you to know that the book is dedicated to the courage of ordinary women. If you haven’t read it, you’ll see what I mean. I have another book coming out, in April, Natasha. I can have the editor send you a copy if you are interested in doing a review.
This one is more about birth, Arms Wide Open: A Midwife’s Journey. Another memoir. It follows me from the hippie homesteading homebirth days, through communes, through my training and finally ends a few years after The Blue Cotton Gown stopped. A grown up adventure story about idealism, hope and change. I know you are loaded with books to read, Natasha. All my best to all your followers. It’s a beautiful website. No longer a lurker! Patricia Harman
on March 7th, 2011 at 2:39 pm