--- product_id: 1324301 title: "The Midwife of Hope River: A Novel of an American Midwife Paperback – August 28, 2012" brand: "patricia harman" price: "VT7895" currency: VUV in_stock: true reviews_count: 9 url: https://www.desertcart.vu/products/1324301-the-midwife-of-hope-river-a-novel-of-an-american store_origin: VU region: Vanuatu --- # The Midwife of Hope River: A Novel of an American Midwife Paperback – August 28, 2012 **Brand:** patricia harman **Price:** VT7895 **Availability:** ✅ In Stock ## Quick Answers - **What is this?** The Midwife of Hope River: A Novel of an American Midwife Paperback – August 28, 2012 by patricia harman - **How much does it cost?** VT7895 with free shipping - **Is it available?** Yes, in stock and ready to ship - **Where can I buy it?** [www.desertcart.vu](https://www.desertcart.vu/products/1324301-the-midwife-of-hope-river-a-novel-of-an-american) ## Best For - patricia harman enthusiasts ## Why This Product - Trusted patricia harman brand quality - Free international shipping included - Worldwide delivery with tracking - 15-day hassle-free returns ## Description Full description not available ## Images ![The Midwife of Hope River: A Novel of an American Midwife Paperback – August 28, 2012 - Image 1](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/71CgxqDjQnL.jpg) ## Customer Reviews ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 5.0 out of 5 stars Engrossing read, relatable and likable characters! *by K***N on Reviewed in the United States on September 1, 2019* This book drew me right into the lives of these characters with a wonderful depth of perception about how the best and worst parts of ourselves manifest. It also shows how we can support each other to bring out our best selves. It was wonderful to see examples of how this can happen even in the most difficult and tragic times of our lives. I enjoyed the level of detail offered about the medical and nursing aspects of the cases she presented and the realism of life in that tine and circmstance. I have lived a life like that with the milk cows and chickens and hauling water and cutting firewood and could relate to the strength and determination required of that life. Such a fun read, thank you! ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐ 4.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful Novel *by D***S on Reviewed in the United States on March 17, 2015* The Midwife of Hope River by Patricia Harman has been out for ages and I’ve even owned the audiobook for a lot of that time but despite wanting to read it I never found the time to. Well when the chance to review the sequel for a book tour came up I knew it was time because you can’t read the sequel without having read the first book and I’m so glad I did. Besides that I have a fascination with all things to do with midwifery especially pertaining to long ago times such as the 1930’s when this book takes place. The Midwife of Hope River is about so much more than just birthing babies – it’s about struggling in hard times, friendship, heartbreak, and above all hope in new life, whether it be a birth or a rediscovery of one’s self.Taking place in the 1930’s we meet Patience Murphy who is an Appalachian midwife. Patience came to Hope River to escape her own haunting past. Patience, being new to the community, doesn’t turn anyone in need away. She births babies for everyone – the rich, the poor, the black, the white. Along the way she makes some good friends like Bitsy who ends up being her assistant. I loved Bitsy who was a strong, intelligent black woman with a wit that often had me smiling. As they attend births and experience both joy and sadness Patience finds herself reflecting on her own past and all that has happened to bring her to where she is now. As the two women become closer Patience is given a first hand look at what it is like to be a black woman in the 1930’s. People look down on Patience for having Bitsy living with her and assisting her but Patience doesn’t budge. She isn’t going to have anyone tell her who she can be friends with or work with for that matter. As tensions rise though Patience wonders if she will be able to keep the both of them safe.I loved this story and what I thought most impressive was the reality portrayed in the pages of this book and then I found out that Patricia Harman is herself a certified midwife and it all made sense. When you read a book like this you thank your lucky stars that you live in the times of modern medicine. As Harman describes the births and how harrowing they could be with babies or mothers dying you can understand how hard it was for women back then. Some women could afford to go to a hospital but a great majority and especially the ones that Patience administered to could not. More than that most couldn’t pay for the services either. They paid in food or whatever they could and Patience accepted that as well because more often than not she needed what they were offering as payment. I loved the author’s writing as well. She so vividly describes the sights, sounds, and smells of the births that I felt I was in those homes with those country folk just praying all would go well. What I feel most thankful for is that nowadays with modern medicine many more women and children make it even through the most harrowing of circumstances.For fans of historical fiction and novels on midwifery I think The Midwife of Hope River is one of the best I’ve read. I listened to the audiobook which was narrated by Anne Wittman and oh my she does a good job from the birthing scenes to the highly emotional tone of this novel at times. She truly does bring this novel alive for the listener. Highly recommended. ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 5.0 out of 5 stars A midwife during the depression does not do this for the money. *by C***R on Reviewed in the United States on August 28, 2021* This was an interesting story of a woman thrown into the life of a midwife during the 1920s, who did the best she could during the Depression after the 1929 Crash in a rural part of West Virginia. Having lived in the city of Chicago and Philadelphia, Lizabeth aka/Patience, has to acclimate to life in coal country in rural W. Virginia. As money grows more scarce, she gets no pay for most of her deliveries. Sometimes she and her helper, Bitsy, get a chicken, ham, or even a woven basket from one mother. The county pays 25 cents to record a birth, and some months those quarters (3 or 4) are all that the midwife has to feed herself and Bitsy on. She does have a farm that the two women try to keep up with. The area citizens are in as bad straits as Patience, but they try to support her the best they can. The story was very real, and I look forward to the next book in this series. --- ## Why Shop on Desertcart? - 🛒 **Trusted by 1.3+ Million Shoppers** — Serving international shoppers since 2016 - 🌍 **Shop Globally** — Access 737+ million products across 21 categories - 💰 **No Hidden Fees** — All customs, duties, and taxes included in the price - 🔄 **15-Day Free Returns** — Hassle-free returns (30 days for PRO members) - 🔒 **Secure Payments** — Trusted payment options with buyer protection - ⭐ **TrustPilot Rated 4.5/5** — Based on 8,000+ happy customer reviews **Shop now:** [https://www.desertcart.vu/products/1324301-the-midwife-of-hope-river-a-novel-of-an-american](https://www.desertcart.vu/products/1324301-the-midwife-of-hope-river-a-novel-of-an-american) --- *Product available on Desertcart Vanuatu* *Store origin: VU* *Last updated: 2026-05-11*