Category Archives: Historical Fiction

Book Review Take My Hand

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Take My Hand

Dolen Perkins-Valdez

Summary

Montgomery, Alabama. 1973. Fresh out of nursing school, Civil Townsend has big plans to make a difference in her community. She wants to help women make their own choices for their lives and bodies.

But when her first week on the job takes her down a dusty country road to a tumbledown cabin and into the heart of the Williams family, Civil learns there is more to her new role than she bargained for. Neither of the two young sisters has even kissed a boy, but they are poor and Black, and for those handling their welfare benefits, that’s reason enough to have them on birth control. When Civil discovers a terrible injustice, she must choose between carrying out instructions or following her heart and decides to risk everything to stand up for what is right.

Inspired by true events and a shocking chapter of recent history, Take My Hand is a novel that will open your eyes and break your heart. An unforgettable story about love and courage, it is also a timely and uplifting reminder that one person can change the world.

Comments

This book was well recieved and enjoyed by our readers.

The story is fictional but the core subject matter is factual and based on actual events of that time. This was a dark and shocking period of very recent history.

Our group found this book educationally informative and at times emotionaly shocking.

The focus of the story is around a black american nurse in Montgomery Alabama in the early 1970’s.

Working in a federally funded family planning clinic, Civil Townsend, a newly registered nurse, is confronted by the harsh realities of birth control practices for poor black people. Civil develops a very close relationship with two young sisters under her care along with their father and grandmother. She is very conflicted about their treatment and the blind violation of these girls basic human rights. With the help of other key characters, that she activily conscripts to help, Civil decides to take legal action for these girls.

There was some critisism from our readers about the relationship development between some of the key characters, described as clumbsy and baffling at times. The individual character development however was respected with some characters moving readers to tears with their powerless vulnerability or with their conviction to help Civil to do right for poor, vulnerable people.

This book is a recommended read. The story is well written and flows very well. There is some jumping from 1973 to present day and back that some readers do find confusing but overall a good read. The disturbing thing about this story was our groups realisation that this treatment did not  happen just in Alabama but to the poor, the disabled and the mentally ill worlwide.

Read by MJ Readers

Book Review Lady Tan’s Circle of Women

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Lady Tan’s Circle of Women by Lisa See

About the book

In 15th century China two women are born under the same sign, the Metal Snake. But life will take the friends on very different paths.

According to Confucius, ‘an educated woman is a worthless woman’, but Tan Yunxian – born into an elite family, yet haunted by death, separation and loneliness – is being raised by her grandparents to be of use. She begins her training in medicine with her grandmother and, as she navigates the male world of medicine, requiring tact and diplomacy, she struggles against the confining world of her class.

From a young age, Yunxian learns about women’s illnesses, many of which relate to childbearing, alongside a young midwife-in-training, Meiling. The two girls find fast friendship and a mutual purpose – despite the prohibition that a doctor should never touch blood while a midwife comes in frequent contact with it – and they vow to be forever friends, sharing in each other’s joys and struggles. No mud, no lotus, they tell themselves: from adversity beauty can bloom.

How might a woman like Yunxian break free of tradition, go on to treat women and girls from every level of society, and lead a life of such importance that many of her remedies are still used five centuries later? How might the power of friendship support or complicate these efforts? Lady Tan’s Circle of Women is a captivating story of women helping other women. It is also a triumphant reimagining of the life of a woman who was remarkable in the Ming dynasty and would be considered remarkable today.

Comments

All members at our meeting enjoyed this story.

Historically we found the story fascinating. Chinese history in the mid 14th century, the Ming Dynasty. Although the story is a fictional account the historical detail throughout is enthralling.

The level of research of 15th century China is admirable. 

The story is centred around the real life of a female doctor, Tan Yunxian.

At the age of fifty she published a book about her medical cases, all of which were female. This book remains in print to this day thanks to her male descendants from the 17th century.

There is little to nothing known about the real Tan Yunxians life so the story revolves around the fictitious life story of a girl, born into a family of privilege in the Confucian period in China. 

The story beautifully details the lifestyle of females in her aristocratic family. Fortunately for Tan her family highly respects education and learning. 

Foot binding, social and class restrictions along with the educational requirements for young women to make them good daughters, good wives and then good mothers is engagingly well written throughout Tan’s life.

Our group also loved the detail of research by Lisa See into the medical cures that Lady Tan used and the descriptions of her diagnostic methodology with each of her patients. The novel also details the lack of appropriate medical diagnosis offered to women during this time.

There is an engaging story that runs through the novel with each character giving inciteful detail into the lives of the people of that class and sex during the time period, particularly midwives.

Tan Yunxian, through Lisa See, has been given her place in history with recognition of her medical brilliance, her ongoing self education and learning, and her care for her fellow females, no matter their class or social standing during this incredibly repressive time for so many in human history.

Read by MJ Readers Book Club

Book Review Jessica

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Jessica by Bryce Courtenay

About the book

Jessica is based on the inspiring true story of a young girl’s fight for justice against tremendous odds.
A tomboy, Jessica is the pride of her father, as they work together on the struggling family farm. One quiet day, the peace of the bush is devastated by a terrible murder. Only Jessica is able to save the killer from the lynch mob – but will justice prevail in the courts?

Nine months later, a baby is born … with Jessica determined to guard the secret of the father’s identity. The rivalry of Jessica and her beautiful sister for the love of the same man will echo throughout their lives – until finally the truth must be told.

Set in the harsh Australian bush against the outbreak of World War I, this novel is heartbreaking in its innocence, and shattering in its brutality.

Comments

Our group was divided in their enjoyment of this book with some finding the story an enjoyable and informative read while others were very put off by the nastiness of some characters all throughout the book. So many morally bankrupt people.

The characters were found to be very one dimensional, either “Black or White” in their moral and ethical “goodness.”

Another criticism was about the story line which, to some, was very convoluted.

A few of our readers know the region this story was set in and found the author struggled to describe the Australian bush adequately.

However, those that liked the book really enjoyed it! 

There was agreement that the second half of the book was more enjoyable and informative than the first half of the book. The characters were more dimensional and the legal proceedings regarding stolen generation children and families were thought provoking and revealing. 

Some readers did not enjoy the first half of the book enough to continue on for the second half developments. They found this book depressing

We found this was definitely not a book for people who have inter-family traumas, and some found it to be a long read waiting for something good to happen.

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Book Review The Railwayman’s Wife

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The Railwayman’s Wife by Ashely Hay

About the book

In a small town on the land’s edge, in the strange space at a war’s end, a widow, a poet and a doctor each try to find their own peace, and their own new story.

In Thirroul, in 1948, people chase their dreams through the books in the railway’s library. Anikka Lachlan searches for solace after her life is destroyed by a single random act. Roy McKinnon, who found poetry in the mess of war, has lost his words and his hope. Frank Draper is trapped by the guilt of those his treatment and care failed on their first day of freedom. All three struggle with the same question: how now to be alive.

Comments

We found this to be a beautifully written book, very much enjoyed by the group. Some readers did say this was not a book that was for them or a book they would normally have chosen but they commended the lovely writing style of the author.

As a group we found the key characters were very likable.

The downside for our group was the focus on poetry all throughout the book. We found the poetry written in the story was not at all outstanding or enjoyable and to some readers it was bland and uninspiring.

There were many themes in this story discussed in detail by the group.

Anika, the main character in the book. Her transformation from a secure loving and loved wife and mother to a grieving widow, mother to a grieving child and thrust quickly, through necessity’ into working woman.

We found the grieving process for Anika and her daughter in the year after Macs death was a well detailed theme throughout the book.

Anikas relationship with Mac, her husband. Her reflections on their life after his death reveals some marital restrictions placed on her throughout their marriage that were not evident to her at the time during their marriage. 

This book was read by our group in April, the month of Anzac day. The post war traumas of Roy and Frank were very relevant at this time along with Australian society’s attitude to men who did not go to war for whatever reasons.

The character of Roy was also complex in his presentation. His romanticised view of Anika as his “muse” not one year after the violent death of her husband.

The ending of the story was also discussed at length with many differing opinions on interpretation of events and specific character responses to events.

Read by MJ Readers

A year of eAudiobooks

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Why listening to eAudiobooks is my favourite thing to do!

I am not ashamed to admit, that if I cannot listen to an eAudiobook daily; I tend to turn into an irritable, tired toddler.

At the end of a long eight hours of work, the only way I can make it through the commute home is to turn on my current eAudiobook and relax into an hour of non interrupted bliss.

Making time for reading can be difficult, that is why I love listening to eAudiobooks. Anywhere, anytime I can be transported to another world, time and place. eAudiobooks bring the story to life and provides a deeper connection to the story and characters.

To all those non-believers out there I say, “don’t knock it until you try it”.

Included in this post are the eAudiobooks I have listened to this year plus, a few of my favourites that I listen to every year. My hope is that you too will discover something great to listen to.

All the amazing eAudiobooks below can be accessed via City of Parramatta Libraries Borrow Box collection.

Happy listening,

Jody

My absolute favourites! eAudiobooks I listen to each year.