Witches, Midwives, and Nurses: A History of Women Healers
Ratings7
Average rating4.1
15
Ratings7
Average rating4.1
Witches, Midwives, and Nurses examines how women-led healing was delegitimized to make way for patriarchy, capitalism, and the emerging medical industry.
As we watch another agonizing attempt to shift the future of healthcare in the United States, we are reminded of the longevity of this crisis, and how firmly entrenched we are in a system that doesn't work.
First published by the Feminist Press in 1973, Witches, Midwives, and Nurses is an essential book about the corruption of the medical establishment and its historic roots in witch hunters. In this new and updated edition, Barbara Ehrenreich and Deirdre English delve into the current fascination with and controversies about witches, exposing our fears and fantasies. They build on their classic exposé on the demonization of women healers and the political and economic monopolization of medicine. This quick history brings us up-to-date, exploring today's changing attitudes toward childbirth, alternative medicine, and modern-day witches.
Reviews with the most likes.
I read & reviewed this book for my nonfiction research blog! As an author with an interest in folklore and magic, I came at this book from a different angle than most. However, the historian in me very much appreciated the context in the introduction (I read the 2010 second edition) and the quality of the citations/handling of historical data. The section on healing in the Middle Ages, which was my primary interest, was concise and clear. It's a quick read overall, so if you have a copy nearby, why not read it? ;)
A more detailed review at~
https://ellehartford.com/witches-midwives-nurses/
Featured Series
1 released bookContemporary Classics - The Feminist Press is a 4-book series first released in 1972 with contributions by Barbara Ehrenreich, Deirdre English, and Ann Jones.
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