the birth house

let us just start at the beginning

which is, of course, the inspiration

to write such a remarkable tale

the author, ami mckay,

moved to a new home

with a distinct (and awesome) history:

it was a birth house!

a home where women came to birth children

under the guidance of a trained-by-experience only midwife.

now.

to the literary beauty itself: the birth house

i am not a fan of tales (aka fiction)

i like memoirs.

and thats basically it.

however.

i could not put this book down.

it was absolutely luring and had me from the very first word

it is a tale of midwifery

of an ancient tradition passed on from woman to woman

who were accused of being "witches", of being "wickedly evil"

because they could use potions, herbs and words to coax babies

out of wombs

and into worlds

(of course they could also heal the common cold and any other ob-gyn issues)

it is a tale of love

and, sometimes, loss

of women ranting and raging

for the right to do whatever they so please with their own bodies

it is a tale of science and medicine

attempting to take control

every rant and every rave suddenly became a sign of "psychosis"

a sure sign that they needed a doctor now more than ever

it is a tale of the brutal history

of medicine and birthing

(which we are still very much so a part of today)

it is a tale of endurance and strength

midwives stood their guard

pitchfork at the throat of trespassing doctors (ok fine, only sometimes)

and, finally,

it is a tale of family

and how they form

by blood

or otherwise.

it is a tale

that you should seriously consider reading