Wednesday, March 06, 2013

Giveaway of the novel The Midwife's Tale: A Mystery

Earlier this year, St. Martin’s Press published Sam Thomas' debut novel, The Midwife’s Tale: A Mystery. The novel is set in seventeenth century England, in the midst of their civil war. It tells the story of a midwife named Bridget Hodgson as she tries to solve a murder before her friend – wrongly convicted – is executed for the crime.


I am thrilled to sponsor a giveaway of the book!

Sam Thomas wrote to me recently, explaining how he--a historian and academic--came to write a novel about a midwife: 

You might be wondering how an American man came to write about an English midwife. It’s a rather long story, so I’ll keep it brief. In a previous life, I taught history at the college level, and the focus of my research was the history of childbirth and midwifery, and I published several articles on the history of midwifery in historical journals.

When I left the Ivory Tower for high school teaching I wanted to keep writing about midwives, so I turned my hand to fiction. All of this is to say that while the book is fiction, the history is solid as can be.

I should also mention that Bridget Hodgson, the protagonist of my novel, is based on a real midwife of the same name who I discovered in the archives. I try to make clear that in the seventeenth century, the work of a midwife was broader in scope than today. Midwives not only cared for mothers and newborns, they played a vital ceremonial role in the baptisms and the (all too frequent) burials of the children they delivered.

In addition to this, midwives investigated crimes ranging from bastard-bearing, to witchcraft, to infanticide. The one constant between past and present, I think, is that the profession attracted strong, assertive women.

To enter the giveaway:
  • Visit www.samthomasbooks.com, then leave a comment here about why you'd like to read this book
  • For an additional entry, list your favorite fiction or non-fiction book about midwives (new comment, please)
  • Giveaway open to US or Canada residents
  • Giveaway ends Saturday, March 9 at 5 pm EST

34 comments:

  1. This book likes delightful. I've never read a historical fiction work about midwives, but only contemporary things. It'll be an interesting change to read about midwifery from ages ago.

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  2. I also loved Chris Bohjalian's Midwives. It was a captivating story!

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  3. I read the excerpt from the book on www.samthomasbooks.com and now I have to know who the father of Mercy's child is! Thanks for a great giveaway.

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  4. I just read a book called Catching Babies and I could barely put it down.

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  5. I'd like to read this book because it looks like something right up my alley.

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  6. I can't decide between Baby Catcher and Lady's Hands, Lion's Heart. No, wait! It's actually that Jennifer Worth book about being an East End midwife, the name of which is escaping me. Is it something really obvious like "The Midwife"?

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  7. I love birthy books. I would love to win this one.

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  8. I recently read the Birth House and really enjoyed it, although it was had some unexpected triggers and made me sad. For non fiction I love all of Ina May Gaskin's books.

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  9. I love midwifery books!
    My favorite midwife book is Call The Midwife.

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  10. I love historical fiction and I am a midwife, so I know I have to check this book out. Spiritual Midwifery, by Ina May Gaskin, changed the course of my life.

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    1. I used to live in North Alabama - Ina May is a legend there. Best of all, a midwife came to my second every presentation, and had me sign a book for Ina May!

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  11. I love books about childbirth and midwifery, and this looks like one I'd really enjoy.

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  12. This book sounds absolutely fascinating, and I love how much diving the author has done in order to understand and be able to portray the life of a midwife of that time.

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  13. The Midwife's Apprentice is a book that I read when I was very young and still remember and love.

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  14. I would like to read this book because I am really fascinated with birth stories and midwifing and historical fiction sounds really interesting!

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  15. I actually have never read any books about midwives - mostly have read blogs and watched documentaries. I think the closest I came was reading the Handmaid's Tale but I really don't think that counts!

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  16. The excerpt was so catchy. I wanted to find out more!

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  17. I loved the red tent. Love all things birth. Can't wait to read the latest installment in your birth journey. I just wrote my fourth as well. Best wishes for a safe and beautiful birth!

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  18. Sounds really interesting and the excerpt left me hanging!

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  19. I would love to read this book because I find midwifery fascinating. Books about them usually remind me to take more joy in both my woman and motherhood.

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  20. My favorite midwifery book so far is The Birth House. I loved the setting and thought it was a great book.

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  21. I am looking forward to reading this book!! My grandmother was a midwife in the early 1900's in the Middle East. I am writing a novel that was inspired by events in her life and would love to learn more about the historical aspects of midwifery.

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  22. This book sounds like my kind of book. I love all types of historical fiction.
    campbellamyd at gmail dot com

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  23. My favorite midwife book is Orlean Puckett The Life of a Mountain Midwife.
    campbellamyd at gmail dot com

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  24. I've had six homebirths and find books about midwives—both fiction and nonfiction—to be fascinating.

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  25. So far my favorite is Baby Catcher.

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  26. I love historical fiction, and I love midwifery. A book that combines the two sounds fantastic! Lynette

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  27. I liked The Birth House and My Name is Mary Sutton. Lynette

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  28. I've been hearing about this book, and I'm very interested in reading it. Sounds fascinating!

    -- jonquil.wolfson@gmail.com

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  29. I also enjoyed "The Birth House," but the book I've reread many times is " Birth Stories: Mystery, Power, and Creation" by Jane Dwinell.

    -- jonquil.wolfson@gmail.com

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  30. I'm trying to expand my library of midwifery books, I would love to win this one!

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  31. I most recently read "The Midwife of Hope River" but my favourite has to be "The Birth House".

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  32. I've never read a book about midwives before, but I have heard about the one who helped my grandmother have my mother, aunt and uncle. All three were born at home in the 20's since back then few women went to the hospital to have a baby. After reading the intense excerpt, I am curious to know who the father was and if the mother revealed the name so the midwife would help her. denannduvall@gmail.com.

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  33. I just finished The Midwife's Tale and really enjoyed it!

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