Biographies....

I don't usually read a lot of biographies for the sake of biography... I read biographies where I'll learn something, about an era, about a culture, about a way of life, about change...

I recently read two amazing biographies. Labor of Love, by Cara Muhlhahn, and The Sun in the Morning, by Mollie Kaye.

Mollie Kaye wrote The Far Pavillions, an amazing novel of colonial India. She grew up in the midst of the British Empire, in India, and The Sun in The Morning is her story of an enchanted childhood in India. The descriptions of her adventures are breathtaking, bittersweet, and enthralling. She discusses her parents as well, how they met, their lives together. She had an amazing memory for small details, and would describe some object which told a story. Even though the book was basically a series of memories, tied together somewhat haphazardly, it does not feel haphazard. It feels deliberate, and really paints a picture of a forgotten era.

Labor of Love is the story of a midwife. Its fascinating to read about an ancient practice that still exists and thrives in today's modern world. The author does talk about the complications of being a midwife, and some of the run-ins she has had with the medical profession, as well as somewhat of where, sometimes, the medical profession goes wrong. But it is not, in any way, a negative book. Too many times, one can read these things and feel like you are being preached at, or have your faith denigrated, or even feel like the medical profession is the big bad boogeyman. This book really does none of those things. But it does talk about the experiences the author has had being a midwife, both good and bad. And it does talk about her interactions with doctors. It too is the story of a different world, hidden in modern culture. And it is reassuring to know that one can find midwives who have medical training. That there are a few options in life apart from home birth or hospital birth. And she does clarify a few things about birth centers and home birth and such and relative safety.