Customer Reviews

The First Woman Doctor (Scholastic Biography)

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This is an important story about a woman who did amazing things. One feature that stands out is her interaction with so many other influential characters of her day. (Though this may simply be a result of the way biographers obtain their material.)

The reader must note that the book was originally written in 1944 and therefore the writing style is very challenging (and even dull, in spite of the amazing tale that is to be told) for an 8-year-old. The sentences are convoluted, the dialogue -- which is quite sparse to begin with -- is confusing, and many archaic words are used. My 8-year-old, who has torn through 700 pages of Harry Potter, was very excited to conquer this 188-page biography but got stuck very early on and it was like pulling teeth to get her beyond Chapter 4.

One day I decided I wanted to read a Non Fiction book. When I was looking through my bookcase and I found a book called The First Woman Doctor. I decided to read it because I would like to become a pediatrician some day. I began to read the book and I thought the book had a lot of descriptive words. I could tell that this book was going to be an interesting book.

The book was about a girl named Elizabeth Blackwell who wanted to become a doctor. Unfortunately for her there weren't any medical schools that would let her in because she was a girl. Then the Geneva Medical College let her in because they wanted to play a joke on her. Elizabeth became a doctor and she also gave other girls a chance to become a doctor.

My favorite part of the book was when she finally reached her goal to becoming a doctor. What I really admire was her perseverance to accomplishing the task of becoming the first woman doctor. If it was not for her I think there would still have no women doctors today.

I got this book to read out loud to my children. They seem to enjoy it (after all, Blackwell's story is fascinating and inspiring!), but I have been disappointed. The characters are rather flat, there is a lot of repetition, and the author moralizes a great deal. I have ended up reading only excerpts from it as I can't stand to slog through the whole thing. Although the book has been informative on the barriers that Blackwell overcame and on her accomplishments, I wish there was more social, historical, and medical context.

Elizabeth Blackwell became the first woman doctor after facing against all odds. When Elizabeth Blackwell was little she always made everything she did perfect. She was always learning more and studied her lessons very hard. As she got older she began to become restless. She felt as if nothing challenged her and that there was something more that she could do. She said that it felt like her life was being wasted. When she was caring for a sick friend, her friend told her that she should become a doctor. Elizabeth took to the idea. She soon went to Philadelphia to take private lessons with Doctor Elder. She stayed there for quite some time and learned a lot, but knew she couldn't go very far with private lessons. She decided to apply to a medical school. Every reply she got back said that they couldn't admit a woman to their school. She finally got a reply from the last school. She was accepted into Geneva College. She graduated from Geneva with a degree full honors. From there she went to work a Blockey Almshouse. She worked there for a while then thought that she would go to Paris to see if she could get a job as an actual doctor. She got a job as a nurse at La Maternite. She worked long hours and the work was very demanding. She had an accident that left her blind in one eye. She then came back to the USA and opened a small dispensary. After a short time the dispensary closed and with the help of her sister and their new friend they opened a hospital where women could work as doctors. The hospital became so successful that with Elizabeth's help a college was opened where women could study to become doctors. She was bored in America so Elizabeth went to England to work more. She did much there and founded the National Health Society which worked on preventing disease instead of just curing it. And finally she died in 1910, at the age of 89. This is a great story of a woman with a good heart and a strong will.
After Elizabeth accomplished something she would start planning for something else. For example, after she came back to America from working in France, she started planning to open a dispensary. She thought that it would do some good giving medical help in a poor town. Also, after she opened the dispensary, she started making plans for a hospital where women could work as doctors. And after that, she had an idea for school that men and women could go to become doctors and nurses.
No matter what, Elizabeth never gives up. When she was applying to schools, they all rejected her because she was a woman. But she kept trying until she found a school that would take her. Also, when she was working in Paris, there were such ling hours and she was working so hard that she barely had time to sleep or eat. Even though it was so hard she didn't quit. And when she first opened the hospital people were so against women being doctors. If someone died they would say if a man had been working with the patient then the patient would still be alive. Even with the riots she stuck with it until they accepted it.
Elizabeth always goes above and beyond in what she does and how she thinks. For example, she always thought of herself as a pioneer. As soon as things went smoothly she got bored and always went on to do more. Also, when she was little and she got punished, she would think of a harder punishment and punish herself. She was always going further to challenge herself. And, when she was at school, she was always studying. She was always reviewing and taking notes. She became very smart and was a top student.
This is a great book that shows how ambitious one person can be. I would recommend this book to everyone ages nine and up.

C. Chapman

I thought this book was a thrilling book and I learned a lot about what is was like for women back in 1840 and about how Elizabeth Blackwell became the first woman doctor in the United States. The book starts off when Elizabeth was younger. It talks about how she was a hardworking person. It said that in school she tried to make all of her letters as neat as the writing in the text book. Also that she wanted to do her stuff by herself like tying her shoe laces. Finally, when she was sick she even tried to cure herself. The rest of the book talks about how she tried to get into college and learn how to become a doctor. At this time there are no women doctors and no college would accept her becouse she was a woman. Most of the doctors told her to give up and treated her badly. Some time later, she got accepted into Geneva Medical School in upstate New York. She was happy when she got in but found out that it must have been a joke when she got there because everyone else was a man and she was not being treated fairly. At one point she felt like quitting but she stayed put and became the first woman doctor. When she became the first woman doctor, her example inspired other women to become doctors too. This girl followed her dream. I think this book is also a good book to learn about what it was like for women back than because it showed how just becouse she was a girl she could not do all the things she wanted to and was supposed to do all the things her mother expected her to do. For exsample, she was supposed to sew and clean. This book also was a book for learning. I would recommend this book to anyone how wants to learn about doctors and what it was like a woman in the 1840s.

I really enjoyed learning about Elizabeth Blackwell in the biography "The First Woman Doctor" by Rachel Baker. The begining of this book describes Elizabeth's childhood in a fun and educational way. Elizabeth was born in Bristol, England on February 3rd, 1821. Elizabeth lived with her parents, who were very religous, and eight siblings. When Elizabeth was 11 years old her and her family moved to America in 1832 on a merchant ship named the "Cosmo." Elizabeth didn't like the move but her father said America had more opportunity for the family. When Elizabeth was 17 her father died leaving her family with no money at all. So to raise money Elizabeth and her two older sisters, Anna and Marion, opened up a boarding school for girls. In 1847 Elizabeth was accepted into Geneva Medical College after being rejected by other schools. In 1849 she graduated in the top of her class at Geneva and was the first woman in the world to receive a medical degree. Then Elizabeth went to go study at La Maternite' in Paris, France. While attending to a baby with an eye disease she herself caught the disease and was blinded in her left eye. She visited England before returning to America.In 1857 Elizabeth and her younger sister, Emily, opened the New York Infimary for Indigent Women and Children. The infirmary wasn't very popular. The most people who went there were poor women who needed help. I think the infirmary was the biggest achievement in Elizabeth's lfe.ELizabeth went to England in 1869, along with her adopted daughter, Kitty, to remain there in until her death in 1910. Elizabeth died on May 31, 1910, in Hastings, England.I like this book because, it was very informational during Elizabeth's childhood and life in America. I like that Elizabeth NEVER gave up and was determined to become a doctor.I recomend this book for people who want to be the first at something and to not give up on their dreams. Also young girls who want to become doctors would really enjoy this book about the first woman doctor, Elizabeth Blackwell. Elizabeth's life story is an inspiration to everyone.

This book is very informational. Did you know that Elizabeth died at the age of 89!!! That is very old for women who lived in the 1900's. Also Elizabeth had eight brothers and sisters!!! Imagine that! Talk about the show FUll house! Also did you know that Elizabeth was in Paris France when she got blinded in one eye!!! This book is very fun for children and adults. Also ELizabeth graduated from Geneva Medical college!!! and was the first woman in the WORLD to be accepted at a Medical College! wow!!! I wish my life was that great!

This book is very informational and kid friendly. I have to do thia on a book report that is very hard. This book has given me so many things my notes are over flowing!!Who ever does a book report on Elizabth Blackwell shoud read this book and i promise you. This book will give you more then info. You also read about Elizabeth's life time in a funducational way. I recomend this book to anyone who loves to read about other people and someone who loves a good informational book.:)

I wish everyone could read this book and get to know a historical figure we often overlook. It bugs me when nobody knows about her. :(
I read it when I was about 8 and it took me some time because of the content and context...I was on vacation reading a biography.
But, I enjoyed it...it was inspiring...esp. because Elizabeth Blackwell didn't really want to be a Docter and was squirmish about illness ect.
But she pushed through because someone needed to and the story will touch your heart.
I came back to this book and a few others in high school to write my end of the year essay. I'm glad I knew who she was because of this little biography...without this book I may never have known.

A Religion of Health

This biography of Dr. Elizabeth Blackwell, despite being intended
for a Young Adult audience, proves interesting reading for adults in general. Thanks to a liberal education by her enlightened father in Victorian England all nine children were encouraged to follow their reams and develop their full potential, without regard to traditional social restrictions placed on girls. When the exceptional family emigrated to America Mr. Blackwell embraced the controversial Abolitionist movement--providing inspiration for his older sons who
later allied themselves with the vocal women's movement.
Elizabeth proved amply suited for her self-imposed role of medical pioneer, by insisting on entering a medical college--despite the scorn and hostility of teachers, fellow students and even the townspeople of Geneva, NY. No medical school in the States or Europe would consider training a mere woman to compete with male doctors (a medical Citadel). Enduring both physical and psychological hardships she persevered with quiet determination, dignified earnestness, and intelligent observation. She spent a grim summer in Philadelphia's charity hospital and a year in Paris at La Maternite Hospital for Women.

Her humantiarian objective to improve the standard of living for many immigrants in New York City tenements remained unflagging for decades. She wrote books, collaborated with other brave women in Europe, lectured extensively and raised funds to exhaustion--all with the goal of blazing new trails for women and community health. In her lifetime she realized many of her dreams: a Women's Hospital, a School to train Nurses, and an out-patient clinic. Most imporatantly she won the right for women to study alongside men and ultimately be recognized as fully competent physicians. Her sisters, Anna and Emily, and her adopted daughter, Kitty, provided encouragement and practical assistance as they adopted her cherished goals. She died in a beloved corner of Scotland, honored by grateful nations. This book is a Must for any course on Women's Rights and 19th century social reform.