The Midwife's Advice: 2 [Hardcover]

Gay Courter (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 1, 1992

The next chapter in the life of The Midwife, Hannah Sokolow, finds her living in turn-of-the-century New York and launching a career as a sex therapist in the face of the decline of the midwifery profession. 50,000 first printing. $50,000 ad/promo.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

First met in Courter's bestselling novel The Midwife , Hannah Sokolow returns in a compelling sequel set during the years 1913-1922. Now head midwife at Bellevue Hospital, Hannah finds herself dispensing sexual advice to her impoverished patients, becoming, as it were, a forerunner of Dr. Ruth Westheimer. Hannah's acquires a reputation as a miracle worker after she counsels an Italian-American mother of five girls on how to conceive a male child. (Having noticed the preponderance of boys among orthodox Jewish families, she suggests that her patient follow Talmudic directions on sexual matters.) Although she studies the works of Freud, Kraft-Ebbing and Havelock Ellis, Hannah uses mainly intuition and common sense to counsel her embarrassed clients about all aspects of female--and male--sexuality. Her own domestic life unravels when husband Lazar returns to Russia as Trotsky's aide, leaving her to enjoy a steamy affair with Bellevue's head of obstetrics. Courter links her rambling story to the events of the era, as Hannah forms an uneasy alliance with a parade of feminists and revolutionaries. A surfeit of vacuous characters and gratuitous cameo appearances by such historical figures as Walter Lippmann and Emma Goldman impede the narrative flow somewhat, but Hannah's achievements (and perhaps Courter's explicit descriptions of human anatomy and sexual functions) will keep readers absorbed. 50,000 first printing; $50,000 ad/promo; Literary Guild alternate.
Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Library Journal

Hannah Sokolow ( The Midwife , LJ 1/15/81. o.p.) returns in a sequel covering the years 1913-22. The persistent questions of her patients at Bellevue Hospital drive Hannah to consult privately about sexual behavior. Each chapter deals with a different year and a different problem. Underlying the discussion of sexual and medical conditions are the political events of the day--World War I, the battle for birth control, and the Russian revolution--and medical or political details often slow this long book. Hannah's love affair during her husband's prolonged absence in Mother Russia adds interest. While Hannah may be atypical in her professional successes (the title comes from her advice column in a Yiddish paper), her efforts to work while being a wife and mother without much help will be familiar to many. Competent, but not compelling; for libraries where The Midwife was popular. Literary Guild alternate; previewed in Prepub Alert, LJ 6/15/92.
- Rebecca S. Kelm, Northern Kentucky Univ. Lib., Highland Heights
Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 608 pages
• Publisher: Dutton Adult; 1St Edition edition (October 1, 1992)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0525934944
• ISBN-13: 978-0525934943
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6.4 x 2.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,647,427 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Possibly Even Better Than "The Midwife.", May 30, 2006

By 

Lissa "Rabid Bibliophile" (USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Midwife's Advice (Paperback)

For a historical fiction lover, this book has it all. Not only does it engross the reader with the fascinating early history of reproductive rights, but it also takes you on a journey through the first World War, the influenza epidemic and the political upheavals of the early 20th century.

The author is truly gifted in the craft, and it's regrettable that she doesn't get as much publicity as Phillipa Gregory, Margaret George and the like, because she is one of their equals, if not even better. Certainly, Colter shows a greater breadth and depth of research than the average historical fiction author.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Suprised, July 10, 2005

By 

Lady Morrgian - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Midwife's Advice: 2 (Hardcover)

This book is a book for the ledgends. I loved this book, which suprised me because I did not expect to. The sense of history and the stuggle of the woman sprit kept me up all night. Way to go

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderfully reasearched and written., June 3, 2001

By 

"lbboggan" (San Diego, CA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Midwife's Advice (Signet) (Paperback)

This is a wonderful story. It is educational, and at the same time entertaining. Honest, fulfilling, and a great story relaying things we all think about but are afraid to talk about. I highly recommend!!