Motherwit: An Alabama Midwife's Story (Plume) [Paperback]

Onnie Lee Logan (Author), Katherine Clark (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Born around 1910 in Alabama, Onnie Lee Logan was in her 70s when she reluctantly slowed her lifework as a midwife. In this remarkable, electric oral history of a woman, a time, and a place, she passes on stories of the women whose babies she "caught," unnerving folk remedies for female troubles, and the faith and "motherwit" she drew on as babies made their way toward the world. What little bitterness she shows is aimed at the sorry ways that blacks were treated by whites during much of her life. "I don't remember a single doctor deliverin a black baby at home," she says. "...Cause if they sent for him the baby woulda been there and probably some of em walkin befo' he got there." Interviewer Katherine Clark stitches together the flow of words seamlessly without cleaning them up; Logan comes across as a garrulous old friend rocking on the porch, whiling away a hot afternoon in talk.

From Publishers Weekly

An Alabama midwife recalls her 40-year career, describing how she began her life's work and her eventual acceptance by the medical community. "In Logan's rich, regional speech . . . a strong, faith-filled woman is heard; her eloquent memoir is vivid Americana," asserted PW.
Copyright 1990 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 192 pages
• Publisher: Plume (January 30, 1991)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0452265568
• ISBN-13: 978-0452265561
• Product Dimensions: 8.1 x 5.3 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #847,778 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:

3.0 out of 5 stars Excellent reading for both midwives and African-Americans, November 10, 1997

By 

[e-mail] (Anniston< Alabama) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Motherwit: An Alabama Midwife's Story (Plume) (Paperback)

Motherwit is a fascinating glimpse into the life of Onnie Lee Logan, Alabama's last "granny midwife". She is a wise and skillful midwife, meeting the needs of Merengo County, one of the poorest in Alabama. Her service to the black population is at first appreciated, because the doctors weren't interested in treating them. As midwifery and homebirth grows more popular, many well-off white couples hire her to deliver their babies at home, and soon she and her fellow midwives are no longer granted liscences to practice midwifery. The midwife will enjoy Onnie Lee's wisdom and compassion in caring for her clients; the African-American will appreciate her struggles to claim her place of service to her community. Christians will appreciate Onnie's frank faith in God, Who called her to midwifery and designed to process of birthing babies.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A MOTIVATING AND INSPIRING BOOK, April 23, 2000

By 

SHEA LEFEBVRE (ATHENS ALABAMA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Motherwit: An Alabama Midwife's Story (Plume) (Paperback)

AS AN ASPIRING MIDWIFE AND FELLOW CHRISTIAN I WAS AMAZED AT THE CANDOR AND EASE WITH WHICH LOGAN LED US THROUGH 70 YEARS OF HER LIFE. HER STORIES TAUGHT WAYS TO DEAL WITH PROBLEMS THAT ARISE OCCASIONALLY DURING NORMAL HOME BIRTH. HER CONSTANT DEVOTION TO GOD WAS VERY UPLIFTING!

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Life in Review, October 27, 2004

By 

David Brockert "constant reader" (Madison, Wisconsin) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Motherwit: An Alabama Midwife's Story (Plume) (Paperback)

This book reminded me of the question, "If someone wrote your life story, would anyone read it?"

Well, here is one person who lived a rather normal life and her story is no great Earth shaking drama, just her getting on with her life and doing what God wants her to do. From the book cover, ect., a lot of people want to read her story, so, in as much as we are all special and do special things in our lives, maybe not worthy of great notice, but worthy of note, yes, if someone wrote about any of us, people would want to read it.

Ms. Logan tells about her life growing up, becoming a midwife and how she learned to midwife the best. She had the great privilege and advantage of wonderful parents who taught her to live by God's word, be humble, giving and to not try to be 'white'.

There are some seriously sad parts in this story, but they are part and parcel of being black and human in this country. The most important part of her story is what she wanted to pass on to future generations on how to be a better midwife. She had learned a lot from God's directions (when she needed some, He gave her some directions) and from her own experiences.

All in all, she has had a wonderful life and is glad to have lived it. This book is a joy to read.