Customer Reviews

Orlean Puckett: The Life of a Mountain Midwife

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This book presents a picture of a strong mountain woman who, after giving birth to and losing 24 babies, decided to become a midwife in southwestern Virginia. It was not so much the midwifery that drew me to this book, but the account of the mountain men's role in the Civil War and the Home Guard Troops that reeked havoc on the women and children left behind. Interviews of men who helped construct the Blue Ridge Parkway and accounts of the old mountain ways of doing things like sheep shearing, making soap, bartering chestnuts, etc. made this an interesting read. In Orlean Puckett's time, neighbor helped neighbor. Puckett was a strong woman with a good attitude and a quick humor. If she were living today, she's the kind of woman I'd want to spend lots of time with. The author did an excellent job of capturing the essence of mountain life from the mid-1800s to the early 1900s. Times and people have certainly changed but fortunately, because of this book, we have a recording that will endure for future generations to read, learn, enjoy, and appreciate.

I have visited the still standing home of Ms Puckett and you can still picture her living her simple life there.
She is a fascinating person in our history. The book depicts a life that to us seems extraordinary but to her were just the way it was. Great read !!

Let me say this, .... it will be a long time before I complain again about how hard my life is! I don't know how women lived to the ripe ages some of them did? Orlean was a tiny woman with a big spirit. She overcame more trials and tribulations ... as most pioneer women did ... then I can imagine happening in our time. If you like history about real pioneer life, midwivery, hard times and perservering through it all, this is the book for you!

Funny, Sad, and Remarkable story. Author Karen Smith has researched and documented beautifully the life of mountain midwife, Orlean Puckett (1844-1939), known for decades only through oral legends. Through personal interviews with relatives and neighbors, and study of the area, the era, and the customs, Smith has provided an invaluable regional history that would have otherwise been largely lost.

In this quick easy read, she captures perfectly the local color and dialect to create a most entertaining and informative biography. Her work dispels myths, leaves questions where they remain, and turns a mountain legend into living history.

Highly recommended, especially for anyone interested in turn-of-the-century life in the Blue Ridge Mountains. And if you love this one, you'll also love Richard Davids' "The Man Who Moved a Mountain." The two go hand in hand.

By amalgamating the memories of numerous relatives and neighbors - most of whom were in their 80's and 90's and recalled events that took place a century ago, Karen Cecil Smith wrote this book to honor a "Granny midwife", Orlean Puckett, who lived in the mountains of western Virginia at the turn of the 20th century. At the age of 45, despite multiple attempts to have children of her own and subsequently burying 24 and remaining childless, Orlean miraculously began working as until the age of 94. She is a small-town legend in the mountains of Virginia and, until this book, her life was never fully researched. Up to this point, everything about this woman had been handed down generation to generation orally. Thus, Smith's purpose for documenting the life of the Orlean Puckett was to simply learn `the rest of the story' from what is offered currently at Milepost 189.9 on the Blue Ridge Parkway. There, emblazoned for all tourists to see, is a small plaque in front of a refurbished cabin that claims to be her home. It was here, on a driving tour of the area, that Smith first learned of Orlean. Intrigue got the best of Smith, and after three years of research, much of which was based on personal interviews, this humble book was written as the only documentation of the life and times of this remarkable woman.

While the writing style is often choppy and heavily inclusive of many long quotes from her research subjects, it overall manages to succinctly have multiple story lines. Not only is this book a testament to the dedication and perseverance of an uneducated, illiterate mountain midwife who brought access to care and safe births to 1,000's of families in lower Virginia, but it is also an excellent education of many day-in-the-life events during the early 1900's (i.e. harvesting chestnuts, making lye soap, building log cabins). The theme, therefore, is two-fold: to document an important figure in the history of our profession, specifically of that region, while also expanding the current knowledge of activities and events in that time period. Because of this dual thematic focus, the primary audience is most likely not midwives, but rather those interested in regional history of rural Appalachian mountain communities in western Virginia.

Orlean Puckett: The Life Of A Mountain Midwife by Karen Cecil Smith provides the reader with an exemplary life story of a strong and determined mountain woman. Orlean Puckett (1844-1939) was a bride by age 16, gave birth to 24 babies, and survived the Civil War (during which she was harassed and besieged by Home Guard troops). Becoming a midwife at age 45, Orlean Puckett successfully delivered over a thousand babies. This superbly documented, painstakingly researched, very highly recommended biography offers a clear glimpse into a truly remarkable turn-of-the-century life and would make an excellent addition to Women's Studies reading lists and American History biography collections.

an absolutely amazing story. To be able to go back in time and learn what it was like then can only give you food for thought and prayers of thanksgiving

This is a delightful book informing one of the past times when a midwife was an important part of the mountain community. Karen has done a wonderful job of getting interviews from those who knew Aunt Orlean and imparting that information to us. A picture of the past is brought to us, and one cannot help but feel admiration for such a strong woman. Thank you, Karen, for such a picture!