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Jump to navigationJump to searchThe Birth of Love by Joanna Kavenna (view source)
Revision as of 12:38, 20 August 2020
, 12:38, 20 August 2020no edit summary
In 2009, Michael Stone, a struggling writer has had his book about Semmelweiss published, but he is terrified by the social side of seeking publicity for his work. His own mother is dying and wants to see him.
Meanwhile, Bridget Hayes is hoping to give birth to her second child at home, and having a difficult time. Her own mother has come round to help look after her son.
More than a century later, in 2153, reproduction and sexuality are strictly controlled, and a group of people who rebelled against that are being interrogated about a woman who somehow conceived and gave birth to a baby in the way we consider natural now. This part of the story is in the form of exchanges between the interrogators and prisoners.
The vision of a possible future is terrifying but it highlights what is important about the present day experience of having children. In 2153, reproduction is very tightly controlled – who can be allowed to reproduce, and women (or men) have no part in bringing up “progeny of the species” – words like “children”, “love” and “lovers” are forbidden in this brave new world.
This is a novel with a strong message, reflected in the title – that love and our emotional response to childbirth are central to the experience and should be valued. So , of course , should the lives of women - although it was too late for him, Semmelweis was right about the value of simply washing hands, and childbirth now is much less dangerous for most women in Europe than it was in the 19th century.
This novel is quite challenging reading, but I think it is worth the effort for anyone with an interest in the subject (in the section about Michael Stone, someone comments that most men will not want to read about childbirth). I would suggest that anyone who is pregnant waits to read this until after the birth though!
Thank you to the publishers for sending a copy of this book to The Bookbag.
Another novel about childbirth is [[The Birth House by Ami McKay]], and Jennifer Worth’s memoirs about working as a midwife in 1950s East London, [[Shadows Of The Workhouse: The Drama Of Life In Postwar London by Jennifer Worth|Shadows of the Workhouse]] and [[Farewell To The East End by Jennifer Worth|Farewell to the East End]], are highly recommended. We think you'll also enjoy [[Come to the Edge by Joanna Kavenna]].
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