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Shadows of the Workhouse
- The Drama of Life in Postwar London
- Narrated by: Juliet Stevenson
- Length: 11 hrs and 4 mins
- Categories: Biographies & Memoirs
Non-member price: $33.43
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Written by Jennifer Worth, Farewell to the East End is one of the trilogy of memoirs upon which the popular BBC series Call the Midwife is based. London's East End in the 1950s was a vibrant place-a close-knit community of families where children made playgrounds on bombsites and a lively social scene emerged.
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Not as enjoyable
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The hit BBC TV series Call the Midwife is based on the memoirs of Jennifer Worth, chronicling her life as a midwife in London in the 1950s. Farewell to the East End is the third book in the trilogy. Following on from the best-selling Call the Midwife and Shadows of the Workhouse, Jennifer brings her story to a conclusion. Postwar life could be a struggle - the devastating effects of TB, dangerous backstreet abortions, people driven to extremes by poverty....
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Farewell to the East End
- By: Jennifer Worth
- Narrated by: Saskia Butler
- Length: 9 hrs and 44 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Written by Jennifer Worth, Farewell to the East End is one of the trilogy of memoirs upon which the popular BBC series Call the Midwife is based. London's East End in the 1950s was a vibrant place-a close-knit community of families where children made playgrounds on bombsites and a lively social scene emerged.
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Not as enjoyable
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Call the Midwife
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- By: Jennifer Worth
- Narrated by: Juliet Stevenson
- Length: 12 hrs and 47 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
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Story
Jennifer Worth came from a sheltered background when she became a midwife in the Docklands in the 1950s. The conditions in which many women gave birth just half a century ago were horrifying, not only because of their grimly impoverished surroundings, but also because of what they were expected to endure. But while Jennifer witnessed brutality and tragedy, she also met with amazing kindness and understanding, tempered by a great deal of Cockney humour.
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
Jennifer Worth came from a sheltered background when she became a midwife in the Docklands in the 1950s. The conditions in which many women gave birth just half a century ago were horrifying, not only because of their grimly impoverished surroundings but also because of what they were expected to endure. But while Jennifer witnessed brutality and tragedy, she also met with amazing kindness and understanding, tempered by a great deal of Cockney humour.
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Excellent
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Publisher's Summary
A fascinating slice of East End life, from the number one best-selling author of Call the Midwife, now a major BBC TV series.
In this follow up to Call the Midwife, Jennifer Worth, a midwife working in the docklands area of East London in the 1950s, tells more stories about the people she encountered.
There's Jane, who cleaned and generally helped out at Nonnatus House - she was taken to the workhouse as a baby and was allegedly the illegitimate daughter of an aristocrat. Peggy and Frank's parents both died within six months of each other, and the children were left destitute. At the time, there was no other option for them but the workhouse.
The Reverend Thornton-Appleby-Thorton, a missionary in Africa, visits the Nonnatus nuns, and Sister Julienne acts as matchmaker. And Sister Monica Joan, the eccentric 90-year-old nun, is accused of shoplifting some small items from the local market. She is let off with a warning, but then Jennifer finds stolen jewels from Hatton Garden in the nun's room. These stories give a fascinating insight into the resilience and spirit that enabled ordinary people to overcome their difficulties.
PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying reference material will be available in your Library section along with the audio on our Desktop Site.
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What listeners say about Shadows of the Workhouse
Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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- Jynx07
- 04-01-2021
Brilliant but at times tough
I'm not even finished it yet and whilst it is really good, Janes' story was really tough to listen to.
1 person found this helpful
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- PenelopePItts
- 25-01-2021
Heartbreaking and inspirational by turns
Compelling social history wonderfully narrated and bought to life by Juliet Stevenson. Very highly recommended.
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- Lisa Garrard
- 08-01-2021
Amazing Stories
Well written and performed. Although these stories have been told on Call the Midwife the detailing in the book gives you much more insight to what times were like in the workhouse days. Definitely worth a listen.
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- Amazon Customer
- 27-12-2020
Youth and old age
Young people should read this book and appreciate how lucky they are to live in this day and age
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