Reviewed summary
A Midwife’s Tale: The Life of Martha Ballard, Based on Her Diary, 1785–1812
Martha Ballard’s diary isn’t your typical history lesson—it’s a raw look at daily life through the eyes of an 18th-century midwife. Her notes on births, illnesses, and household chores reveal how women quietly held their communities together. This isn’t grand history; it’s the gritty reality of survival and care in early America.
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