A Founding Mother

*Trigger Warning - breast cancer, surgery, see below* 

Set in Revolutionary America, A Founding Mother is the story of Abigail Adams, wife of President John Adams (second president of the United States) and mother of John Quincy Adams (sixth president of the United States.)

Abigail was a frequent correspondent with her husband.  Due to his commitments, they ended up being separated for what amounted to twelve years of their early marriage.  Because Abigail wrote so frequently to John about life, the farm, and the happenings of the day in Braintree, Massachusetts, and because someone in her family held onto her correspondence, we have a unique view of the Revolutionary War and life in and around the times that changed the world.  The authors spent a lot of time reading through the letters of Abigail Adams, and visited the historic sites related to her before they sat down to write this book.  

The result in an engaging story that captures the spirit of a very fiesty young woman who raised children in one of the most remarkable moments in World History.  Their reliance on primary sources elevates this story to something that is a bit more than "historical fiction" and is closer to "historic fact".  I believe that they have done a great job of capturing the voice of Abigail and putting it into the pages of a modern book.

I really enjoyed this book!

If you're looking for a great book to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the United States, this book is the place to start.  

Trigger Warning-

There is a chapter where Abigail's adult daughter Nabby is diagnosed with Breast Cancer.  In an absolutely true story, the authors use Abigail's notes to describe an 18th century mastectomy.  It's a vivid account.  And hours after reading it, the description is still haunting me.  I couldn't sleep last night thinking about it.  I had breast cancer last year, and the description of what Nabby went through is haunting me. It is difficult to read. Do I think that it is important to hear this story?  YES. Do I think it helps to understand the Adams family? YES.  I feel that this is crucial to the story line.  

The Frozen River

 Written by Ariel Lawhorn.

Midwives were the hottest commodity in any community up until the advent of modern medicine.  A good midwife could mean the difference between you and your baby surviving a difficult childbirth or the death of one or both of you.  The training of midwives was handed down from one generation to the next, with the upcoming generation slowly assuming the role of guardian of the childbirth bed. In Colonial and early America, midwives were difficult to find.  With people scattered across the frontier, it could be hours from the time a woman went into labor until a midwife could arrive. 

Trigger Warning: sexual assault, child death/stillbirth, violence/murder, medical/birth trauma, misogyny, sexism, grief, emotional abuse. 

Martha Ballard was a midwife in the state of Maine from 1785-1812.  She delivered close to 1,000 babies over the course of her years as a practicing midwife.  She never once lost a mother or a child.  How do we know this?  She kept a diary of the everyday happenings of her life.  From the day to day happenings of her life, to the births and deaths of the people around her, to her medical practice.  It is a treasure trove of information about life in the early days of the United States. I would like to add a note here.  Martha was a woman who could read and write.  In the late 1700's education of women was not commonplace.  The fact that this record, written by a woman, exists is worthy of a separate discussion.

Ariel Lawhorn has taken information from Martha's Diary and written a book surrounding a rape trial in her town of Hallowell, Maine. As the midwife who treated the victim after her rape, Martha is called upon to testify.  However, she can't testify without the presence of her husband, and neither can the victim.

Concurrent with the story of the rape is the story of the suspicious death of a man in the community. Martha was called in to identify the cause of death, but is pushed out of the way by a newly arrived male "doctor".

As the story unwinds, the depth of deceit slowly unravels while the women in the story are forced to live within the constraints that the men have placed upon them even as they attempt to seek justice.

It's a fascinating, thought provoking read.  

For some follow-up information:

Make certain you read the author's notes in the back of the book.  It's a treasure trove of research information.

A Midwife's Tale.  Written by Laurel Thatcher Ulrich. 1991.

Martha Ballard "Delivered". The Mayors Committee for Martha Ballard, Augusta Maine.  https://www.marthaballard.com/marthaslife

A Midwife's Tale: Martha Ballards Diary.  The American Experience: https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/features/midwife-gallery-diary/ 

 Author Website: https://www.ariellawhon.com/thefrozenriver/