by Gay Courter ‧ RELEASE DATE: Oct. 1, 1992
In The Midwife (1981), Hannah Blau Sokolow, Jewish-Russian midwife, delivered babies in Russia, in America, on the high seas, and detoured into advice on sexual matters. Now established as a midwife at Bellevue Hospital in 1913 Manhattan, Hannah, married to Trotskyite Laser and mother of two, will blossom into a full-fledged sex therapist. One of the first problems tackled by Hannah, encountering a wretched girl-producing patient, is why (as the patient claims) Orthodox Jews seem to produce an inordinate number of boys. Hannah researches both religion and science and produces results (Courter documents this unusual research in her ""Author's Note""). Meanwhile, as Hannah is monitoring birthings, other problems catch her interest: frigid women, impotent men, the nature of sexuality (she felt that, in spite of Dr. Freud, Adam came from Eve and not vice versa), lack of sexual impulses, and even the woes of a cross-dresser. But while Hannah is Dr. Ruth-ing, home problems impinge. Laser is off to Russia with Trotsky (he'll eventually return, disillusioned); there are battles to be fought for women's rights and legalization of birth-control information; and Hannah is into a hopeless love affair with a Bellevue physician. Throughout, we get glimpses of political celebrities of the time--Mabel Dodge, Margaret Sangar, radical Emma Goldman, and even Trotsky himself--grim and rude. Finally, Hannah will become famous as a sex therapist via a newspaper column and a book. Again, for the Belva Plain audience and for those enthralled by dramas centered on the nether end: a ham-handed treatment of delicate matters--which should fairly fly off the airport bookracks.
Pub Date: Oct. 1, 1992
ISBN: 0595279708
Page Count: 597
Publisher: Dutton
Review Posted Online: N/A
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 15, 1992
Categories: FICTION
© Copyright 2024 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Hey there, book lover.
We’re glad you found a book that interests you!
We can’t wait for you to join Kirkus!
It’s free and takes less than 10 seconds!
Already have an account? Log in.
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
Welcome Back!
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
Don’t fret. We’ll find you.