The Borning Room, Paul Fleischman
The Borning Room, Paul Fleischman
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The Borning Room

Author: Paul Fleischman

Narrator: Jeanine Kane

Unabridged: 2 hr 20 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Published: 07/01/2013

Synopsis

Mothers give birth in the borning room. The dying take their departure there. Outside the Lott family's Ohio farmhouse, the Civil War rages, slavery falls, and the world marvels at the wonder of electricity. Inside, within the walls of the borning room, Georgina Lott will experience her life's greatest turnings. Across the years, she discovers womanhood and first love, experiences the mourning that comes with loss, and, as did her mother and grandmother, at last takes her place in the room as another precious life is about to begin.

About Paul Fleischman

Paul Fleischman grew up in Santa Monica, California, in a house with a printing press, a grand piano, a shortwave radio, and his father—children’s author Sid Fleischman. Playing recorder in early music consorts led to his books of verbal duets: I Am Phoenix, Joyful Noise (winner of the 1989 Newbery Medal), and Big Talk. His novels built from monologues include Bull Run, a sixteen-character account of the Civil War’s first battle, and Seedfolks, the chronicle of the first year of a Cleveland community garden. His interest in theater inspired his young adult novels Mind’s Eye, Seek, and Breakout, all of which revolve around the spoken word. His historical fiction includes Saturnalia and The Borning Room. He’s written nonfiction and picture books as well, including Time Train, Weslandia, and Sidewalk Circus. Alongside the Newbery Medal, he’s won a Newbery Honor Book, the Scott O’Dell Award for Historical Fiction, the PEN West Literary Award, the California Young Reader Medal, and most recently was a finalist for the 2003 National Book Award.

Reviews

Goodreads review by Life_in_ivorytower on March 11, 2019

Chapter 3 🍂🌸🍁... felt each and every word.. felt the wind .. the water.. the scent in the air.. taught me an entirely new way of ‘praying’ .. gives heart so much peace .. I read that chapter again and again ...!......more

Goodreads review by Linz on August 25, 2024

I was gifted this book when I was a little girl but never read it until now. I'm so glad I did. It is one that I will never forget!......more

Goodreads review by Janice on December 28, 2021

I think it is obvious that I really like this book. There are so many parts of it that reached out to me: customs, birth, death, issue of slavery, old myths and beliefs, etc. The way it moved from beginning to end was so good. I think part of my bias is my involvement with birth, etc. It is simply w......more

Goodreads review by Laura (Book Scrounger) on June 19, 2018

This may not have been the best book to read while pregnant (involves a scene of mother/infant death), but it was still an interesting look at new life and death in one family over the course of one girl's lifetime, mostly set during the Civil War era. It's a quick read, so most of the "life story"......more

Goodreads review by Brittany on November 09, 2017

The Borning Room is a historical novel about Georgina and her family move from New Hampshire to Ohio in the early 1850s. Her father builds a home and ensures that there is a borning room right by the kitchen. In this room, birth and death are the only things that take place. Her mother is with child......more

Quotes

“Lush with similes, metaphors, and allusions so subtly woven into the mesh of the narrative that they enrich without distracting. A memorable novel, rich and resonant in familial love and the strength of connection and tradition.” School Library Journal

“The dimensions of one small room expand to become a universal setting for the grand drama that is life.” Horn Book (starred review)

“A beautifully crafted novel.” Kirkus Reviews

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