Sisters of the East End, Helen Batten
Sisters of the East End, Helen Batten
List: $11.25 | Sale: $7.88
Club: $5.62

Sisters of the East End

Author: Helen Batten

Narrator: Annie Aldington

Unabridged: 7 hr 41 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Publisher: RH AudioGo

Published: 09/26/2013


Synopsis

‘A second’s silence and then an almighty scream. It was the most moving thing I had ever seen … A baby, a real live baby, another human life had entered the world. It didn’t seem possible and yet I had witnessed it with my very own eyes.’

Born into a happy working-class North London family in the mid-twentieth century, Katie is determined to ‘do something’ with her life. Working in the impoverished East End in the 1950s, she meets the Sisters of St John the Divine – a community of nuns dedicated to nursing and midwifery. The Sisters have been present at births, cared for the sick and laid out the dead of the East Enders for a hundred years, and Katie soon joins them to start her journey to becoming Sister Catherine Mary.

As a nurse and midwife, Katie learns to deal with everything from strokes to breech births. Tragedy is never far away, but there are also moments of pure joy as lives are saved and the Poplar residents rally round. As a young novice Katie rallies against the vow of obedience, yet over the years learns much about the nature of dedication and love.

Full of desperate hardship, humour and compassion, Katie’s story brings to life the unique world of these nursing Sisters in London’s East End.

Sister Catherine Mary’s story was written by Helen Batten after in-depth interviews with today’s Sisters of the Community of St John the Divine.

Reviews

Goodreads review by Orinoco Womble (tidy bag and all) on February 08, 2020

I've read three or four books now that claim to have "inspired the TV series Call the Midwife", though I've never watched it. This one, unfortunately, was fiction. I guess I can understand that the nuns wanted their privacy, and I respect that, but the author makes it all a bit convenient, a bit won......more

Goodreads review by Julie on February 28, 2018

This came up as a recommended read when I was browsing Amazon and decided to borrow a copy from the library as I love Call the Midwife and had already read Jennifer Worth's books. I wasn't disappointed I really enjoyed reading the true story of the sisters from the show and learning more of the back......more

Goodreads review by Nataliec7 on April 03, 2016

This book was excellent, not only enjoyable but education. Fantastic! Based on the story of 6 nuns but creating one character, Catherine Mary who gets a calling to be a nun. It's unexpected, she's confused by the way she feels about It but goes on to be excellent at it. It talks about faith and reli......more

Goodreads review by Kimberley on September 28, 2021

Read this because I enjoyed the Call the Midwife series (both the books and tv series). This is based on the stories of the real life sisters who inspired the series. Is a compilation of stories from different sisters - put into the book as experienced by a single sister. It is good, but I think that......more

Goodreads review by Carrie on June 02, 2020

I had an. Interest in this book because I watch call the midwife TV episodes on PBS. This book was excellent even though I believe it was historical fiction I was hooked since the first chapter and I was sorry it ended. I like the ending because it showed the change within their order I feel sorry for......more