Even as the city suffers at the rebels hands, midwife bridget hodgson becomes embroiled in a different sort of rebellion. The life of martha ballard, based on her diary, 17851812. Originally produced as an episode of the pbs television program american experience in 1997. I usually dont read a lot of mystery books but between the intriguing premise and the great writing, this is one book that i. The daughter of a lesbian couple seeks a tale about a knightess. A midwifes tale adapted from the pulitzer prize winning book unfolds like a detective story the true tale of two women, two hundred years apart, linked by the diary one of them left behind. The life of martha ballard, based on her diary, 17851812, by laurel thatcher ulrich. Its accolades included a bancroft and a pulitzer, along with the ahas joan kelly and john h. Supersummary, a modern alternative to sparknotes and cliffsnotes, offers highquality study guides that feature detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, quotes, and essay topics. Sansom comes samuel thomass remarkable debut, the midwifes tale. With ron tough, ruth anderson, jim belding, wallace brown.
This movie is an adaptation of the book a midwifes tale. The offbeat tale she hears is set in medieval times and chronicles the exploits of poor lady eleanor, an independent, freespirited young aristocrat who would much rather spend her time riding and being outdoors than staying cloistered inside tending to. The movie intercuts between reenactments of ballard doing her maine midwifery and related tasks, and ulrich in her eight. With stacey havener, gayle cohen, carla milford, anthony shaw abate. Yet it is the vivid portrayal of a critical period of civil war in englands history as seen through the eyes of everyday people that engages the most. She is immediate past president of the mormon history association. An 18thcentury new englander kaiulani lee chronicles her life. Largebrained, bipedal hominids cannot exist without assisted childbirth. Video copies for educational and home use can be ordered from pbs video 8003443337 or. A midwifes tale by laurel thatcher ulrich tells the story of an. A midwifes tale represents the combined efforts of a talented team of people who struggled with the constraints of filmmaking to tell an important story. The life of martha ballard based on her diary, 17851812 by. The movie intercuts between reenactments of ballard doing her maine midwifery and.
Based on her personal diary, this program presents a dramatic exploration of the life of martha ballard, a woman who lived through the economic boom a. Martha and laurel linked by the midwifes diary on vimeo. Learn exactly what happened in this chapter, scene, or section of a midwifes tale and what it means. In the film, we follow author laurel ulrich as she deciphers the massive but cryptic diary of 18th century midwife martha ballard. The midwifes tale is a brilliant and intriguing mystery that reflects the authors deep academic knowledge of the time period and the practice of midwifery, as well as his ability to see the world through the characters eyes. A midwife s tale represents the combined efforts of a talented team of people who struggled with the constraints of filmmaking to tell an important story, says executive producer margaret drain. An oral history from handywoman to professional midwife by nicky leap and billie hunter 5. Traditional accounts of the past leave out the lives of ordinary people because they left so few written records behind especially the women. Martha cade comes from a long family line of midwives proud to have served the residents. A home remedy from the pbs educational movie a midwife s tale.
A midwifes tale takes the reader into the innermost parts of this society, sharing the secrets of martha ballard and the people that she knew. A midwifes tale 1997 starring kaiulani lee and kevin jubinville on dvd and bluray. A midwifes tale audiobook by laurel thatcher ulrich. Marthas diary book film doing history archive on your own. Praise for the midwifes tale fans of jan karons mitford series should love parrs work. To understand eighteenthcentury america through a womans eyes, historian and author laurel thatcher ulrich spent eight years working through martha ballards massive but cryptic diary. It is 1644, and parliaments armies have risen against the king and laid siege to the city of york. The opening sequence of a midwifes tale, a blueberry hill productions film, based on the book by laurel thatcher ulrich. Watch a midwifes tale american experience official site pbs. From the very beginning, lahnleavitt had the idea of interweaving the story of martha ballards life with author laurel ulrichs process of piecing it together. A midwifes tale adapted from the pulitzerprize winning book, this film is the result of an unusual collaboration between the books author, laurel ulrich, and a team of filmmakers led by laurie kahnleavitt and richard p. The film a midwifes tale also addresses the gender issues of the period from 1790 to 1840. This onepage guide includes a plot summary and brief analysis of a midwifes tale by laurel thatcher ulrich.
The life of martha ballard, based on her diary, 17851812 1st vintage. Ballard was made famous by the publication of a midwife s tale. Martha moore ballard 1735 may 1812 was an american midwife and healer. Watch a midwifes tale american experience official. Get your kindle here, or download a free kindle reading app. A midwifes tale was the opening show of the tenth season of the pbs series the american experience january 1988 and screened in theaters throughout new england and at film festivals nationally and internationally. Susan ericksen is a threetime audie awardwinning narrator who has recorded over 500 books. One of her mothers tells her a story of a lady and a midwife who fall in love. Sansom comes samuel thomass remarkable debut, the midwifes tale it is 1644, and parliaments armies have risen against the king and laid siege to the city of york. To pass a largebrained fetus through a narrow pelvic opening, especially the first time she tries to do it, a hominid mother needs help.
A midwife s tale 1997 new englander martha ballard kaiulani lee keeps a diary from 17851812 of her experiences delivering babies and settling disputes. Process of making a historical film, by writerproducer laurie kahnleavitt for a behindthescenes tour of how a midwifes tale was made. Rogers written and produced by laurie kahnleavitt c 1997 a midwifes. But when her daughter runs away and a new doctor arrives, martha knows her calling is at a crossroads. A midwifes tale dvd,based on her personal diary, this program presents a dramatic exploration of the life of martha ballard, a woman who lived through the economic boom and bust, and political and social turmoil of the decades following the american revolution. The life of martha ballard based on her diary, 17851812 by historian.
As a macarthur fellow, laurel worked on the pbs documentary based on a midwifes tale. Laurel thatcher ulrichs interest in writing a midwifes tale. At once lively and impeccably scholarly, a midwifes tale is a triumph of history on a human scale. American experience a midwifes tale tv episode 1998. The tale handles its extraordinarily challenging subject matter with sensitivity, grace, and the power of some standout performances led by a remarkable laura dern. In october of the following year, marthas family is forced to relocate when the mills original owner returns, and she discusses the difficulties of living so much closer. Unusually for the time, ballard kept a diary with thousands of entries over nearly three decades, which has provided historians with invaluable insight into frontierwomens lives.
At once lively and impeccably scholarly, a midwife s tale is a triumph of history on a human scale. The video is approximately three minutes longer than the broadcast version. A midwifes tale 1997 new englander martha ballard kaiulani lee keeps a diary from 17851812 of her experiences delivering babies and settling disputes. On the basis of that diary, laurel thatcher ulrich gives us an intimate and densely imagined portrait, not only of the industrious and reticent martha ballard but of her society. The diary of martha ballard is a fascinating look at a world that is as distant from our own as two worlds can be, separated by time and culture. Julie klassen, bestselling author of the secret of pembrooke park. Ulrich then discusses the genderbased division of duties, the female economic subsystem of the time period, and the importance of household help in a midwifes career.
Winner of the pulitzer prize drawing on the diaries of one woman in eighteenthcentury maine, this intimate history illuminates the medical practices, household economies, religious rivalries, and sexual mores of the. A young girl, the daughter of a lesbian couple, lies peacefully abed listening to one of her mothers reading her a bedtime story. Laurel ulrichs a midwifes tale was published in 1990, and achieved what sports coaches would call a complete victory. Midwifes tale rent movies and tv shows on dvd and bluray. An innovative dramatic film based on the pulitzer prizewinning story of martha ballard, a midwife and mother living in the wilds of maine during the chaotic. Philadelphia inquirer this story has every good thingbelievably flawed characters, romance, humor, and even a bit of mystery. The life of martha ballard, based on her diary, 17851812 was the result of a visit to the state library in augusta, maine, to. A docudrama adaptation of ulrichs pulitzerwinning book, which was based on thousands of entries in the journal of martha ballard, a maine midwife, in the late 1700s and early 1800s. The life of martha ballard, historian laurel thatcher ulrich portraits the life of 18th century midwife martha ballard, and creates a picture of ballards life according to the diaries that she kept during the period from 1785 through to 1812.
The midwifes tale tells the story of martha, a midwife in her 40s, who lives in a small rural community. A blueberry hills production, with support from the national endowment for the humanities. A summary of motifs in laurel thatcher ulrichs a midwifes tale. Ballard was made famous by the publication of a midwifes tale. The midwifes tale 1995 romance leads to imprisonment for a medieval noblewoman stacey havener and the midwife gayle cohen hired to deliver her baby. An extraordinary woman in 18th century new england in a midwifes tale. Drawing on the diaries of one woman in 18thcentury maine, this intimate history illuminates the medical practices, household economies, religious rivalries, and sexual mores of the new england frontier. This film is shot documentary style and is based on the diary of a midwife living in the 1780s. Perfect for acing essays, tests, and quizzes, as well as for writing lesson plans.