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The Birth House
- Narrated by: Geneviève Steele
- Length: 11 hrs and 28 mins
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The Birth House
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Publisher's Summary
The Birth House is the story of Dora Rare, the first daughter to be born in five generations of Rares. As a child in an isolated village in Nova Scotia, she is drawn to Miss Babineau, an outspoken Acadian midwife with a gift for healing. Dora becomes Miss B.’s apprentice, and together they help the women of Scots Bay through infertility, difficult labours, breech births, unwanted pregnancies and even unfulfilling sex lives. Filled with details as compelling as they are surprising, The Birth House is an unforgettable tale of the struggles women have faced to have control of their own bodies and to keep the best parts of tradition alive in the world of modern medicine.
What the critics say
2020, Governor General's Literary Award—Translation
2007, OLA Evergreen Award
"The Birth House is a poignant, compassionate, bittersweet and nostalgic look at early 20th-century Nova Scotia. . . . Reading McKay’s novel is like dipping into a saner, more intimate, past; a past that’s long gone. . . . McKay is not only a new author to note, but one to look forward to with anticipation."—National Post
"From the beginning of Ami McKay’s debut novel, The Birth House, we know we’re in for a bit of magic. . . . The Birth House is compelling and lively, beautifully conjuring a close-knit community and reminding us, as Dora notes, that the miracle happens not in birth but in the love that follows."—The Globe and Mail
"The Birth House is filled with charming detail. . . . McKay has a quiet and lyrical style that suits her subject. . . . [It is] a story of individual human tenderness and endurance. . . . McKay is clearly a talented writer with a subtle sense of story, one that readers will look forward to hearing from, again and again."—The Gazette (Montreal)
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What listeners say about The Birth House
Average Customer RatingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Sandra Stewart
- 2023-02-16
Great book, FANTASTIC narrator!
I love hearing the stories of the life and struggles of women and how they overcame the unreasonableness of men, their demands and weaknesses- in a area so close to home.
The narrator was completely awesome! She managed the various dialects perfectly! She has such a skill for drawing the listener in and entertaining! Ami you made a great choice putting your well written book in the hands of Genevieve! Thank you ladies!
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Ullho
- 2023-01-28
An amazing folk telling.
I started reading this in paperback. Great story, steeped in East Coast Canadian history. Reader fits the narrative voice perfectly. Tastes like the maritime.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Amazon Customer
- 2023-05-31
A must read/listen
being from the Maritimes (a health care worker/and a bit witchy, I absolutely loved this book. I felt as though I was living and walking alongside the characters. the narration was so great and consistent. the narrator is a true story teller. I would recommend this book to everyone.(and have done so). Ami Mckay is an amazing author.
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