A midwife's story

She works by the light of kerosene lamps, without fetal monitoring systems, X rays, surgeons, or anesthesiologists. The nearest phone is several fields away. From the moment her own phone rings until she delivers the newborn into its mother's arms, each birth is different, and each is thrilling. To share the excitement of birth among the gentle, Old-Order Amish of Lancaster Count, Pennsylvania, is to experience a special thrill, a timeless grace. It is also to gain a new awareness of the quality of the birth experience, the difference between natural births at home and impersonal hospital deliveries. Funny and wise, with intervals of nerve-wracking tension, A Midwife's Story is unique, a revelation of a very special place and an extraordinary life.