Hearts of Wisdom

“This is a breathtaking work in terms of its depth and its breadth. Emily Abel’s research is impressive in its time frame, wide range of topics, and wonderful source material. What she has given us, for the first time, is a full-length study of the female support network, not only for childbirth but for a whole range of health issues. With her pleasing writing style and clear, readable prose, she gives us much more than mere glimpses of anonymous people--she provides the reader with a sense of the texture of human lives.”—Susan L. Smith, University of Alberta

“The reader of Hearts of Wisdom is surprised by the topic and content, but is left with the sense that the most central story of human possibility has been left out of all other history books. The work offers a substantive contribution to history, feminist scholarship, caregiving professions, and informal caregivers.”—Patricia Benner, R.N., Ph.D, University of California, San Francisco

“This excellent historical review of female caregiving within families as a transformative experience identifies conditions that make this form of human connectedness rewarding and meaningful.”—J.E. Thompson, Choice

“Despite a growing population over eighty, public policy concentrates on childcare and forgets eldercare. Emily Abel’s wise and heartfelt book powerfully evaluates this terrain by giving carework a history.”—Eileen Boris, The Women’s Review of Books