Mary Seacole The Most Famous Black Woman of the Victorian Age

This is a very interesting book about one of the early nurses. Actually she calls herself a doctress and the author describes her as an early nurse practitioner. A remarkable woman from Jamaica- who of her own resources went to serve the men of the Crimean war. For those who need a history brush up this was the conflict for which Florence Nightengale earned her fame. Mary was a likable and remarkable women who was extraordinary for her time. Mary had a strong sense of self- I found her internal drive and unshakable sense of self worth refreshing and inspiring.



The book is well written and an interesting read. The author has a voice that I appreciate- one that doesn't try and deny that her opinion colors the biography. She acknowledges the areas where there has to be some inferences about the actual facts. I appreciate this as so many authors fail in this area and just write as if their interpretations and guesses were actual fact.



After reading this book I looked at Gillian Gill's book NIGHTENGALES The Extraordinary Upbringing and Curious Life of Miss Florence Nightengale again. Mary's autobiography is referenced to describe the war but nothing is mentioned of the two women's relationship. Not that there was much of one as Nightengale believed in a rigid social order. There must have been some strong feelings though as Florence wrote a scathing letter about Mary- inferring that she ran a home of ill repute, drunkenness always surrounded her and even hinting that she had an illegitimate child- all to keep her from going to the front of the Franco-Prussian war. There is no mention of thin in Gill's book. By the way I love Gill's book. It is one of my favorite autobiographies. It looks closely at the life of a complex and fascinating woman. I love it just from the nursing perspective, but it is also interesting on a human psychological level. A very interesting look at an accomplished woman who was mostly crippled through out much of her life by her enmeshed family and her own personal phobias and pride. Yet all she accomplished would probably not be possible with out these same issues. This book is much richer than Mary's biography. This is mostly because of the tremendous correspondence Florence left behind. There is a much deeper area of research to flesh out Nightengales. I recommend both books. But if you can only read one read Gill's. If you are a light reader than the book on Mary Seacole is for you.