• Call the Midwife

  • A Memoir of Birth, Joy, and Hard Times
  • By: Jennifer Worth
  • Narrated by: Nicola Barber
  • Length: 12 hrs and 1 min
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars (9,315 ratings)

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Call the Midwife  By  cover art

Call the Midwife

By: Jennifer Worth
Narrated by: Nicola Barber
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Publisher's summary

Audie Award Nominee, Solo Narration - Female, 2013

At the age of 22, Jennifer Worth left her comfortable home to move into a convent and become a midwife in postwar London’s East End slums. The colorful characters she met while delivering babies all over London - from the plucky, warm-hearted nuns with whom she lived to the woman with 24 children who couldn't speak English to the prostitutes and dockers of the city’s seedier side - illuminate a fascinating time in history. Beautifully written and utterly moving, Call the Midwife will touch the hearts of anyone who is, and everyone who has, a mother.

©2002 Jennifer Worth (P)2012 HighBridge Company

Critic reviews

"A charming tale of deliveries and deliverance." ( Kirkus Reviews)

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What listeners say about Call the Midwife

Average customer ratings
Overall
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    6,187
  • 4 Stars
    2,202
  • 3 Stars
    639
  • 2 Stars
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Performance
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
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    6,154
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    1,579
  • 3 Stars
    434
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Story
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
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    5,664
  • 4 Stars
    1,890
  • 3 Stars
    583
  • 2 Stars
    133
  • 1 Stars
    92

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Difficult narration for those with any hearing loss

The narrator uses a sort of breathless/loud whisper with a soft voice for most of the book. I have mild hearing loss in higher frequencies and found it hard to catch all of this book. When the narrator was quoting characters the breathlessness went away and was easy to understand.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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My complete and honest review

First, you've probably heard mixed reviews about the narrator. While yes, she does get quiet at time and you'll most likely have to turn it up every so often, this is only to convey emotion and what the character is doing, so I honestly don't mind it. The narrator however does an AMAZING job using distinct voices for the characters, none sound alike.
Second, people are probably saying that this book is a story about life and death, but that's not what this book is about. This book is about life, not so much death. This book takes people and tells their stories, this book is about life, with all the virtues and struggles that come with it.
Third, while I love this book and would recommend it, I personally don't enjoy the ending... I understand what the ending is and what it's suppose to do, but I just would enjoy another ending. Now this doesn't remove from the book itself, it's still great, I just am not a fan of the ending.
Overall, would I recommend? Yes.
If you have a credit for a book, this isn't a bad purchase. If this book is on sale, then definitely get it.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Fascinating and stress reliever

I listened to this book in a very stressful week, the narrator's voice is so soothing and the stories were so vividly narrated that made me forget my worries. Beautiful book, and a lovely inside perspective on the life of a midwife in the 50s.

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    5 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
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Inspirational

An expanded rich story that fills out the BBC series. Each character wonderfully developed. A pleasure to listen to.

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    5 out of 5 stars
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Very educational

What did you love best about Call the Midwife?

Loved the way the author painted such a vivid picture of the life and times of the characters

Which character – as performed by Nicola Barber – was your favorite?

I loved chummy, I have watched the tv series on PBS and loved the actress who played her. Although she does appear less in the book

If you were to make a film of this book, what would be the tag line be?

Compassion overcomes hardship

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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Wonderful!

I LOVE this book! Great read! Especially for those who love the tv series. I recommend it!

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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Wonderfully Historical and Whitty

Any additional comments?

Although this is biographical and historical it is extremely well written and entertaining while also being very inormative. It is amazing how different midwifery and obstetrics was then and how the environment plays such an important role in our lives. I can't wait to listen to the other "Call the Midwife" books. Narration was excellent too.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

cute story

readers voice a bit faint... to listen in noisy areas. otherwise a nice trip back in time.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Listen to the Book and Watch the Show!

I found the book through the show on PBS. I love them both. It's great to see the stories play out on tv, but it's also nice to get a different perspective from the book. It has a nice pace, and I definitely think it's worth purchasing.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

.

Loved the book very much. It was wonderful to see where the TV series had come from, and be more in depth with the lives of the story's characters.

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