Call the midwife books

The Call the Midwife books are a series of memoirs written by Jennifer Worth, based on her experiences working as a midwife in London’s East End during the 1950s.

📚 Overview of the books

The main trilogy includes:

Call the Midwife (2002)

Shadows of the Workhouse (2005)

Farewell to the East End (2009)

Together, they paint a vivid picture of post-war Britain, especially life in poor, working-class communities.

🩺 What they’re about

The books follow Jennifer Worth as a young nurse who joins a convent-based midwifery order called the Nonnatus House in the East End of London.

They explore:

Childbirth in an era before modern medical convenience

Poverty, overcrowding, and public health challenges

Women’s lives, resilience, and community bonds

Social issues like illegal abortion, disease, and inequality

✨ Tone and style

Warm, compassionate, and deeply human

Often humorous despite difficult subject matter

Rich in real-life stories of patients and families

Mixes medical insight with emotional storytelling

📺 Adaptation connection

The books inspired the popular BBC series Call the Midwife, though the show expands beyond the original memoirs and includes fictional storylines.

💡 Why people love them

Readers are drawn to:

Authentic historical detail

Strong emotional storytelling

Insight into midwifery and women’s health

A sense of hope and humanity in tough conditions