Monday, November 27, 2017

Reef, Catherine Florence Nightingale.

Reef, Catherine   Florence Nightingale.   Houghton Mifflin/Clarion      2017  184p  $18.99      Hardback  ISBN 978-0-544-53580-0       ms/hs  Biography      E-BN      

Reef’s biography of Florence Nightingale is of the quality of a Russell Freedman nonfiction work. Her engaging prose tells the story of Nightingale’s struggle with the lack of support from her immediate family and her defiance of her expected societal role. Her determination to improve nursing and the care of patients led to the establishment of nursing schools and the beginnings of the modern profession. Her work led to a reduction in mortality rates for the British army during the Crimean War. Nightingale’s personality was complex -- she demanded total compliance from her underlings, while her compassion for the suffering soldiers drove her to improve the care they received. The book contains a number of illustrations that help bring the story to life. This book is a must-have for middle- and high-school collections.      It is highly recommended.

Summary: This biography recounts the determination of Florence Nightingale to completely restructure the field of nursing.


Nursing                                               --Stephanie Pennucci

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