All She Left Behind
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4.8 • 6 Ratings
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- $10.99
Publisher Description
Already well-versed in the natural healing properties of herbs and oils, Jennie Pickett longs to become a doctor. But the Oregon frontier of the 1870s doesn't approve of such innovations as women attending medical school. To leave grief and guilt behind, as well as support herself and her challenging young son, Jennie cares for an elderly woman using skills she's developed on her own. When her patient dies, Jennie discovers that her heart has become entangled with the woman's widowed husband, a man many years her senior. Their unlikely romance may lead her to her ultimate goal--but the road will be winding and the way forward will not always be clear. Will Jennie find shelter in life's storms? Will she discover where healing truly lives?
Through her award-winning, layered storytelling, New York Times bestselling author Jane Kirkpatrick invites readers to leave behind their preconceived notions about love and life as they, along with Jennie, discover that dreams may be deferred--but they never really die. Based on a true story.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Kirkpatrick (This Road We Traveled) continues dramatizing real-life events with this successful story of Jennie Lichtenthaler Pickett Parish, who became one of the first doctors in Portland, Ore., in the late 19th century. Jennie's life of pain, probable dyslexia, determined perseverance, and strong faith is brought to life in this well-researched tale. The narrative covers her early marriage and divorce before she develops a love for (and eventual career in) herbal medicine. A second section details her remarriage and delves further into her lifelong interest in addictions and women's health. She married Charles Pickett, whose addition to alcohol (later inherited by their son) prompted him to divorce Jennie. Jennie eventually found happiness with the much older Josiah Parish and their two daughters. Jennie's decision to pursue medical school and her dedication to helping others will inspire readers to consider their own dreams. Kirkpatrick is wonderful with historical detail and recreating the life of this inspiring woman and other female doctors of that period.
