This comprehensive and informational biography details Nightingale’s life as she brushes aside her days of privilege to work tirelessly on transforming war hospitals from gruesome wards to places of cleanliness, relief, and hope. Source Notes, Selected Bibliography, Index.

Outside of knowing that Florence Nightingale was known as the Lady with the Lamp and that she worked in the British Army hospitals during the Crimean War, I knew nothing else. So I picked Florence Nightingale: The Courageous Life of the Legendary Nurse by Catherine Reef to read.

I learned that Florence Nightingale had a very difficult life because she went outside of the social norm at the time In England to work. She came from a wealthy family and was expected to marry, have children and take care of her family. She was not supposed to be interested in math, engage in the hard work of cleaning or work under deplorable conditions. She felt that she had a calling, she studied subjects not intended for the gentle sex. she worked long hours, often 20 hours a day in caring for the sick and injured.

She was different as a child, she rescued injured animals and nursed them back to health. Not bending the customs of the day disappointed her parents and caused her sister to think ill of her. She did not get the support that she wanted from her family but she went on and pushed nursing as a profession into a career of respect. She recognized the benefits of clean clothing and fresh air and left her stamp of greatness on nursing.

The author writes about Florence Nightingale objectively and gives much insight to her decisions and her beliefs. Well researched and profusely illustrated, this book gives us many insights into her character and distinguishes between the myth and the reality of this woman.

I highly recommend this to all who are interested in important figures in history.

I received this finished copy by making a selection from Amazon Vine books but that in no way influenced my thoughts or feelings in this review. I also posted this review only on sites meant for reading not for selling. ( )