4.20

4

Jul 29, 2019

This was a very pleasant and entertaining series of anecdotes about life on a Hebridean island in the 1970s. The author, Mary-J (as she is called by the locals) and her husband decide in mid life to leave the hustle and bustle of southern England and move to the Hebrides for a quieter life. Taking their two younger children (the older two had left home for college and work), they fix up a dump of a cottage and Mary-J, a nurse takes on the role of Island nurse and health visitor while her husband This was a very pleasant and entertaining series of anecdotes about life on a Hebridean island in the 1970s. The author, Mary-J (as she is called by the locals) and her husband decide in mid life to leave the hustle and bustle of southern England and move to the Hebrides for a quieter life. Taking their two younger children (the older two had left home for college and work), they fix up a dump of a cottage and Mary-J, a nurse takes on the role of Island nurse and health visitor while her husband looks for work. Her chapters depict the challenges of island life and the islanders themselves.

Although there are roads on the 20 mile long island (which she has given a pseudonym to protect the identity of the islanders), not all homes are on the road and most require a strong pair of legs to reach. Getting to some of these homes is even more of a challenge once the winter storms and snow arrive. Apart from the inevitable births and deaths, life is never quiet on the island and there are tales of incest, madness, a woman chained up by her family, a wildfire, a plane crash, near drownings and medical emergencies made more difficult by the isolation and weather. Even their shopping trips to the mainland are an adventure, given the distance and the items they are asked to bring back for other islanders.

MacLeod has an easy way of writing as if she is sitting down having a chat with you over a "cuppie". She clearly loves the landscape and relishes in the change of the seasons and the activities that go with that. She also exudes a fondness for the islanders with their quirks and sense of community and laments the slow loss in their way of life as young people leave the islands for work and tourism inevitably brings the world to their doorstep. It made for a refreshing, quiet read in a busy world. ...more

5

Jun 12, 2013

The Hebrides, which are two groups of islands lying just off the west coast of mainland Scotland, provide the setting for this charming collection of anecdotal experiences of a country nurse during the 1970s. Throughout the book, MacLeod is so intent on preserving the privacy of the islanders that she refers to the “wild, exposed” island which she and her family made their home by the name “Papavray,” so don’t try looking it up on any map—you definitely won’t find it. Despite her use of such a The Hebrides, which are two groups of islands lying just off the west coast of mainland Scotland, provide the setting for this charming collection of anecdotal experiences of a country nurse during the 1970s. Throughout the book, MacLeod is so intent on preserving the privacy of the islanders that she refers to the “wild, exposed” island which she and her family made their home by the name “Papavray,” so don’t try looking it up on any map—you definitely won’t find it. Despite her use of such a pseudonym, however, her experiences are made not one whit less real to us, her readers, who readily come to feel part of her innermost circle of friends, so welcome and beguiling is her approach.

The delicacy and vibrancy of MacLeod’s text resonates with the warmth and passion of the Hebridean islanders among whom she worked. Anyone who has ever lived close to the sea, and who has savored its salt tang on their lips, cannot help but become enthralled by the sensuous wonders of the landscape that she describes in such vivid and glowing terms. Almost at once, one feels close to her, and becomes intimately concerned with her own concerns, as she cycles her way around the island from one patient to another. Her description of the surrounding environs is close to mythical in the poetic cadence of her speech, fringing in its mysteriousness on much loved passages of Daphne du Maurier: “The sky had cleared and the winding road was bright in the moonlight, while the dark waters of small lochs sparkled among the reeds.”

The appeal of the islands and island life permeates the text, from where MacLeod explains how she, her husband and sundry children decided to abandon the hectic pace in the south of England, together with all its stresses and daily pressures, to become “middle-aged dropouts,” living on Papavray, to where they become so enmeshed with island life that they themselves start to seem an integral part of the rural landscape. Despite having to, at first, conduct negotiations for land ”through a fog of half-understood cultural differences,” they soon warm to the generous hospitality of the island folk, with the latter finding MacLeod’s husband’s electrical skills and her own nursing ones ever more indispensable. Somewhat akin to James Herriot’s experiences in the Yorkshire Dales, the author recounts her experiences with the locals in tones of mixed a/bemusement and respect for their endurance and adaptability to the relatively harsh environment in which they live.

The series of adventures upon which the MacLeod family embarks are recounted lovingly and with consummate ease, much of it being in direct speech, so that one feels as though one were there, experiencing the scenes unfolding before one. The pace of Call the Nurse flows smoothly and eloquently through the pages, with the reader becoming ever more engrossed with the ebb and flow of island life. No matter how jaundiced a view of people you might usually, you will not fail to be drawn into admiring the close-knit functioning of human interrelationships in the relative backwater of Papavray and to come to view others around you in a kinder light, aware, but at least a smidgeon more tolerant, of their foibles and failings—such a humanizing effect does this book have on one. Thoroughly recommended for both old and young, next time you have a break and wish to escape the rat race for just a short while, do try reading Call the Nurse—you won’t be disappointed.
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4

Jun 16, 2016

Combine James Herriot, John McPhee, Seamus Heaney's poem Digging with a dash of Call the Midwife. Mary J. Macleod moved her family from southern England to become a district nurse on an island twenty miles long in the Inner Hebrides. She, along with a 70-year-old doctor, provided medical care for all the inhabitants in the 1970's. She writes with a clear-eyed, unsentimental, but affectionate voice.

The squat house seemed to hunch its shoulders as gust after pugnacious gust raced in from the sea, Combine James Herriot, John McPhee, Seamus Heaney's poem Digging with a dash of Call the Midwife. Mary J. Macleod moved her family from southern England to become a district nurse on an island twenty miles long in the Inner Hebrides. She, along with a 70-year-old doctor, provided medical care for all the inhabitants in the 1970's. She writes with a clear-eyed, unsentimental, but affectionate voice.

The squat house seemed to hunch its shoulders as gust after pugnacious gust raced in from the sea, whirled along the stone pier and thundered against the two-foot-thick-walls.

The book is a series of vignettes: like a gurgling stream it ambles along, making it an satisfying read in pockets of time. Macleod worked (tending elderly, administering daily injections, attending to medical emergencies) with her patients in their homes. She was called at all hours and had to traverse a mountain or be taken by sea in a boat. She cared for people from newborns to octogenarians, many who spoke only Gaelic.

This book taps into three fascinations: island culture, self-sustaining lifestyle, and Scotland. I have been on two islands in Scotland, which is knowledge enough to be dangerously ignorant. To protect the privacy of the inhabitants, Macleod calls her island Papavray. This fired my curiosity, sending me to Google to unsuccessfully tease out the island's true name.

The best thing? The author wrote her first book (of three now published) in her 80's. It fuels my hope. Check out her Facebook page. ...more

2

May 29, 2014

A disappointing read for me. Given the title, I was hoping for a memoir of a visiting nurse primarily focused on the profession. The author has instead written a memoir of the years of her family's life on a small Scottish island, over full of adjective-laden weather descriptions with an occasional nursing story.

There was much left to be desired in the ordering of the vignettes, the lack of transition between them, and the absence of a theme to the tales to draw the reader in and keep the story A disappointing read for me. Given the title, I was hoping for a memoir of a visiting nurse primarily focused on the profession. The author has instead written a memoir of the years of her family's life on a small Scottish island, over full of adjective-laden weather descriptions with an occasional nursing story.

There was much left to be desired in the ordering of the vignettes, the lack of transition between them, and the absence of a theme to the tales to draw the reader in and keep the story centered. This book really has no backbone to bind it and thus feels like a personal journal or a memoir written for consumption by close associates only that someone put a "For Sale" sticker on. Not really recommended. ...more

5

Jul 28, 2015

I had never heard of this book, never read a review, had no expectations to meet -- I picked it out because I was learning to use my e-reader and figured it would be no great loss if I lost a page or two of the story or which page I was on while I was struggling to see if I was going to like reading a book I couldn't hold.

Was I surprised! It was my lucky day when I chose this book to read. I needn't have worried about my switch to e-book; everything went along well and I was so engrossed in the I had never heard of this book, never read a review, had no expectations to meet -- I picked it out because I was learning to use my e-reader and figured it would be no great loss if I lost a page or two of the story or which page I was on while I was struggling to see if I was going to like reading a book I couldn't hold.

Was I surprised! It was my lucky day when I chose this book to read. I needn't have worried about my switch to e-book; everything went along well and I was so engrossed in the book that I just couldn't put it down.

What I especially liked about it is that rather than a plot to follow, each chapter was its own stand-alone tale... a picture of a place, a people and a happening. The author's writing style made everything real; her descriptions never got tiresome. I came out of the book feeling I really knew what she, her family, the townsfolk, the customs and the situations were like.

As far as I am concerned, this book deserved every one of those stars.

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4

Jun 18, 2015

Surprisingly good! This was not just happy stories of quaint islanders but a portrayal of the challenges of island life. There are sad stories, and horrible stories, but also insight into what life was like in 1970 in the western Hebrides. The author changes the name of the island to protect the privacy of those who live there. As this book was only recently published, it is likely that many of the people she describes have passed away and the way of life has all but disappeared. I had some Surprisingly good! This was not just happy stories of quaint islanders but a portrayal of the challenges of island life. There are sad stories, and horrible stories, but also insight into what life was like in 1970 in the western Hebrides. The author changes the name of the island to protect the privacy of those who live there. As this book was only recently published, it is likely that many of the people she describes have passed away and the way of life has all but disappeared. I had some experience of the Calvinism of some of the western isles when I visited Lewis about 10 years after this book was set. I had to have the landlady prepare my Sunday meals on Saturday, including a cold supper. Nothing was open and she even requested that I not wash out any of my clothing such as socks on Sunday. It is likely these customs too have passed.
This was an audiobook and the British narrator had the most horrid Scottish accent - she rolled her r's impressively but the rest sounded like a horrid Irish accent. She said quay as Koo-Way and names like Catriona as Cat-ree-oh-na and Ruari as Roo-Are-Wee.
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4

Nov 09, 2014

From the beginning a perfect fit. Our family also moved to Scotland in 1970, but from the USA. We lived midway between my mother's and father's hometowns. Our son was born in his grandfather's hometown. In times past it was a mining village. In 1970 it boasted a regional maternity hospital. Our older son came home from school each day with new ways to speak English. The children's' voices quickly blended in to what they heard around them close, but not quite "of the Gaelic".

Mary J. McLeod From the beginning a perfect fit. Our family also moved to Scotland in 1970, but from the USA. We lived midway between my mother's and father's hometowns. Our son was born in his grandfather's hometown. In times past it was a mining village. In 1970 it boasted a regional maternity hospital. Our older son came home from school each day with new ways to speak English. The children's' voices quickly blended in to what they heard around them close, but not quite "of the Gaelic".

Mary J. McLeod relates an engaging story of her family's settling into the Gaelic ways and her nursing experiences. I'm looking forward to the rest of her tales on Papavray.

McLeod shares her stories of life and nursing in the Hebrides well. The chapters reflect the island life they experienced. It is a unique intimate look at the Hebridean life of the times because of her work as the only nurse. Though small in population the breadth of life experiences is broad. I really enjoyed this look at Scottish life at that time and place. ...more

2

Dec 14, 2014

These would have been wonderful, fascinating stories if only I knew these people, but I didn't, and I couldn't visualize them. (Lots of telling, very little showing.) It's too bad the author had to protect identities and conceal the location because this book would have benefitted from photography and a map or two.

3

May 21, 2013

This is to memoir what cozies are to the mystery/crime genre. It's about the author's exploits as a nurse on a remote Scottish island in the 1970s. The island (and surrounding island) seems to have had its fair share of drama, despite the small population -- plane crash! Woman imprisoned for years! Incest! Ghosts! Cutting out a window to get a patient out! -- but it's all told in a chatty, low-tension style. It feels a bit as though the author's just popped round for tea and is regaling you with This is to memoir what cozies are to the mystery/crime genre. It's about the author's exploits as a nurse on a remote Scottish island in the 1970s. The island (and surrounding island) seems to have had its fair share of drama, despite the small population -- plane crash! Woman imprisoned for years! Incest! Ghosts! Cutting out a window to get a patient out! -- but it's all told in a chatty, low-tension style. It feels a bit as though the author's just popped round for tea and is regaling you with tales of her youth. (Luckily, she's the relative/neighbour you actually like.)

It's as much about general island life as it is about her work as a nurse, and while I rather wished for more details something (for example, the house they bought sounded like a dump -- I would've loved to hear more about what went into making it habitable. But then, I like books about houses...), it's...how to put this...it's a comfortable read, with the feeling that no matter what life throws at the people in the book, they'll carry on. ...more

4

Dec 23, 2014

I have always been interested in the Outer Hebrides Islands so when I saw this book I grabbed it. “Call The Nurse: True Stories of a Country Nurse on a Scottish Isle” by Mary J. MacLeod tells a tale of an English family going to live on a remote Hebrides Island. MacLeod gave the island a fictional name to protect the privacy of the Island and its people. She called the island Papavray.

The author states her husband’s grandfather was born and raised on the island but left as a young man to find I have always been interested in the Outer Hebrides Islands so when I saw this book I grabbed it. “Call The Nurse: True Stories of a Country Nurse on a Scottish Isle” by Mary J. MacLeod tells a tale of an English family going to live on a remote Hebrides Island. MacLeod gave the island a fictional name to protect the privacy of the Island and its people. She called the island Papavray.

The author states her husband’s grandfather was born and raised on the island but left as a young man to find work. They decided to return to the island to live in 1969 after her two older children had left home and only the two teenage boys were left to care for. She worked as a nurse and her husband found contract work as an electrician and electronics technician.

The author’s description of the island, their way of life and medical problems is a reminder of a vanishing way of life. She describes the land and seascape in vivid and glowing terms. The description of the wild rugged island is super. The island being far north, her description of the Northern lights was magnificent. I loved her tales of island lore. Gaelic is the native language but the people also spoken English; therefore she used a lot of old Scottish words as they were used on the island. Thank goodness Kindle has a dictionary build it; I used it frequently while reading the book.

The book is well written. Macleod has kept the chapters short and fast moving. She has done an excellent job capturing the nuances of island life. On the Nursing side she traced many stories across the seasons of a year, from births to deaths, survival and tragedy. The author also provides us with some humor in the story. I am left with a feeling of wanting to go visit the Inner and Outer Hebrides for a different type of vacation. It is a wonderful memoir to read. I used whispersync ( for one section only) with this e-book on the Kindle app for my iPad.
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1

Aug 04, 2014

This is a quick read about a home health nurse in the Hebrides Islands during the late 60's and early 70's. I wanted to like this book, but I found it dull. The novel did provide an informative look into the Hebrides Islands during the time period, which I did find interesting. However the time frame was vague, I was not sure how long the nurse and her family lived on the island or which years the events were taking place. We do not learn what happened to some of the main side characters...did This is a quick read about a home health nurse in the Hebrides Islands during the late 60's and early 70's. I wanted to like this book, but I found it dull. The novel did provide an informative look into the Hebrides Islands during the time period, which I did find interesting. However the time frame was vague, I was not sure how long the nurse and her family lived on the island or which years the events were taking place. We do not learn what happened to some of the main side characters...did the narrator never contact the islanders after she left, what about her sons? Also the narrator does not explain why she left the island. Also, I felt the narrator views were very opinionated for a person who had not lived on the island long. She seemed to be an expert on everything, where was the learning curve? Poorly written. ...more

4

Sep 15, 2019

This was like James Herriot’s country vet stories, except a nurse on a Scottish isle. You really got to know the characters on the island. Mary J. had some real adventures as well. Highly enjoyable. I would have loved to listen to this one on audio (think of the accents!) but I was unable to find it in that format.

3

Sep 14, 2019

Very sweet, very wholesome book of memories of a nurse. Less medical history, more anecdotes about the people and the place. I wanted more poetry, more feelings, the style is a bit matter-of-fact to me, but it’s a solid and pleasant read and the author seems like a person I would want to have as a friend. 3.5*

4

Jul 17, 2014

A simple memoir of a woman who worked as a nurse in a small community in the Scottish Hebrides. The writing is meh, but the tales are precious. It's all about the individuals you meet in this tight-knit community of crofters. Reading Call the Nurse was a lesson in the culture of a remote region of Scotland. I hope one day to visit this blustery and charming locale.

4

Sep 24, 2018

This is my kind of relaxing book. It’s a collection of anecdotes that fit together to tell a bigger tale of life in Papavray. I’d love to know where this really is, although one can guess. I read it on two trips, so it’s perfect for traveling. At the same time, it was perfect for a quick read before bed or over breakfast. Anytime I tucked into the book, I was transported far away to the Hebrides and that was just fine by me. :)

4

Nov 14, 2014

Despite the title this is not chick lit by any stretch. It is stories told by a nurse who moved with her husband and children from London to a remote Hebrides island. She became the district nurse and her husband found there was no lack of nee for his electrical skills.

Her stories run the gamut from hilarious to very tragic. They are all held together by the same characters throughout the relating of her experiences. It was easy to picture all these rugged, and sometimes strange, individuals who Despite the title this is not chick lit by any stretch. It is stories told by a nurse who moved with her husband and children from London to a remote Hebrides island. She became the district nurse and her husband found there was no lack of nee for his electrical skills.

Her stories run the gamut from hilarious to very tragic. They are all held together by the same characters throughout the relating of her experiences. It was easy to picture all these rugged, and sometimes strange, individuals who lived their lives on this isolated island in the weather-tossed treacherous North Atlantic. ...more

5

Feb 15, 2017

This amazing woman tells her story in this brilliant read. You see the highs and lows of remote island life, and how Mary dealt with these as an island nurse. The Scottish weather is formidable, but so is Mary. She describes the struggles of island life so well that you almost believe that you are right there beside her. Her trips to the mainland in an emergency, or just to shop for provisions, are an adventure in themselves. I am determined to read more of Mary's books now as this one was This amazing woman tells her story in this brilliant read. You see the highs and lows of remote island life, and how Mary dealt with these as an island nurse. The Scottish weather is formidable, but so is Mary. She describes the struggles of island life so well that you almost believe that you are right there beside her. Her trips to the mainland in an emergency, or just to shop for provisions, are an adventure in themselves. I am determined to read more of Mary's books now as this one was really special. Thank you for letting us into your life with your books Mary. ...more

5

Sep 17, 2014

Every so often, a 5-star book comes along, and I know it as soon as I start reading. I bought this book because of my love of the Hebridean Islands of Scotland. I guessed that it would be whimsical (it was) but it also delighted me with its excellent writing style! The author is in her 8o's, and writes of her years as a nurse 50 years back. The stories don't seem dated at all. She can move us to tears, and I laughed out loud in many spots. The personalities of the villagers come alive on her Every so often, a 5-star book comes along, and I know it as soon as I start reading. I bought this book because of my love of the Hebridean Islands of Scotland. I guessed that it would be whimsical (it was) but it also delighted me with its excellent writing style! The author is in her 8o's, and writes of her years as a nurse 50 years back. The stories don't seem dated at all. She can move us to tears, and I laughed out loud in many spots. The personalities of the villagers come alive on her pages. MacLeod's second book is available for pre-order - can't wait! ...more

3

May 10, 2018

This book is more a collection of essays about events and people on a small Hebrides island in the 1970s than a coherent whole with themes connecting the bits into a narrative. The people were mildly interesting but never fully revealed. The author even largely withheld her emotions and personal growth from the reader. The author reflected a great deal on the harsh but beautiful landscape and also on the weather. She puts together some nice descriptive language, and the book is easy to read. This book is more a collection of essays about events and people on a small Hebrides island in the 1970s than a coherent whole with themes connecting the bits into a narrative. The people were mildly interesting but never fully revealed. The author even largely withheld her emotions and personal growth from the reader. The author reflected a great deal on the harsh but beautiful landscape and also on the weather. She puts together some nice descriptive language, and the book is easy to read. Thankfully she does not include many attempts to convey the Gaelic tinged accents of her neighbors. It’s a modest book at best. ...more

3

Feb 20, 2018

As I've read a lot of hospice books, I thought this would be similar, that there would be detailed medical explanations and following of patient's lives. I don't really know why I thought that, other than that's what I've read before.
Instead, this was a little love letter to the Scottish isle where she lived. The epilogue left me sad and longing, as someday I will leave my little Hokkaido town and look back the same way she did. Neither of us may ever see the place again, but we carry those As I've read a lot of hospice books, I thought this would be similar, that there would be detailed medical explanations and following of patient's lives. I don't really know why I thought that, other than that's what I've read before.
Instead, this was a little love letter to the Scottish isle where she lived. The epilogue left me sad and longing, as someday I will leave my little Hokkaido town and look back the same way she did. Neither of us may ever see the place again, but we carry those memories and will always long for another time in our lives.

The way she structured the book took a bit to get used to. Instead of following a strict timeline of chronological dates, the stories seemed to weave in and out. I didn't find myself minding this, as the mysteries in the earlier stories eventually revealed themselves later through tidbits of conversation. You know, the way real life works. It was very organic.

I find myself wanting to visit the Hebrides when my friend and I travel next year. ...more

4

Nov 13, 2016

A Breath of Fresh Island Air

I turned to this book as a respite from the election and was very glad I did. This true story takes place before the world was connected digitally. In fact in this little island community (with a fictitious name to protect the privacy of the inhabitants) there isn't even electricity and little to join them to the outside world. The village gossip system is alive and well, however, and the community cares deeply about each of its members. The tales come from the A Breath of Fresh Island Air

I turned to this book as a respite from the election and was very glad I did. This true story takes place before the world was connected digitally. In fact in this little island community (with a fictitious name to protect the privacy of the inhabitants) there isn't even electricity and little to join them to the outside world. The village gossip system is alive and well, however, and the community cares deeply about each of its members. The tales come from the memories of a visiting nurse who has moved with her family from London in search of a simpler life. The forces of Nature create a harsh world, but the love and loyalty of the people provide a sharp and wonderful contrast. Reading about the icy winds, rough seas and constant rains while curled up in my cozy living room only enhanced my enjoyment of this remarkable book. The author, now 80, has written another book about these salt-of-the-earth folk which I think I will turn to when I need a further antidote to modern society. ...more

3

Mar 09, 2017

In this charming memoir, Mary J. MacLeod shares stories of her experiences living on a remote Scottish island as a district nurse in the 1970's.

Coming from London, MacLeod's family certainly had adjustments to make, and the inconvenience of living far away from even shopping makes for interesting stories. One such story relates how every trip to get supplies meant bringing back the items on their neighbor's shopping list as well. Sometimes they even included large appliances!

But the biggest In this charming memoir, Mary J. MacLeod shares stories of her experiences living on a remote Scottish island as a district nurse in the 1970's.

Coming from London, MacLeod's family certainly had adjustments to make, and the inconvenience of living far away from even shopping makes for interesting stories. One such story relates how every trip to get supplies meant bringing back the items on their neighbor's shopping list as well. Sometimes they even included large appliances!

But the biggest impact on the remoteness of the terrain surrounded Nurse Mary J.'s job itself. The hospital was on the other side of the island, and even that was not equipped to handle everything. When bad weather set in, oftentimes Nurse Mary J. was the only medical help available - and even she relied on her neighbors to get her there when the roads were difficult.

There was also quite of bit of community gossip shared - which I found strange in a memoir. It made me feel like I was made privy to some information I'd rather not know about.

Still, the author manages to evoke the beauty of the island, the warmth of the islanders and the attraction of life away from the hustle and bustle of city life. ...more

3

May 03, 2019

There's a strong element of nostalgia to the book Call the Nurse, even as the memories are often tinged with darkness. Mary J. MacLeod moved with her husband and two youngest children to a remote Scottish island. Her husband began to work as an electrician, while she began to make the rounds as a nurse, encountering the people of the nearby isles at their best and at their worst. Many of the tales aren't so much about her medical practice as it is about life on the island; the information is There's a strong element of nostalgia to the book Call the Nurse, even as the memories are often tinged with darkness. Mary J. MacLeod moved with her husband and two youngest children to a remote Scottish island. Her husband began to work as an electrician, while she began to make the rounds as a nurse, encountering the people of the nearby isles at their best and at their worst. Many of the tales aren't so much about her medical practice as it is about life on the island; the information is downright fascinating, from the perils of the geography (weather, plane crash, peat-harvesting) to the incredible personalities in nearby crofts. What the cover copy of the book did NOT mention was that these memories are actually from the early 1970s. This is absolutely vital to the story, as 'the electric' had only recently come to the isles, with many crofts lacking indoor plumbing, and some older residents so old that they remember the Clearances and World War I. A few hippies show up and dazzle the residents, too.

If you're triggered by tales of abuse, note that there are several dark stories, as the remote location makes it easier for hermits to engage in horrible crimes against women. There's a particularly sad case of incest, too.

Overall, it's an interesting book, and one that should definitely be read while keeping in mind the context of the time and place. I will be holding onto it as a reference book, simply because the insight into the croft system and island life intrigues me.

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3

Apr 19, 2016

For me, this book fits into a niche country doctor genre, populated by Herriot and Patrick Taylor (Irish country doctor) and the like. Macleod moves with her family to a small island on the outer Hebrides. (She does not reveal which one.) As far as I can tell, the island has a few hundred inhabitants and abysmal weather practically year-round. Macleod lives there in the 70s, and the islanders have only recently acquired limited access to electricity. Many lack indoor plumbing and some lack even For me, this book fits into a niche country doctor genre, populated by Herriot and Patrick Taylor (Irish country doctor) and the like. Macleod moves with her family to a small island on the outer Hebrides. (She does not reveal which one.) As far as I can tell, the island has a few hundred inhabitants and abysmal weather practically year-round. Macleod lives there in the 70s, and the islanders have only recently acquired limited access to electricity. Many lack indoor plumbing and some lack even an outdoor privy. The people subsist primarily from farming and fishing, though they are beginning to turn to tourism.

I've always been interested how people lived on the remote islands of Ireland and the UK, especially in past. What was life like for people in these remote places? This is certainly one of the more illuminating accounts I've read. Macleod's family moves to the Hebrides seeking a simpler life than the one they've been living in Cornwall, and life may in fact be simpler, but her stories make clear that simpler is not always better. The hardships she describes for me make such a life unappealing, from the girl suffering from leukemia who is airlifted off the island for treatment in a snowstorm alone, not even her mother able to come to far worse stories featuring incest, rape, and imprisonment. It seems reading the book that people die easily on this island. With that being said, it's clear the neighbors have a close bond unimaginable in the urban suburbs where I live.

Macleod lacks Herriot's humor, but her stories feel more true and honest than his. Her few hundred pages are a small window into the good and the bad of this one island in the 70s. ...more

5

Sep 19, 2019

Call The Nurse is the memoir of Mary MacLeod's life on Papavray, a remote Outer Hebrides island off the coast of Northwest Scotland. Whether you've visited Scotland or not, you're sure to be charmed by the quaint locals and to be amazed at the struggles of daily life on a tiny island.

The memoir is told in a sequential timeline of Ms. McLeod's time on the island. She is the nurse mentioned in the title, and her time on the island seems to have been very eventful. The chapters are relatively Call The Nurse is the memoir of Mary MacLeod's life on Papavray, a remote Outer Hebrides island off the coast of Northwest Scotland. Whether you've visited Scotland or not, you're sure to be charmed by the quaint locals and to be amazed at the struggles of daily life on a tiny island.

The memoir is told in a sequential timeline of Ms. McLeod's time on the island. She is the nurse mentioned in the title, and her time on the island seems to have been very eventful. The chapters are relatively short essays describing a memorable event and the author’s involvement as the island’s only district nurse. The essays are more substantial than a diary style memoir, so readers get a clear idea of daily life on Papavray (or any tiny Hedbrides island. I appreciated the author's descriptions of the island and its inhabitants. I could picture the small crofter cottages and practically smell the harvested peat!

Call the Nurse is a charming book about daily life in a very rural setting. I loved both my visits to Scotland, and Call the Nurse has me longing to go back to explore some more of the country. In fact, Ms. McLeod's book has me thinking about how I could work and live there for a year.


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