This is a concise, yet scholarly view of Florence Nightingale's extraordinary life and career that gets to the heart of her range of interests and achievements. Florence Nightingale is one of the most famous figures in modern history. Yet much of what we know of her emanates from unreliable second-hand accounts, and from a misreading of the primary sources. "Florence Nightingale at First Hand" by Lynn McDonald, editor of "Nightingale's Collected Works", and the world's foremost Nightingale authority, aims to put this right. This is a book which reports what Florence Nightingale said and did, based on her writing, of which a massive amount survives, scattered in over two hundred archives throughout the world. Published to commemorate the centenary of Nightingale's death, McDonald's study presents a Florence Nightingale for the twenty-first century, as an author of great style and wit, a systems thinker and pioneering public health reformer--the heroine and nurse were only the start.

Table of Contents

1. Family Relations; 2. Social Reform; 3. War; 4. Health, Care and Midwifery; 5. Nursing and Hospitals; 6. India and Empire; 7. The Lasting Legacy.

About the Author

Professor McDonald is the editor of the Collected Works of Florence Nightingale, a 16-volume series including much previously unpublished material, as well as her well-known books, articles and letters. Wilfrid Laurier University Press, Press, Canada.

Reviews

"'The best short guide to Nightingale ever published' - Mark Bostridge, author of Florence Nightingale: The Woman and the Legend (Viking, 2008) 'Lynn McDonald's study is the best short guide to Nightingale ever published. A useful resource for students of history and nursing, it is also perfect for the general reader looking for a brief summary of Nightingale's importance.' - Mark Bostridge author of Florence Nightingale The Woman and the Legend (Viking/Penguin 2008)"