Physical description

Book with dustjacket and protective covering. The dustjacket has a purple background, with title and author's name in grey print on front and spine. Front of dust jacket also has a black and white photograph of 12 women and a man. 10 of these women are in dressed in nurses uniforms, another wears a white cap, and the woman in the centre is wearing a white scarf on her head (Florence Nightingale with a group of nurses from London Hospitals at Claydon. Standing behind her are her brother in-in-law Sir Henry Verney (owner of Claydon) and the matron Miss Crossland)

Publication type

non-fiction

Inscriptions & markings

At bottom of the front-end paper is a coloured donation sticker: AHNL badge (red and blue ink) and blue printed words: 'this book was donated to AHNL Inc-Nursing Archives by' Alfred Hospital Library 21/3/18 (written in black ink). Also written on this sticker are the words ' previously donated by Group Y graduated 1955" At top right of this page the previous catalogue number is written in black ink. On this page and others are stamps, stickers and other items relating to a deleted library item. On page ii is a typed attachment "Presented to the Alfred Hospital's Nursing library at a gathering to mark thirty years since Y group's graduation on 18th March, 1955, and in memory of Judy Deverman (Ford) and Shirley Heyman (Page). Nurses of Y Group-typed list. There are also numerous pencil apostils and underlinings

Summary

This book challenges the traditional view of Nightingale as a saintly figure, presenting a more complex and critical portrait. The book analyzes how Nightingale leveraged her personal relationships and influence to advance her public health and nursing reforms, highlighting her achievements and less savory tactics.