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Florence Nightingale by Cecil Blanche Woodham-Smith

Florence Nightingale by Cecil Blanche Woodham-Smith

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Florence Nightingale

By Cecil Blanche Woodham-Smith

A definitive biography of the woman who revolutionized modern nursing and public health. In this award-winning work, historian Cecil Woodham-Smith brings Florence Nightingale vividly to life, tracing her journey from privileged Victorian girlhood to her legendary service in the Crimean War and her tireless campaigns for healthcare reform.

Book Synopsis

Drawing on newly released letters and private papers, Woodham-Smith offers a richly detailed portrait of Nightingale’s intellect, determination, and spiritual calling. From her early struggles against family expectations to her groundbreaking work in battlefield hospitals and her later influence on sanitation and hospital design, this biography reveals the full scope of Nightingale’s legacy. Far from the mythic “lady with the lamp,” she emerges as a complex, driven reformer whose impact reshaped medicine and society.

Perfect For

  • Readers of historical biography and women’s history
  • Students of nursing, medicine, and public health
  • Fans of Team of Rivals and The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks
  • Anyone inspired by stories of courage, intellect, and social change

Praise & Recognition

“An impressive, absorbing biography… brilliant.”
—Kirkus Reviews

“Restores Nightingale’s reputation with scholarship and narrative flair.”
—Oxford Dictionary of National Biography

Winner of the James Tait Black Memorial Prize for Biography

About the Author

Cecil Blanche Woodham-Smith (1896–1977) was a British historian and biographer renowned for her vivid storytelling and meticulous research. Her works include The Reason Why and The Great Hunger, each exploring pivotal moments in Victorian history with clarity and compassion.

Other Related Titles

  • The Reason Why by Cecil Woodham-Smith
  • The Great Hunger by Cecil Woodham-Smith
  • Florence Nightingale: The Woman and Her Legend by Mark Bostridge
  • Notes on Nursing by Florence Nightingale

Product Details

  • Publisher: McGraw-Hill / Constable
  • Publication Date: 1951
  • Format: Hardcover / Paperback / eBook
  • Pages: 382
  • ISBN: 9780094758103 (1996 reprint)
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