Book Reviews & Testimonials
Early praise and reviews for Enjoying the Interval: Murray Enkin: A Life: Medical Humanist and Honorary Midwife by Kerreen M. Reiger
“Obstetrician Murray Enkin was an ally in the long, ongoing struggle to reclaim childbearing and midwifery in North America. His contributions to clinical practice, research, education, and advocacy were grounded in deep respect for women and our bodies. As a member of the team that carried out the first rigorous and comprehensive assessments of the effectiveness of maternity care practices, childbearing families the world over are indebted to his integrity and persistent spirit of inquiry. Through the rich story of this transformative figure who greatly impacted so many of us, Kerreen Reiger also brings to light the international movement to redefine childbirth and reform maternity care.”
-Carol Sakala: Director for Maternal Health, National Partnership for Women & Families
“Many years ago I was asked to contribute an appreciation of my friend Murray Enkin for publication in a Canadian midwifery newsletter. In it, I suggested that Murray had espoused the concept of ‘permanent revolution’ and that this had involved ‘kicking against the pricks’ (Acts 9:5) in various ‘establishments’. Kerreen Reiger’s biography of this remarkable man shows how each of his serial enthusiasms – most recently evidence-based health care – became the targets of a wonderfully creative ‘scepticaemia’.”
-Iain Chalmers: Cochrane Collaboration and James Lind Library
“Murray Enkin’s vital work in Canada and around the world was influential in reforming maternity care to put the needs of women and their families at the centre. His constant enquiry as to how to improve childbirth is set out here in the context of a long, loving and rich life. His recognition of the complexity of the influences on childbirth, the importance of evidence and the essential components of care that count but can’t be counted – the art and the science – were never more relevant. This account of Murray Enkin’s life takes us on the wonderful journey that it has been and lays out the fruits of the life-giving work that we have inherited from him.”
-Lesley Page: British midwife and academic, former President of the Royal College of Midwives
“Reiger offers a meticulous, comprehensive biography of a man whose name is not a household word but should be. His life is at once a story of medical innovation and activism, and a classic tale of second-generation upward mobility, love, family, and community.”
-Paula Michaels: Monash University and author of Lamaze: an International History
“Murray Enkin has been an icon to many of us. Starting his practice in the era of Twilight Sleep and extreme obstetrician authoritarianism, he has been a driving force, partnering with women to create Family-Centred- MaternityCare as a first revolution in modern maternity care, to the era of evidencebased maternity care to questioning the evidence itself: whose evidence, does the evidence have external validity to (questioning the answers) to questioning the very questions that are being asked. As his Biography shows, he has been honoured and appreciated for his many contributions to maternity care and for just being himself.”
-Michael Klein: Professor Emeritus, University of British Columbia and Founder of the Maternity Care Discussion Group (MCDG)
“Murray had so much affection for everyone and interest in everything. Although his greatest achievement was contributing to the demedicalization and the rehumanization of birthing, his interests were always deep and wide. His Biography explores who he was, his attachment to people and ideas and his continued interest in making things better. So many of us loved Murray Enkin and this account of his life is a treasure.”
-Sholom Glouberman: President and Founder of Patients Canada, Philosopher in Residence, Baycrest, Toronto
“Murray was for a Master, as well as a friend, and having known him in my profession, nothing was the same as it was before. In Italy we wanted to let those who didn’t know him know everything Murray was and everything he had done for women and for all of us… His spirit, friendship and teaching never left us and he never forgot about us. Every year he sent out beautiful letters that warmed out hearts during the holiday season. Thanks Eleanor and
Murray, you are and always will be in our hearts.
-Enzo Esposito, Associazione Scientifica ANDRIA, Italy
“In the mid-1990s, I was lucky enough to be on a round Australia speaking tour organised by Andrea Robertson (Birth International), with Murray Enkin, Marsden Wagner and Doris Haire. At each venue Murray would start his presentation with, “You know, the things that count cannot be counted…” He engaged us in thoughtful discussions about the imperative to be activists and argue for improving services for women and families. For those of us in Australia and the UK who followed him from afar, his legacy will include the ways he encouraged us to think broadly about using appropriate forms of evidence to address the complexity of factors that are associated with birth, whilst articulating the profound significance for women, their families, communities and society.
-Nicky Leap, Professor of Midwifery, Australia and UK
“I first met Murray Enkin in the late 1970s at a large birth conference in Vancouver, BC. It was - and still is - so rare to meet an obstetrician/gynecologist who truly believed in the power of the female body and the rights of women to choose natural birth over medicalized birth, including making the choice to birth outside a hospital. Murray stood up at this consumer conference and declared his support, saying that technologically oriented society enchanted with machines and artificial chemicals would of course end up with artificial births. I next met him at Australia’s 1st national home birth conference and am delighted that this book, written by an Australian, now tells his story.
-Susanne Arms, Author of Immaculate Deception: A New Look at Women and Childbirth, and founder-director of Birthing The Future nonprofit/charity [birthingthefuture.org]
-Carol Sakala: Director for Maternal Health, National Partnership for Women & Families
“Many years ago I was asked to contribute an appreciation of my friend Murray Enkin for publication in a Canadian midwifery newsletter. In it, I suggested that Murray had espoused the concept of ‘permanent revolution’ and that this had involved ‘kicking against the pricks’ (Acts 9:5) in various ‘establishments’. Kerreen Reiger’s biography of this remarkable man shows how each of his serial enthusiasms – most recently evidence-based health care – became the targets of a wonderfully creative ‘scepticaemia’.”
-Iain Chalmers: Cochrane Collaboration and James Lind Library
“Murray Enkin’s vital work in Canada and around the world was influential in reforming maternity care to put the needs of women and their families at the centre. His constant enquiry as to how to improve childbirth is set out here in the context of a long, loving and rich life. His recognition of the complexity of the influences on childbirth, the importance of evidence and the essential components of care that count but can’t be counted – the art and the science – were never more relevant. This account of Murray Enkin’s life takes us on the wonderful journey that it has been and lays out the fruits of the life-giving work that we have inherited from him.”
-Lesley Page: British midwife and academic, former President of the Royal College of Midwives
“Reiger offers a meticulous, comprehensive biography of a man whose name is not a household word but should be. His life is at once a story of medical innovation and activism, and a classic tale of second-generation upward mobility, love, family, and community.”
-Paula Michaels: Monash University and author of Lamaze: an International History
“Murray Enkin has been an icon to many of us. Starting his practice in the era of Twilight Sleep and extreme obstetrician authoritarianism, he has been a driving force, partnering with women to create Family-Centred- MaternityCare as a first revolution in modern maternity care, to the era of evidencebased maternity care to questioning the evidence itself: whose evidence, does the evidence have external validity to (questioning the answers) to questioning the very questions that are being asked. As his Biography shows, he has been honoured and appreciated for his many contributions to maternity care and for just being himself.”
-Michael Klein: Professor Emeritus, University of British Columbia and Founder of the Maternity Care Discussion Group (MCDG)
“Murray had so much affection for everyone and interest in everything. Although his greatest achievement was contributing to the demedicalization and the rehumanization of birthing, his interests were always deep and wide. His Biography explores who he was, his attachment to people and ideas and his continued interest in making things better. So many of us loved Murray Enkin and this account of his life is a treasure.”
-Sholom Glouberman: President and Founder of Patients Canada, Philosopher in Residence, Baycrest, Toronto
“Murray was for a Master, as well as a friend, and having known him in my profession, nothing was the same as it was before. In Italy we wanted to let those who didn’t know him know everything Murray was and everything he had done for women and for all of us… His spirit, friendship and teaching never left us and he never forgot about us. Every year he sent out beautiful letters that warmed out hearts during the holiday season. Thanks Eleanor and
Murray, you are and always will be in our hearts.
-Enzo Esposito, Associazione Scientifica ANDRIA, Italy
“In the mid-1990s, I was lucky enough to be on a round Australia speaking tour organised by Andrea Robertson (Birth International), with Murray Enkin, Marsden Wagner and Doris Haire. At each venue Murray would start his presentation with, “You know, the things that count cannot be counted…” He engaged us in thoughtful discussions about the imperative to be activists and argue for improving services for women and families. For those of us in Australia and the UK who followed him from afar, his legacy will include the ways he encouraged us to think broadly about using appropriate forms of evidence to address the complexity of factors that are associated with birth, whilst articulating the profound significance for women, their families, communities and society.
-Nicky Leap, Professor of Midwifery, Australia and UK
“I first met Murray Enkin in the late 1970s at a large birth conference in Vancouver, BC. It was - and still is - so rare to meet an obstetrician/gynecologist who truly believed in the power of the female body and the rights of women to choose natural birth over medicalized birth, including making the choice to birth outside a hospital. Murray stood up at this consumer conference and declared his support, saying that technologically oriented society enchanted with machines and artificial chemicals would of course end up with artificial births. I next met him at Australia’s 1st national home birth conference and am delighted that this book, written by an Australian, now tells his story.
-Susanne Arms, Author of Immaculate Deception: A New Look at Women and Childbirth, and founder-director of Birthing The Future nonprofit/charity [birthingthefuture.org]
