Jane Kirkpatrick is known for selecting female historical characters as her protagonist, women of faith, passionate about their calling, and possessing great inner strength. Jennie Pickett, wife of Charles Picket would not have described herself using any of those descriptors. She would have more likely used words like slow, unloved, and failure. Josiah Parrish tenderly and lovingly helped her reach her full potential, nurturing her dream to become a doctor. In the latter half of the 1800s, in the state of Oregon, female doctors were a rarity. Something Jennie had only dreamed about, but had never considered as a real possibility given her reading difficulties, not to mention her status as a divorced woman. Josiah was able to open up possibilities and doors for Jennie. Doors which she slowly gained the confidence to walk through.
I found it very interesting that the issues that interested Jennie as a doctor in the late 1800s are still significant concerns in today’s society: addiction, abuse, health care for the poor (especially women and children), and adequate nutrition and housing. Jesus said the poor would always be with us, and we are instructed to love our neighbor as ourselves. So as these issues persist, so must we persist in our efforts to care for those thus impacted.
If you are a historical fiction fan, you will love All She Left Behind as well as other books by Jane Kirkpatrick. Her writing is well researched, and historically accurate. Her author notes inform you as to which fictional characters have been inserted into the story, and the reasoning behind the events she chose to flesh out the non-fictional character’s story. I thank NetGalley and Revell Publishers for providing me with a copy of All She Left Behind in exchange for my honest review. I received no monetary compensation.

Fact based novel that tells the story of one woman's perseverance through many obstacles to achieve her dream of becoming a doctor in an era when they were looked at askance.

Wow what a fantastic story. It is based on a true story. It is a historical fiction from the Oregon frontier of the 1870s Jennie always wanted to be a doctor. She loved working with healing herbs and oils. She married Charles Pickett who was not the man she thought he was. He had fallen into alcohol and drugs and became abusive. They had two children. Douglas her son and a daughter they lost at birth. He filed for a divorce and she got custody of her son. She cared for a women whom had died and then fell in love with the women's older husband. It is a story of love and tragedy. The struggles of abuse and divorce. The struggles of raising a son with problems and the rights of a women back in the 1870's Love this story from page one to the end.

I struggled to finish this novel. It was very slow and just not interesting to me.

All She Left Behind was my first book by Jane Kirkpatrick, and the author uses vivid detail to give the reader the perspective of looking in on the characters. Based on a true story, I anticipated Jennie Pickett's journey to become a doctor would be similar to the TV series, Dr. Quinn Medicine Woman. The plot does not center on medical challenges or the struggles to be accepted into a male dominated profession. Kirkpatrick focuses on the adversity in circumstances and struggles with self-confidence in Jennie's life. She covers grief, alcoholism, drug addiction, abuse, love, divorce, and financial hardship as just a few of the problems Jennie faces. I would recommend this book for fans of biographies and historical fiction and who enjoy a very leisurely paced novel.

Das Buch beginnt mit der Hochzeit von Jennie Lichtenthaler und Charles Pickett in Oregon im März 1860. Jennie ist 17 Jahre alt und sie feiern munter in der Hoffnung auf ein gutes Leben. Einige Jahre später erleben wir dann Jennie mit ihrem schon 3 Jahre alten Sohn Douglas. Mittlerweile heilt sie Menschen mit aromatischen Ölen und Kräutern aber ihr Mann Charles weiß das nicht zu schätzen und beschwert sich nur über die zusätzlichen Ausgaben für ihren Haushalt. Sie trägt noch schwer daran, dass sie vor einigen Monaten ihr neugeborenes Töchterchen verloren hat.

Der Tod des Babys treibt die beiden auseinander. Er will nicht mehr darüber sprechen, aber sie muss einen Weg finden mit ihren Schmerz und ihrer Trauer umzugehen. Sie denkt noch ständig an das kleine Mädchen, das sie beerdigen mussten. Immer häufiger bleibt Charles von zu Hause weg, verbringt die Abende mit seinem Schwager. Sie sind beide dem Alkohol verfallen. Als ihr Bruder ihr eine Destille für ihre Öle bauen will, denkt ihr Mann nur daran damit selber Alkohol zu brauen. Seit kurzer Zeit wird er auch handgreiflich ihr gegenüber und sie streiten immer mehr. Aber ihre Schwester Lucinda, in deren Haus sie leben, will das alles nicht wahr haben.

Jennie ist von Kindheit an schwach im Lesen und Schreiben, aber hat eine Leidenschaft für Pflanzen und Kräuter und ihre Anwendung. Sie träumt von einem eigenen Haus und Charles möchte seinen Job im Gefängnis aufgeben und in Landverkäufen machen. So suchen die beiden Reverend Joshia Parrish wegen eines Kredits auf. Seine Frau Elizabeth ist sehr krank. Zu Jennies Überraschung bittet Charles ihn um eine viel höhere Summe als besprochen.

Nach der Zustimmung des Reverend gibt Charles sehr schnell viel Geld für Luxusprodukte aus, kann aber noch keine Abschlüsse vorweisen. Nachdem es zu weiteren Vorfällen gekommen ist, gesteht er Jennie eines Tages plötzlich unglaubliches und dass er bereits vor Wochen die Scheidung eingereicht hat. Wenige Tage später verschwindet er dann ganz, mit allen restlichen Besitztümern. Jennie und Dougie sind völlig aufgeschmissen und müssen schlußendlich bei ihren Eltern unter kriechen. Dann kommt das unverhoffte Angebot des Reverend zur Deckung der Schulden seine kränklende Frau zu pflegen. Jennie übernimmt diese Aufgabe gerne und erleichtert. Aber ihren Traum vom Studium der Heilkunde, oder einer eigenen großen Farm und Familie hat sie längst aufgegeben.

Nach Elizabeths Tod und der Aufteilung des Haushalts und der Erbschaft und Durchsicht der Hinterlassenschaften geht das Leben für sie ganz neue Wege. Jennie hat zunehmend Probleme mit ihrem Sohn, der sich als schwierig erweist und sich nicht anpassen kann. Ihre Leidenschaft als Heilerin tritt zunächst in den Hintergrund. Ihr immer treu zur Seite steht die sehr sympathische Freundin Ariyah, die auch mit ihren eigenen Schicksalsschlag zu kämpfen hat. Doch das Leben hält für Jennie und Joshia noch einiges bereit.

Die ganze Geschichte hat mich emotional sehr berührt und ist außerordentlich intensiv erzählt. Man kann sich sehr gut in die damalige Zeit und die Situation, speziell für Frauen, hinein versetzen. Auch die ersten moderneren Schritte in der Medizin sind interessant zu verfolgen. Überrascht war ich über die damalige große Rolle der homöopathischen Praxis. Die Probleme zwischen Jennie und ihrem Sohn sind sehr real geschildert und man kann Jennies Leid und Selbstvorwürfe nachfühlen. Gespannt folgt man Jennies Lebensweg.

Erst am Schluss habe ich im Nachwort erfahren, dass es sich bei Jennie Lichtenthaler um eine echte historische Person handelt. Das hat mich mit großem Respekt auf diese Lebensgeschichte zurück blicken lassen. Sie hat in ihrem Leben einen großen Schritt für die Frauen und die Medizin getan. Und die Frage nach einer Kur für Alkoholismus ist bis heute sicher so aktuell wie damals.

Fazit: Die intensive und berührende Lebensgeschichte von Jennie Pickett Parrish, einer der ersten Frauen- und Kinderärztinnen Oregons.

5 von 5 Punkten

All She Left Behind

by Jane Kirkpatrick

Revell

Christian

Pub Date 05 Sep 2017

I am reviewing All She Left Behind through Revell and Netgalley:

Jennie Pickett is already well versed in the healing properties of herbs and oils, but she longs to become a doctor. But in 1870 the Oregon Frontier doesn't approve of women attending medical school.

In order to provide for her young son, and to leave grief and guilt behind Jennie takes on the care of an elderly woman, when her patient dies Jennie realizes that her heart has become entangled with the woman's widowed husband. A man older than her by many years.

Will this unlikely romance help her with her ultimate goal of becoming a doctor? Find out in All She Left Behind!

Five out of five stars!

Happy Reading!

Jane Kirkpatrick’s “All She Left Behind” is based on the true story of Jennie Lictenthaler Pickett Parrish. Jennie married the first time to Charles Pickett with the promise of a good life together. They had a son, Douglas. Charles became a less than wonderful husband because of addictions and they shortly parted ways. She was a self-taught healer with visions of becoming a doctor at a time when women doctors were not welcome either in medical school or by the community. She eventually married Josiah Parrish, many years her senior, after being his wife’s companion and nursemaid during her terminal illness. Josiah encouraged her to follow her dreams, but she waited until their two girls were older before she became a student at Willamette College in Salem, Oregon, founded in 1842. Jennie was a person of faith and perseverance. She never let anything stop her, not the abuse from her first husband, her son’s addictions, following in his father’s footsteps, not the censure from the community, or her family’s misgivings about her second marriage. The title of the story, it seems to me, lets the reader know that her life meant something and her becoming a doctor in that day and age was a symbol of courage, fortitude, and love for humanity. I would recommend this book and others from Ms. Kirkpatrick’s works. However, I will say that I had to refer to the list of characters and their place in the novel from time to time.

All She Left Behind is my new favorite novel written by Jane Kirkpatrick. I just love this story. This book is based on real events involving Jennie Pickett. I loved Jennie and loved that she refused to allow the times to keep her from following her dream. She was an extraordinary woman that went through so much to keep her dream alive. Such a beautiful story full of hope, faith, determination, and redemption.
All She Left Behind is most definitely a must read and I highly recommend it.
5 plus stars.
I received this book from the publisher. This review is 100% my own honest opinion.

If you read one book this year make it All She Left Behind by Jane Kirkpatrick. Based on a true story this is a book that will make you weep, get you angry, long for loved ones to be near, mourn those you've lost and get you thinking about doing all you can while you can with the life you've been given.

Jennie Pickett took what life threw at her and tried to make the best of it. Her alcoholic husband didn't make that easy. I won't give you the rest of the story because to do so would take away from the emotions you will feel if I do. Suffice it to say that God always has a plan and can take the evil intentions of others and turn them into blessings we could never imagine.

Jennie's story will inspire you. I was amazed that she was not a fictional character but did at one time walk this earth. And oh, my! What an impact she had on the lives around her. And what a blessing those lives were to her, who dared her to pursue her dreams.

Read this book. You will not be disappointed!