RaveThe Women\'s Review of BooksIn addition to its elegant readability, The Doctors Blackwell also makes a vital and long-awaited contribution to the scholarship of the history of medicine by reframing the mainstream narrative to include the heretofore largely overlooked clinical and professional accomplishments of the Blackwell sisters ... Based on a thorough assessment of journal entries, personal correspondence, and Elizabeth Blackwell’s medical publications, this in-depth analysis puts the accomplishments of the Blackwell sisters within an appropriate historical context and removes the taint of anachronism that has sensationalized Elizabeth Blackwell as a radical and willing participant in the women’s rights movement ... The biographical narrative of the Blackwell siblings woven throughout is captivating, and it illuminates some of the factors that led the sisters to pursue an unconventional career path ... Although The Doctors Blackwell brings to life a dynamic cast of characters in the history of modern medicine, it misses an important opportunity to develop a more robust discussion of the intersections between race and gender ... century medical landscape. Nonetheless, this absorbing biography effectively traces the course of Elizabeth and Emily Blackwell’s uphill battles to achieve legitimacy as medical professionals. Although the Blackwell sisters may not have intended to challenge the system or inspire a legacy of activism, they inadvertently opened doors for generations of female practitioners and patients. By presenting a nuanced and multifaceted account rather than a one-dimensional mythologized narrative of feminist iconography, Nimura has done a great service to the Blackwells and to modern audiences alike.
