The Ditchdigger's Daughters - Softcover

Thornton, Yvonne S.

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0758225881 ISBN 13: 9780758225887

Publisher: Dafina, 2008

Synopsis

“I Love You Better Than I Love Life...”
 
...Donald Thornton told his six daughters. “But I’m not always gonna be around to look after you, and no man’s gonna come along and offer to take care of you because you ain’t light-skinned. That’s why you gotta be able to look after yourselves. And for that you gotta be smart.” 
The Ditchdigger’s Daughters is an inspiring portrait by a loving daughter of a father whose pervasive common sense, folk wisdom, and untutored but right-on insights gave his children their road map to a better life. It is the story of a man who dared to dream that his black daughters would someday become doctors—and who guided them to achieve the seemingly impossible goals he set for them. 
From the tenements of East Harlem to the footlights of the Apollo Theatre to the halls of an Ivy League medical school, Dr. Yvonne Thornton has written a family biography that is as moving as it is inspiring. Here is the story of a poor black father and his unimaginable dream of seeing all six of his daughters become doctors; of the wisdom and guidance that gave his girls the strength to keep striving; and of the remarkable way that each one of them transcended race, color, and gender to fulfill the promise of the American Dream. 
“Dr. Thornton’s story shows that a family that stays together, that holds fast to traditional values, can make a quantum leap up the social mobility scale in one generation.” —Wall Street Journal
 
“Entertaining yet inspiring...a welcome antidote to the many recent books that have shown the underside of growing up black.” —Cleveland Plain Dealer

About this title

About the Author:

Yvonne S. Thornton, MD, MPH, is an Emeritus professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology and a doubleBoard-certified specialist in obstetrics, gynecology and Maternal-FetalMedicine (high risk obstetrics).  She has personally delivered more than 5,000 babies in her career and has overseen or supervised more than12,000 deliveries.  She is a former Vice-Chair of a department ofObstetrics and Gynecology, and is the mother of two children.
            She is the author of SOMETHING TO PROVE, her celebrated memoir about how she ascended to the top of her field as a physician by drawing on her father s teachings. Despite bias andsetbacks, she became the first African-American woman in the country tobe Board-certified in the obstetrical sub-specialty of Maternal-FetalMedicine. Dismissed and shunned by her peers for entering themale-dominated world of academic medicine, Dr. Thornton relied on herfather's life lessons, which taught her to be strong and rise aboveadversity. Through intelligence, determination, and hard work, Dr.Yvonne Thornton overcame the odds to reach the pinnacle of her profession. and Inside Information for Women, a health guide that answers manyquestions women have about their bodies from someone who's been on bothsides of the stirrups.              During her 45-year career in medicine, she has conducted research at The RockefellerUniversity,the National Institutes of Health Pregnancy Research Branch,National Naval Medical Center, Naval Medical Research Institute, and New York Hospital-Cornell Medical Center. She is the author or co-author of more than a dozen scientific papers. She also serves as a reviewer forthe American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology. She received her medical (M. D.) degree from Columbia UniversityCollege of Physicians and Surgeons in New York City and her Master ofPublic Health (M. P. H.) in Health Policy and Management from theMailman School of Public Health at Columbia University.

From AudioFile:

This is the heartwarming and inspirational true story of a father, a ditchdigger by trade, who would have done anything humanly possible to help his six daughters succeed in life. He knew that, as women of color, their paths would be difficult, so he found a unique way of providing them with excellent educations. Fran Washington warms the heart with colorful storytelling. Her character transitions are flawless and bring each personality to life. Her portrayal of Donald, the devoted father, is especially vivid, charming the listener with his old-fashioned adages and insights. B.J.P. (c)AudioFile, Portland, Maine

About this edition

• Publisher: Dafina
• Publication date: 2008
• ISBN 10: 0758225881
• ISBN 13: 9780758225887
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 272