Don't Forget, I Love You: The Letters of Dr. W. Stuart Wood to Mildred Runyan, R.N. 1938-1944 - Softcover

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0759626693 ISBN 13: 9780759626690

Publisher: 1st Book Library, 2001

Synopsis

He was a vetran of WW1 who had returned to become a prominent orthopedic surgeon in his home town of Illinois. She was a young nurse from a small town in Indiana. The consequences of their love affair are revealed in this collection of his letters to her over a span of nearly six years.

About this title

From the Author:

The book contains much more than just the letters of Dr. Wood to Mildred. There are many pictures and information regarding the military career of Mildred Runyan during WWII and Dr. Wood's military service in WW1. There are also several letter from women who Mildred became friends with during her stay at the Fairmont Maternity Home. These have proven to be quite interesting, some tragic others uplifting. I am sure you will find the book to be a quick and interesting read.

From the Inside Flap:

He was a veteran of WWI who had returned to become a prominent orthopedic surgeon in his home town in Decatur, Illinois. He was married to an attractive, socially active woman with whom he had two children. Tall, handsome, with a congenial personality, he was respected by family, friends, patients, and the community.

She was a young, intelligent, attractive nurse from a large family in a small town in Indiana. She was recently divorced from a short and very unhappy marriage, which had produced a child that died shortly after birth. Moving to Illinois and working at the nearby hospital, she began a new life for herself. Unfortunately it was not to be the kind of life she had hoped for.

The consequences of their love affair are revealed in this collection of his letters to her over a span of nearly six years.

In the late 1930's and early 1940's, it was a terrible disgrace for a young woman to be involved with a married man (and it’s not a very good idea even now), but worse was a single woman getting pregnant and having a child. During this time many women who became pregnant were "sent away" to out-of-state family members or to institutions which specialized in caring for these women and arranging adoptions for the babies that were born there. For a minimal fee, the institutions would provide room-and-board and medical care but the women were usually required to work, as long as they were able, to help make up the difference for the cost of their accommodations and care.

This book includes several letters from women who went through this ordeal. I cannot imagine what it must have been like to be in such a confused and vulnerable state, and just when you really needed the love and understanding of close family and friends, to be sent somewhere far away and unfamiliar.

Yes, this is a love story, but it is also an account of what life was like in a growing mid-west city in the early 1940's.

About this edition

• Publisher: 1st Book Library
• Publication date: 2001
• ISBN 10: 0759626693
• ISBN 13: 9780759626690
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 220