A Cup of Cold Water: The Compassion of Nurse Edith Cavell

A Cup of Cold Water: The Compassion of Nurse Edith Cavell, written by Christine Farenhorst, is the biography of Edith Louisa Cavell, a remarkable woman from London who served as a nurse during WWI. Although she was born in England,and she received her nurses’ training at London Hospital, she lived most of her adult life in Brussels, Belgium. There, she ran a hospital which was essentially a school where she trained future nurses.

During her stay in Brussels, WWI broke out. Brussels was under German occupation. Edith and her nursing students cared for many soldiers in their hospital. After a soldier was released from the hospital, he was supposed to report to the German police. But, Edith and her nurses helped smuggle many of the Allied troops out of the country so they could avoid capture by the Germans. It was illegal to do this, but they continued to do so even though they knew they were being watched by the German police. Edith was eventually caught by the Germans and admitted to harboring these fugitives. Her punishment was death by firing squad.

Edith was a very popular nurse. People called her Edith Nightingale, after the well-known British nurse, Florence Nightingale. The Germans hoped such a harsh punishment for a well-known nurse would send a warning to the Allies that the Germans meant business; but, instead, Edith’s death only served to increase the morale of the Allied troops. They made Edith into their heroine and the number of Allied volunteers actually increased.

What I Like: As I’ve said before, I like historical fiction. It’s a good way to learn about people and places from the past. 

What I Dislike: Nothing.

Overall Rating: Excellent.

Age Appeal: Young adult.

Publisher Info: P and R Publishing, 2007; ISBN: 1596380268; Paperback, $11.99.

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Special Info: This book is part of P & R Publishing’s Chosen Daughter’s series. According to the publisher, “The Chosen Daughters series highlights the lives of ordinary women who by God’s grace accomplish extraordinary things.” Read our reviews of other books in this series.