Dr James Barry: A Woman Ahead of Her Time

I'm not usually a reader of biographies, but I was intrigued by the premise of this book and it didn't disappoint. It has a slightly more of the tone of a novel than most non-fictions I have previously read, but once you settle into that style of writing it does a wonderful job of telling a remarkable story. Fully referenced and seemingly (to this non-expert) historically accurate, the book builds up an engaging picture of an era and draws you into the life of "Dr James Barry", the woman at the centre of it. Whilst the story alone is interesting, it's the well-structured narrative of this book that makes it a great need. Highly recommended.

Step 1 for a good biography is to find a subject who is interesting, out of the ordinary, who provides a story that will intrigue and keep you turning the pages. This biography delivers on that front in spades. You already know that the story is about a woman who became a doctor disguised as a man, and that keeps you going through the early life, scene setting stuff. Then James Barry appears, and a whole book's worth of wondering begins - How on earth did she pull it off? How did she continue to pull it off, for so many years? What must it have done to her psychologically?
Step 2 is to move beyond just providing the detail, and make the reader emotionally invested in the subject. Again, goal achieved. The authors make very clear the precariousness of Margaret's situation, so that you fear for her and want her to be all right. They provide situational detail, such as reminding you that men's experience of life in those days was vastly different to women's. Therefore, for Margaret, on that first boat trip, to have to step into the men's quarters was literally to step into another world and to leave all that she knew behind. It was so much more than trying to change her posture and speak in a lower voice.
But because of this, and because of the limited documentation and the care with which she concealed her identity, you never really get to know Margaret. The person at the centre of the book remains a shadow behind a curtain. You know that she had a lot of nerve, that she was strong of character, that she was intelligent and quick-witted. You can surmise that she was under a lot of stress, and that this probably contributed to James Barry being known for his outbursts of temper. But ultimately, intevitably, you cannot know the answer to the question - Was it worth it? We cannot say that Margaret stuck with being James because that was what was right; it was the only option, she would have been ruined. And what I so desperately want to know is whether, all told, she was content with that. Whether all her achievements, her improvements to standards of care, the lives she saved, were worth the pain of letting go of her identity. With all the admiration I have for what she did and the legacy it entails, what I am left with after reading this book is an overwhelming sadness that she wasn't able to do it in her own name.

What a thoroughly fascinating life. I do not normally read biographies and so was hesitant about reading this one, but the story of James Barry's life was just so incredible I had to give it a go. I am so glad that I did. I found it an unusual style of writing, halfway between a straight biography and a fictional story. I really appreciated this, as it made it easier to digest all the details and l enjoyed the way the authors attempted to get into the mind of Barry and understand the decisions Barry made. An enjoyable read, and I would definitely recommend.