Edinborough

Kathleen Hanson

Amanda Shelton is one of those blurred female figures in the “photograph” of the Civil War. Unlike Clara Barton or Mary Ann Bickerdyke, hers is not a name recognized by school children or even most scholars as they talk about the work of women in that most terrible of wars. Yet, she and a small band of women who comprised the nurses of the Special Diet Kitchens made a unique contribution to the war effort. Their work laid the foundation for the value of individualizing care that remains to this day a core concept in the delivery of health care, particularly nursing care.

“Amanda Shelton’s diary . . . serves to increase the body of knowledge about the personal strengths of women from diverse backgrounds which are often overlooked as historical sources. Dr. Hanson’s work in bringing this diary to life is a gift to all of us—nurses, historians, women, professional colleagues, and laypersons—and will be cherished by all who seek a complete story of nursing’s history.”
Patricia Donahue
Professor, The University of Iowa College of Nursing

"[Shelton’s] words are deeply informative, intriguing, and important to a comprehensive understanding of the Civil War’s many dimensions."
Library Journal

ISBN 978-1-889020-17-6
$14.95