Along with Downton Abbey, one of my favorite British period dramas is Call The Midwife. It takes place in late 1950s and early 1960’s Britain in the poverty stricken district of London’s east end. The midwives and nuns are based at Nonnatus House, an Anglican nursing convent. The show deals with concerns of the time relating to pregnancy such as abortion, incest and the effects of the drug Thalidomide but also with the characters’ personal lives including faith, friendships, dating and marriage. Some of the episodes are heartbreaking since bad things do happen but many are joyous in the celebration of life, love and relationships. The television show is based on a series of books by a real life midwife Jennifer Worth. If you like the television show, try the books!