Dr. Breen's Practice

"Dr. Breen's Practice" by William Dean Howells is a story that follows Grace Breen, a young woman doctor making her way in a world where not everyone believes women should be healers. Set in the late 1800s, mainly at a coastal spot called Jocelyn's, the book looks at what it was like for women in those times, the rules they had to live by, and how people related to each other. As Grace cares for a difficult patient, Mrs. Maynard, we see her trying to be a good doctor while facing the challenges of a society that often doubts women's abilities. The story shows Grace's struggles, what her friends and family think, and how she tries to stay true to herself in a world run mostly by men.