Till Taught by Pain – A Historical Biographical Fiction Novel by Susan Coventry
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Inspired by real medical breakthroughs and historical figures, Till Taught by Pain by Susan Coventry is a richly researched work of historical biographical fiction that explores ambition, love, and sacrifice at the dawn of modern surgery. Set against the backdrop of post–Civil War America, this novel examines the personal cost of innovation and the complex bonds that shape two intertwined lives.
At a Glance
Genre: Historical Biographical Fiction
Setting: Post–Civil War America, including Johns Hopkins Hospital
Tone: Poignant, thoughtful, emotionally complex
Best for: Readers who enjoy historically grounded fiction, real-life figures, and stories of love tested by ambition and sacrifice
About the Book
Till Taught by Pain
Inspired by the groundbreaking discoveries of ether and chloroform anesthesia, William Stewart Halsted pursues a surgical career with ruthless ambition, daring to perform operations deemed impossible by his peers. His reputations skyrockets with each bold success—until his quest for an effective local anesthetic leads him to inject himself with cocaine.
Caroline, the niece of Confederate General Wade Hampton, seeks to escape the constraints of post-war South Carolina by training as a nurse. When she takes a position at the prestigious Johns Hopkins Hospital, she finds herself captivated by the brilliant yet troubled chief of surgery, Dr. Halsted.
Till Taught by Pain is a poignant exploration of love and sacrifice, as Caroline grapples with the difficult choice between enabling her husband’s addiction and supporting his pioneering career. As their lives intertwine, both must confront the consequences of ambition, the nature of love, and the toll of personal demons on their shared dreams.
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About the Author
Susan Coventry is a retired physician with a lifelong historical fiction obsession. Her first novel, The Queen’s Daughter, was a YA historical set in the Middle Ages. For Till Taught by Pain, she switched from YA to adult novels and moved on from Medieval Europe to turn-of-the-20th-century U.S. She lives in Louisville, KY, with her historian husband, Brad Asher.
Website: susancoventry.com
Book Information
Book Title: Till Taught by Pain
Author Name: Susan Coventry
Publication Date: November 4th, 2025
Publisher: Regal House Publishing
Pages: 310
Genre: Historical Biographical Fiction
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