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Fighting on the Home Front: The Legacy of Women in World War One by Kate Adie (view source)
Revision as of 14:28, 15 September 2020
, 14:28, 15 September 2020no edit summary
It’s organised well, with sections on various topics, starting with recruitment (after an extremely brief personal introductory chapter) and taking us through to the end of the war and people’s memories of it. This makes it an easy book to dip into, and there’s sure to be a few chapters at least of interest to everyone, depending on your personal preferences. I particularly enjoyed the chapters on women’s football, the concert parties which entertained the troops, and the secret tasks of the war effort – it was eye-opening to read about just how well-hidden the building of the first tanks was.
Adie also uses some really interesting sources here – as well as the usual letters home from soldiers, there’s there are extracts from various newspapers and magazines and a lovely piece from a book by the 19th -century postmaster of Bristol, showing that women certainly had proven even before the war that they had the ability to do arduous post routes!
Additionally, there’s a selection of photographs which adds to the book nicely. Overall, despite the writing style not being quite my usual preference, this is an interesting read which historians will definitely enjoy.
With next year marking 100 years since the start of World War I, there's no shortage of books about the conflict coming out around this time, and [[The War that Ended Peace: How Europe abandoned peace for the First World War by Margaret MacMillan]] particularly impressed us. Another favourite here at the Bookbag, from a couple of years ago, is [[The Beauty and the Sorrow: An intimate history of the first world war by Peter Englund]]. You might also enjoy [[More from Our Own Correspondent by Tony Grant (Editor)]].
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