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Nella Last's War: The Second World War Diaries of "Housewife, 49"
Nella Last's War The Second World War Diaries of Housewife 49 Author:Nella Last, Richard Broad (Editor), Suzie Fleming (Editor) In September 1939, housewife and mother Nella Last began a diary whose entries, in their regularity, length, and quality, have created a record of the Second World War that is powerful, fascinating, and unique. When war broke out, Nella's younger son joined the army while the rest of the family tried to adapt to civilian life. Writing each day f... more »or the Mass Observation project -- which aimed to record everyday life in Britain -- Nella recorded people's true feelings during wartime. During the war Nella turned 50, saw her children leave home, and reviewed her life and her marriage, the latter of which she eventually compares to slavery. Her growing confidence as a result of her war work makes this a moving testimony that covers sex, death, and fear of invasion, providing a new, unglamorized, female perspective on the war years.« less