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This collection of literary/historical essays, written 1970-2010,
covers political subjects as diverse as 17th Century Quaker
persecution history, the social impact of Malthus, the
self-emancipation of English women, Eleanor Rathbone on the human
rights of girls and German women's resistance to Hitler. The more
literary subjects include the social thinking of the English
Romantics, Dickens' Great Expectations, Simone Weil's great essays
attacking militarism and Virginia Woolf's opposition to the State
-- as well as contemporary American women poets on the problem of
war. But despite all its diversity, this collection has one
unifying theme -- the necessity for resistance, for thinking
against the current', as Virginia Woolf wrote in Thoughts on Peace
in an Air-raid'. The torch of resistance to oppression and
militarism is shown to have been continuously handed on through the
generations from the seventeenth century to our own day by men and
women who had the courage, at whatever personal cost, to 'fight
with the mind'. This book of passionate, lively essays is not
merely a treasure trove for biographical researchers; it is also
strengthening medicine, introducing us to unfamiliar forebears who
can help us in our current struggle for a better world. As Simone
Weil said: "We can find something better than ourselves in the
past".
Originally published in 1994, This Working-Day World is lively
collection of essays presenting a social, political and cultural
view of British women's lives in the period 1914-45. The volume
describes women's activities in many different areas, ranging from
the weekly wash to the rescue of child refugees. Each essay, from
an international list of contributors, is based on new research
which will complement existing studies in a range of disciplines by
adding information on, among other topics, women's teacher training
colleges, and women in the BBC, in medical laboratories and in Art
schools. The book does not, however, idealise women: the militarism
and racism of the period infected women too, and this is revealed
in the account of women in the British Union of Fascists, and the
analysis of the Pankhursts' merging of patriotism and gender
issues. Through studies and personal accounts, This Working-Day
World reveals past issues that are still pertinent to debates in
today's society. As we read the chapter on the recently discovered
Diary of Doreen Bates which outlines possibly the first female
civil servant campaign for rights as a single mother, we hear
echoes of issues being discussed today. Indeed, as we approach the
end of the century it is a good moment to look back and re-evaluate
areas and degrees of progress - or the reverse - in society, and in
British women's lives in particular. With its unusual photographs,
this accessible and informative collection provides a rich resource
for students in twentieth century social and cultural history, and
women's studies courses, and an enlightening volume for general
readers.
'Thoroughly researched and fascinating' Observer 'Wondrous ... a
formidable piece of scholarship' Bookanista In 1939, the Gestapo
created a list of names: the Britons whose removal would be the
Nazis' first priority in the event of a successful invasion. Who
were they? What had they done to provoke Germany? For the first
time, the historian Sybil Oldfield uncovers their stories and
reveals why the Nazis feared their influence. Those on the hitlist
- more than half of them naturalised refugees - were many of
Britain's most gifted and humane inhabitants. Among their numbers
we find the writers E. M. Forster and Virginia Woolf, humanitarians
and religious leaders, scientists and artists, the social reformers
Margery Fry and Eleanor Rathbone MP, the artists Jacob Epstein and
Oscar Kokoschka. By examining these targets of Nazi hatred,
Oldfield not only sheds light on the Gestapo worldview; she also
movingly reveals a network of truly exemplary Britons: mavericks,
moral visionaries and unsung heroes.
This collection of literary/historical essays, written 1970-2010,
covers political subjects as diverse as 17th Century Quaker
persecution history, the social impact of Malthus, the
self-emancipation of English women, Eleanor Rathbone on the human
rights of girls and German women's resistance to Hitler. The more
literary subjects include the social thinking of the English
Romantics, Dickens' Great Expectations, Simone Weil's great essays
attacking militarism and Virginia Woolf's opposition to the State
-- as well as contemporary American women poets on the problem of
war. But despite all its diversity, this collection has one
unifying theme -- the necessity for resistance, for 'thinking
against the current', as Virginia Woolf wrote in "Thoughts on Peace
in an Air-raid". The torch of resistance to oppression and
militarism is shown to have been continuously handed on through the
generations from the seventeenth century to our own day by men and
women who had the courage, at whatever personal cost, to 'fight
with the mind'. This book of passionate, lively essays is not
merely a treasure trove for biographical researchers; it is also
strengthening medicine, introducing us to unfamiliar forebears who
can help us in our current struggle for a better world. As Simone
Weil said: "We can find something better than ourselves in the
past".
'Oldfield's thoroughly researched and fascinating historical
biography explores the lives of many of the 2,600 citizens who
attracted Hitler's ire, ranging from high-profile entertainers and
writers to those naturalised refugees who doggedly resisted the
Nazis from afar' - Observer In 1939, the Gestapo created a list of
names: the Britons whose removal would be the Nazis' priority in
the event of a successful invasion. Who were they? What had they
done to provoke Germany? For the first time, the historian Sybil
Oldfield uncovers their stories and reveals why the Nazis feared
their influence. Those on the hitlist - many of them naturalised
refugees - were some of Britain's most gifted and humane
inhabitants. They included writers, humanitarians, religious
leaders, scientists, artists, and social reformers. By examining
these targets of Nazi hatred, Oldfield not only sheds light on the
Gestapo worldview but also movingly reveals a network of truly
exemplary Britons: mavericks, moral visionaries and unsung heroes.
Copublished with Pace University Press, this book is a valuable
addition to scholarship on Bloomsbury, the history of women in
Britain, and the work of Leonard and Virginia Woolf. It portrays an
era and illuminates the work of a number of famous writers by
examining less well-known lives and works that were part of the
adaptive complex, or milieu. Several essays and appendices
contribute significantly to our understanding of the extent that
the Woolfs collaborated with each other and with others. Beside the
literary histories of S.P. Rosenbaum, this collection of original
essays will be essential reading for students of Bloomsbury and
women's history. Illustrated.
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