October book club - Miss Carter's War

Hi Just a quick line to say thank you for sending me a copy I look forward to reading!!!

Have just received TWO copies !!!I'll pass one on to a local GN.
Quite a tome.
As I was a teenager in 1948 I very much look forward to reading this.

Thank you for Miss Carter's War. I look forward to reading it and posting a question for Sheila.

Thanks for mine too - must get reading.....

Thank you for my book, did not realise what a read that will be!

Thank you- mine arrived today and apar from a quick supermarket sweep I have been totally engrossed in it!

Thank you for my copy which arrived today. That's a lot of reading to do!

<surfaces> That is a brilliant read!! It covers such an interesting period for women of our generation and teachers and ex teachers will empathise! I have done nothing else since I started the book and DH was looking a bit worried at the apparent absence of supper.
Quite sorry I have finished it really!

Thank you so much. My book has just arrived and I am delighted. I am not usually lucky in winning anything and am off to the garden now to sit in the sun and make a start. Thanks again.

Thank you for my copy of " Miss Carter's War " , I have started reading it, and enjoying it so far.

Mine came this morning - so excited and it came at the right time as I was floundering as to what to read next!

I started it this morning, after staying up all night to finish the one I started yesterday. It looks as if it`s going to be a very good read, I can remember being at grammar school and having to wear my hat going to school and going home, there was a stiff penalty if you were caught without it by a teacher or prefect..........the embarrassment of wearing it all day in school! And the change thing in the shops, as a child I loved seeing the little canister whizz through the air.

It's a long time since I sat for hours engrossed in a book, but have just done this with Miss Carter's War. Meals have been very scratch and late today. At first I thought the characters a bit too stereotypical, but this improved as the story evolved and I just had to finish it to find out what happened. The acknowledgements show that this book has been well researched, but there is also so much personal experience in the writing. Although my own experience of a girls' grammar school was 12 years later, it brought back many memories including the singing of Jerusalem and as Number says, stiff penalties for being caught without your hat outside. In our case it was a hat detention which meant wearing the wretched thing all day! A lovely book. Thank you again Ms Hancock.

I was sorry to finish it too Soutra. Plan to reread it very soon, because I am bound to have missed things in my headlong gallop.

Found my copy waiting for me tonight. Just read all the comments and can't wait to get started.

I`m just over 100 pages into it now, and loving it! I really want to read The Two of Us now, the story of Sheila Hancock and John Thaw.
Even despite Jerusalem being our school song, and I hated school, I still love that song, or is it a hymn? It seems so strange reading about Edward Heath being a "young man", I only ever remember him as being older, remember Aneurin Bevan very well, my grandma hated him, I quite liked him.

I received my copy yesterday. Really looking forward to reading it as I have loved her autobiographical books. We also had the dreaded hat detention Apparently one girl got into terrible trouble because she was caught with her hat off and sticking cherry blossom in her hair! Such depravity!

Thank you! . I should have commented on this thread that I'd received my copy - I'd put it on the 'Won anything?' thread. I actually received 2 copies as well (as did Maniac), so the extra one will go to my elderly friend who's a great reader. I know she will really appreciate it, too. She had actually given me a copy of The Two of Us, so I'm returning the favour! I remember reading one particular part of that book, where Sheila is describing the grief of losing John Thaw. I'll not speak of it here, but it's stuck with me. She's such a good writer.

This book has been a pleasure to read, once I started it , I couldn't put it down, Shelia, give up the stage.. this is your future, I could visualize your strong character coming through in Miss Carters personality. Looking forward to your next novel.

Many thanks for this book, I like Sheila Hancock anyway, she always has something interesting to say from her experiences, and I'm really looking forward to reading it, and to the Q&A.

Finished it, LOVED it!

Oh Sheila Hancock, you are one extremely talented lady. Everything I wanted to say has already been said in the previous comments. I am loving 'Miss Carter's War'. Like many other Gransnetters here, I experienced grammar school but my cousin actually attended Dartford Girl's during the 1950/60's and I have very clear memories of seeing her in her green school uniform. Having worked in London during the 70/80's so much of this book has brought back memories of those times too. Thank you Gransnet for my copy of Sheila's brilliant, historical, sociological study - for this is what it is. Congratulations Sheila Hancock - John Thaw would be so proud of you x

Have just collected mine from the PO as I was not in when it was delivered yesterday. Thank you very much. I am looking forward to reading it.

I received my copy yesterday too. I know you shouldn't judge a book by its cover, but if this one is anything to go by the book will be very good. I can't wait to get stuck in. Thank you GNHQ.