October book club - Miss Carter's War

Brilliant read only half through it ,Sheila your a very talented lady !!!

Having been born during the war some things rang reminder bells. Enjoyable read.

An interesting mix of history and fiction, which made this book unusual. I've been intending to read Sheila's 'memoir' books and still plan to. I was rather distracted by wondering where, if anywhere, Sheila herself fitted into the story - if she doesn't then it felt as if she did a lot of research (well clearly she did this anyway but sometimes it felt very 'first hand'). Brought back memories of postwar life (I was born during the war) - Risinghill - oh yes I remember that scandal and, being too young and/or repressed to have an opinion of my own, followed my parents' view of 'how disgraceful to have such a permissive school'. Schools like Summerhill and Bedales were regarded as a bit of a joke. Now I feel very differently.
I certainly enjoyed the book but it wouldn't rank among my favourite novels. Good stuff, though, and very glad to have had the opportunity to read it for free - thank you so much.

Thank you for my book Miss Carter's War, I am half way through and it is so interesting, I can't believe what a great writer she is,

Drat! Only just received a copy today (21st Oct). I had given up hope of being lucky enough to be sent one free so, as I was interested in the book, I had already downloaded it to my Kindle!! I`m just starting to read it tonight and will pass on the book to my friend who will, I`m sure, appreciate it. Thanks anyway.

Sheila, you have obviously done a lot of research about the women who worked behind enemy lines during the war. Have you read 'Cyanide in my shoe' by Josephine Butler? If you have, do you believe it, or had she made it all up? When I was at college she came and spoke to us about her wartime experiences and she was very convincing but there is now some doubt about the truth of it.

I think one of the great problems with this book is that it is plot driven rather than character driven so it needs to fit in certain historical events and Marguerite becomes less convincing as a result. I also struggled with the time frame- some of the girls seemed to be at school for a very long time!

Lots of the school memories resonate, but the plot becomes it little too politically driven to be believed. A book that kept one reading, but why make Margaret Roberts so dowdy; it is not how she is always portrayed! That apart when are you going to portray Miss Carter on the big or small screen Sheila? You've written the part for just the right actor!

I am really enjoying this book, well done Sheila, I was born in 1948 , but remember my mum telling me about drawing seams up her legs. I had a gabardine mac and had to wear a beret to school, passed my 11 plus but my mum decided my sister and I would go to the local secondary modern school.... I loved the swinging sixties... what era in your life have you enjoyed most.

I like most people here really loved this book and couldn't put it down. But if it is ok I would like to ask Sheila how she coped when she first lost John? I would truly value any tips

I really enjoyed this book. Miss Carter has stayed with me since I finished it which I think is the mark of a good read.

I would be really interested to know how you enjoy writing a novel (ie making up the story) compared to acting (ie performing a story)

Thank you

So many marvellous roles on stage and screen. Which has been your favourite and why?

Lovely book. Really enjoying it.

Sorry to strike a jarring note but I didn't like this book. In fact I`ve given up on it (and as an avid reader I haven't done that for years.).
I didn't care enough about the characters to read on through the political stuff. I thought that there was a strikingly 21st century perspective on events that was unlikely to be that perceived at the time. This retrospective projecting of modern opinions and feelings gave the book, for me, an inauthentic feeling. Maybe I`m hyperaware of this as I enjoy reading the books written in wartime and the postwar eras. So many interesting books by forgotten writers bring the time alive to me. "Miss Carter`s War" did not. Sorry Sheila.

I have only read the first bit so far but thought I must comment before the closing day.

I see you lived through these years and I expect you wore the gymslip with the 3 pleats. One thing that brought a smile was when you wrote
" 'Nice' and 'Lovely' are strictly Verboten." I remember we were not allowed to use 'got' and 'nice' and I still have to stop and think of another word when I am about to slip into using them now I am going to be a bit hesitant over 'lovely'. I was a poor speller so spellcheck has encouraged me to enjoy writing.

You write this book a bit like a script with lots of speech any comment about that. Do we see a TV series or a film?

Reading about the teachers it made me realise my teachers would nearly all have been in the war and we never really thought about it and looking at old pictures they were much younger than I had thought.

I'm afraid I'm not really enjoying this book.

Normally I try to finish any book I start and as this one was sent by Gnet with the request that recipients comment on this thread I felt obliged to keep going. The characters just haven't grabbed my interest so far so I think I'll put it down for now and try again at a later date.

Dear Sheila, I am so pleased to have a chance to tell you how much I have enjoyed your three previous books. I was reading Just Me when my husband was diagnosed with an incurable cancer and it was a great help in marshalling my thoughts. I was thrilled to receive Miss Carter's War. It brought back so many memories of my schooldays in the 50's and 60's. I didn't feel that there was a modern perspective to it at all, it seemed to reflect how we felt at the time very well. I suppose part of me is still the 16 year old skulking round the art room in my tastefully? adapted uniform.

Everyone had such high hopes in the 60's; do you feel, as I do, that things are just getting worse and worse? There seem to be so few opportunities for young people now either in education or employment. I hate seeing my children in a worse situation than I was, when in theory they are better educated and more qualified than I ever was.

I have read about halfway through 'Miss Carter's War' so far and am really enjoying it. I actually find that the characters are very real and believable and wondered if there was just a little bit of Sheila Hancock in Miss Carter?
Many thanks for yet another good read.

Not read the book yet but will certainly look out for it. Been a bit caught up with a new and beautiful granddaughter.

I really loved The Rag Trade and just wondered if you had any really fond memories of that programme. You were so good in it as were Miriam Karlin and others so any anecdotes would be wonderful.

You are still a brilliant actress and I hope you carry on for many years to come.

Thank you for my copy of "Miss Carter's War". This is a wonderful and interesting book which follows the life of teacher Miss Marguerite Carter from 1948 to the 1990's. It explores the changing social economics of Britain after the second World War and through the ages, through the life of Marguerite. I enjoyed reading this very much and hope to see further fictional novels from Sheila in the future.

Bravo, Ms Hancock, an interesting and enjoyable read.The characters really came alive for me.
I was a grammar school girl in the 60's and wore a corduroy beret that fell off my little head all the time. A very clever girl in my class got pregnant at 15, by a boy in the 6th Form and like Elsie, left school. She kept the baby but, unlike Elsie, wasn't able to get back into any sort of education after that.
I became a teacher, and taught in some quite tough areas of London.
The only claim to fame (notoriety?) any of my ex-pupils had, was one little boy who became a getaway driver for a gang of armed robbers!

Sorry, forgot to put my question!
Did you have an inspirational teacher at your Grammar school that helped you to form the character of Miss Carter?

I found this book very interesting because I was born in 1950 and it gave me more of an insight into what my parents' lives were like, when at the time I just accepted everything as children do. The war meant nothing to me and was rarely spoken of as I was growing up. I wondered how much Marguerite's first school was based on Sheila Hancock's recollections of her education? I shall read her previous two books now.

I only wish I could write like this. You know you are on a winner when you care about the characters. Great read Sheila.

A belated thank you for my book. I am enjoying the period details, which are well remembered and researched. Sheila Hancock has brought the era to life.