World War One and World War Two home front non fiction books

Try the books by Nella Last.
During WW2 she was part of the Mass Observation project where ordinary people from all walks of life were asked to keep a diary of life in a country at war. She was one of the projects most prolific writers and those diaries eventually became 3 non-fiction books. Housewife, 49 was a TV adaptation of Nella's diaries and won 2 Bafta's. One for best TV drama and one for Victoria Wood who played Nella.

I have long had a soft spot for Mrs Milburn’s Diaries-An Englishwoman’s Day to Day Reflections 1939-45.

The day to day diary of an Englishwoman whose son is a prisoner of war- she writes about him, her husband, rationing, the WI, the bombing of Coventry, housing refugees and of course her garden.
It’s a gem.

Stranger In The House by Julie Summers, available on Amazon

I love Melvyn Braggs Speak for England. And also Can Any Mother Help Me.

Greyduster I did meet "Edie" once. She had let an 'interesting' life.
She met the husband she was with in the book whilst on a ship going from South Africa to Australia. They then both moved to England but not too long after she wrote her diary she left him and went back to an old boyfriend in South Africa. She returned several times to visit family.
When I was a teenager I once told her I was bored and her reply was that "only boring people get bored".

Greyduster

eddiecat78

Greyduster

I can’t recommend books about ordinary people during the two world wars, but there is a book called ‘Our Hidden Lives’ in which five contributing diarists - very ordinary people - give insights into their lives following the end of the Second World War and up to 1948 - a period of austerity and great change in the country.

There is also a similar book to this called Our Longest Days. My grandmother's cousin was one of the contributors to both books. In them she is called Edie Rutherford but that wasn't her real name

eddiecat I have just been re-reading this book and it occurs to me from many of the comments that not a lot changes down the years. Edie Rutherford is quoted as saying ”News of the World tells of a man who aims to bring a case against the Government for not keeping its election promises. Has any government anywhere ever kept its election promises? Does anyone but a nitwit expect them to?”. This was 1947!

Indeed, a real nitwit expecting the Labour government coming to power in 1945 to have done everything it was going to do within two years. Why wasn't the NHS in place within six weeks? 😮

eddiecat78

Greyduster

I can’t recommend books about ordinary people during the two world wars, but there is a book called ‘Our Hidden Lives’ in which five contributing diarists - very ordinary people - give insights into their lives following the end of the Second World War and up to 1948 - a period of austerity and great change in the country.

There is also a similar book to this called Our Longest Days. My grandmother's cousin was one of the contributors to both books. In them she is called Edie Rutherford but that wasn't her real name

eddiecat I have just been re-reading this book and it occurs to me from many of the comments that not a lot changes down the years. Edie Rutherford is quoted as saying ”News of the World tells of a man who aims to bring a case against the Government for not keeping its election promises. Has any government anywhere ever kept its election promises? Does anyone but a nitwit expect them to?”. This was 1947!

War Babies by Chris Manby.
Very good read ,
People told their stories to the Author about when they were very young children growing up in World War 2 in UK.
I found it very interesting.
I purchased this book on amazon.

Greyduster

I can’t recommend books about ordinary people during the two world wars, but there is a book called ‘Our Hidden Lives’ in which five contributing diarists - very ordinary people - give insights into their lives following the end of the Second World War and up to 1948 - a period of austerity and great change in the country.

There is also a similar book to this called Our Longest Days. My grandmother's cousin was one of the contributors to both books. In them she is called Edie Rutherford but that wasn't her real name

We’ve picked up many interesting books at the Imperial War Museum shop. Available online with 10% off if you sign up.

Greyduster

I can’t recommend books about ordinary people during the two world wars, but there is a book called ‘Our Hidden Lives’ in which five contributing diarists - very ordinary people - give insights into their lives following the end of the Second World War and up to 1948 - a period of austerity and great change in the country.

Those are from Mass Observation. It was a wonderful project.
"An anthropologist called Tom Harrisson, a journalist called Charles Madge and a filmmaker called Humphrey Jennings wrote to the magazine asking for volunteers to take part in a new project called Mass Observation. Over a thousand readers responded, offering their services. Remarkably, this ‘scientific study of human social behaviour’ is still going strong today."

I can’t recommend books about ordinary people during the two world wars, but there is a book called ‘Our Hidden Lives’ in which five contributing diarists - very ordinary people - give insights into their lives following the end of the Second World War and up to 1948 - a period of austerity and great change in the country.

There is a Readers Digest one, but it is out of print, I think.

I found it on WOB for you.

www.facebook.com/share/r/1Df4AGcQ2V/

Testament of Youth by Vera Brittan
Fighting on the Home Front (WW1) by Kate Adie
How We Lived Then by Norman Longmate
(Everyday Life during WW11)

A book I really enjoyed was, Millions Like Us by Virginia Nicholson, describing women’s lives during the Second World War.

Mamie

For World War 2 the Mass Observation diaries are the best source. Nella Last is probably the best one.
For World War 1 would probably say Vera Brittain though she became a nurse, so Front Line as well.

The mass observation diaries are fascinating stuff.

Another vote for Nella Last which is both easy to read and informative. I saw the film of Nella Last’s War which brought everything to life. I think it was on you tube.

www.goodreads.com/list/show/71691.Mass_Observation_Diaries

Link to Goodreads here.

For World War 2 the Mass Observation diaries are the best source. Nella Last is probably the best one.
For World War 1 would probably say Vera Brittain though she became a nurse, so Front Line as well.

I have a cookery book from the war years, which includes details of people's day to day lives.

Dried Egg and No Bananas by Margaret Brown is a memoir.

The Oaken Heart by Margery Allan is an epistolary account of an Essex village in wartime.

You might find suitable books on this website. persephonebooks.co.uk/collections/grey-books-wwi And persephonebooks.co.uk/collections/grey-books-wwii