More books like these, please!

[tobee]

Sorry this is a non fiction request (hoping for traffic).

I really like reading books about 20th century ordinary people (pref women) living ordinary lives. For example, I've enjoyed Can Any Mother Help Me?, Helen Forrester autobiography, Nella Last etc.

All I can find are books about too many people to get involved with. Gave up on Singled Out, Millions Like Us etc. because of this.

There must be plenty more?

PS prefer not misery memoirs

You might like Significant Sisters.

Oh, that looks very likely. About to download.

Btw, even though I'm the one asking, there's a good book from interviews by Mavis Nicholson called "What Did You Do in the War, Mummy?" about women working in many different capacities during wartime, many of whom went on to do great things.

OP, have you come across A Notable Woman, which is about to be published?

It's about Jean Lucey Pratt, the real name of Maggie Joy Blunt, who features a lot in the Mass Observation diaries. It looks really good:

www.simongarfield.com/pages/books/a_notable_woman.htm

Have you read 'Round about a Pound a week'? Really interesting because its about the lives of women who don't normally get discussed.

How about Jambusters, by Julie Summers?

Vera Brittain - Testament of Youth
though fiction this is good - Maragaret Forster Diary Of an Ordinary Woman
Bette Vickers - a series about life in a local community - the first is Fed Up To Top Attic
mmm will think about some more :)

Oh these all look good and have Diary of an Ordinary Woman and Testament of Youth. Thanks so much. Keep 'em coming!

I quite liked this for social history, Kathleen Dayus.

Trying to find that book I came across this too.

Google social history books, maybe, biographies & autoBs.

Not non-fiction but you might enjoy Dorothy Whipple who wrote domestic family novels in the first half of the 20th century - I love social history and these are the fiction equivalent for me.

Diary of an ordinary woman is good bu you know it is fiction?

sorry, that was said already!

Remembered another one
E M Delafield Diary of a Provincial Lady

ooh - and Housewife 49

Have you read The Sugar Girls? It's NF, a series of interviews with women who worked for Tate and Lyle in London's East End. I read it a few years ago and it's quite interesting from a social history point of view.

Yes, I'm onto Dorothy Whipple (and plenty other Persephone ) thank you. I have read and loved Provincial Lady (and her daughter as recommended on this forum).thanks for the rest. Spotted about about Sugar Girls some while ago had forgotten. Interesting to me as I used to work at Tate Gallery #tenuouslinks !

Just as an aside, I see Amazon lists the Virago Reprint Library edition of Round About a Pound a Week as avaible new for £999.11 or used from £0.01. Hmm, which shall I go for? (there are other editions available too!)