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The Gift
By Zoe Maeve. 2021
The Shining meets Sophia Coppola's Marie Antoinette in this gripping debut from an award-winning talent.The Gift opens on the snow-blanketed…
grounds of the Alexander Palace in Western Russia where a moth has come to attend the birth of the fourth Romanov princess, Anastasia. She and her siblings grow up in a gilded world, isolated from the society beyond the palace walls despite their dominion over it. After mysteriously receiving a camera on her fifteenth birthday, she begins to document her world, but the gift carries with it a weight she can't yet see. A creature moves on the edge of her vision and stalks her dreams. As the revolution unfolds, the confines of Anastasia's world keep closing in. Something is following her, and it might not be human.In 1912, Norland childrens nurse Kate Fox was travelling by train heading to the British military station at Nowshera on…
the Afghan border to care for the premature baby born to the bases commanding officer. Two years later, Kate was escaping from Germany in the first days of the Great War, leaving behind her adored German royal charges and all her personal possessions. Due to their prestige as the crme-de-la-crme of Edwardian childrens nurses to Europes royal and wealthy families, Kate was one among many Norland nannies who witnessed the early days of the War on the Continent with all its tumult and fear. Some fled for home; others managed to stay for a while. And yet others gave up their privileged way of life to undertake war work as nurses in Flanders and refugee camps.The stories in this book are the nannies eye-witness accounts described in their correspondence with their beloved Norland Institute. These previously unpublished letters recount a version of womens Great War history that has remained untold until now. British Nannies and the Great War is the true story of a group of Edwardian, highly trained and opinionated women in the First World War. For the first time in a century, the Norland nannies unique stories of escape from enemy territory, their experiences at home and the Front during the War, and their thoughts on how the conflict changed their role in post-Edwardian Britain are told in their own words.What Regency Women Did for Us
By Rachel Knowles. 2017
Profiles of twelve trailblazing Regency Era women—from Jane Austen to Madame Tussaud—who took charge of their destinies and changed the…
world. In the nineteenth century, women faced challenges and constraints that many of us would find shocking by today&’s standards. What Regency Women Did for Us tells the inspirational stories of twelve women who overcame entrenched institutional obstacles to achieve trailblazing success—women such as the German astronomer Caroline Herschel, who discovered a comet that bears her name; the French artist Marie Tussaud whose wax sculptures made her world famous; the great author Jane Austen whose novels continue to delight generations of readers. These women were pioneers, philanthropists, entrepreneurs, authors, scientists, and actresses—women who made an impact on their world and ours. Popular history blogger Rachel Knowles tells how each of these women challenged the limitations of their time and left an enduring legacy for future generations to follow. Two hundred years later, their stories remain powerful inspirations for us all. &“Rachel&’s fine book looks at how the women of Britain emerged from the shadows of their husbands during the Regency period, inspiring female writers, scientists, etc. to take hold of their own destinies and start to have an influence on the world. Brilliant.&” —Books MonthlySuffragette Planners and Plotters: The Pankhurst, Pethick-Lawrence Story
By Kathryn Atherton. 2019
This true story about the British fight for women&’s suffrage &“looks at the tumultuous relationship between two couples who led…
the militant movement&” (Publishers Weekly). In early twentieth-century England, Emmeline Pethick-Lawrence was treasurer of the Women&’s Social and Political Union, founded by the famed militant Mrs. Pankhurst. Emmeline&’s husband, Fred, was the only man to achieve leadership status in the organization. Without their wealth, determination, and skills we might never have heard of the suffragettes—yet the couple has been largely forgotten while Mrs. Pankhurst and her daughters are still renowned. Emmeline was always at Mrs. Pankhurst&’s side, while Fred was the &‘Godfather&’ who stood bail for a thousand women. Both were imprisoned and force-fed. They provided the militant movement with its home and much of its vision, and it was their associates who initiated the hunger strike and who brought force-feeding to national attention. But in 1912, the couple was dramatically ousted from the organization by the Pankhursts in a move that has often been misrepresented. This book is the first in-depth portrait of the couple and their relationship with the Pankhursts—and of their inspirational fight not just for the vote for women but for freedom and equality across the world.Beatrix Potter: Her Inner World
By Andrew Norman. 2014
An insightful biography of the pioneering conservationist, illustrator, prolific author, and creator of Peter Rabbit and other legendary tales. …
Beatrix Potter was born curious, with an imagination and a love of natural science and animals that would serve her well. When her self-published and self-illustrated first book, The Tale of Peter Rabbit, was picked up by an enterprising publisher, Beatrix&’s modest &“bunny book&” would become a phenomenon. After more than a century, Beatrix Potter endures as one of the most cherished children&’s book authors in literary history. But what were the sources of inspiration that gave birth to her beloved anthropomorphic characters and enduring cautionary tales? Through extensive research, personal letters, and photographs, this concise and intimate biography reveals Beatrix&’s privileged yet restrictive Victorian childhood; her volatile relationship with her mother; a tragic love affair with her editor; her sometimes debilitating depression and illnesses; her life and career beyond Peter Rabbit; and her liberation as a passionate, driven, trailblazing, and simply original creative spirit.The Education of Alice Hamilton: From Fort Wayne to Harvard
By William C. Ringenberg, Matthew C. Ringenberg, Joseph D. Brain. 2019
A biography of Harvard’s first female faculty member—a pioneer in public health and worker safety.Born and raised in Fort Wayne,…
Indiana, Alice Hamilton graduated from medical school in 1893, and after completing internships at hospitals in Minneapolis and Boston, she rejected private practice and began dedicating herself to public health. Focusing on the investigation of the health and safety measures—or rather lack thereof—in the nation’s factories and mines during the second decade of the twentieth century, her discoveries led to factory and mine level-initiated reforms, and to city, state, and federal reform legislation. It also led to a greater recognition in the nation’s universities for formal academic programs in industrial and public health. In 1919, Harvard officials considered Hamilton the best-qualified person in the country to lead their effort in this area. The Education of Alice Hamilton is an inspiring story of a woman who lived a remarkable life at a time when women were not always welcome in medical circles—serving as personal physician to Jane Addams, founder of Hull House; traveling to the Soviet Union and Nazi Germany; researching the effects of mercury, carbon monoxide, benzene, and other substances on workers. She was sometimes ignored—such as when she warned of the dangers of lead in gasoline decades before it was eventually banned—but she persisted, and thanks in part to her groundbreaking work, Americans now enjoy the protection of OSHA, the Occupational Safety and Health Act.A Farewell to Arms, Legs & Jockstraps: A Sportswriter's Memoir
By Diane K. Shah. 2020
“Diane Shah was a boots-on-the-ground female sports reporter in the Cro-Magnon 1970s and brings it all back in this hilarious,…
well-crafted book.” —Dan Shaughnessy, Boston Globe sports columnist and New York Times bestselling authorStrike fast, strike hard—whether it’s scoring a homerun or front-page news, Diane K. Shah, former sports columnist, knows how to grab the best story.In her memoir A Farewell to Arms, Legs, and Jockstraps, follow Diane’s escapades, from interviews with a tipsy Mickey Mantle, to sneaking into off-limits Republican galas, dining with Frank Sinatra, flying a plane with Dennis Quaid, and countless other adventures where she wields her tape recorder and a tireless drive for more.From skirting KGB agents while covering the Cold War Olympics to hunting down the three mechanical sharks starring in Jaws, Diane’s experiences are filled with real heart and a tongue-in-cheek attitude. An insightful look into the difficulties of navigating a male-dominated profession, A Farewell to Arms, Legs, and Jockstraps offers rich retellings and behind-the-scenes details of stories of a trailblazing career and the prejudices facing female sportswriters during the sixties and seventies.“Impossibly elegant, and the most fun ever. The only thing better than reading Diane K. Shah’s memoir was, I suppose, living it.” —Sally Jenkins, columnist and feature writer, Washington Post“Diane’s memoir is just like her columns—smart, funny, enlightening—just like her. Until reading it, I never really knew all the challenges she dealt with. She broke ground but never acted like it. I was lucky to work with the first female sports columnist in the country.” —Ken Gurnick, LA Dodgers correspondent for MLB.comLas desheredadas
By Ángeles Caso. 2023
Tras el éxito de Las olvidadas, con más de medio millón de ejemplares vendidos, vuelve Ángeles Caso, ganadora de los…
premios Planeta y Fernando Lara y traducida a quince idiomas, con un proyecto único Un libro que nos desvela a las grandes mujeres creadoras de los siglos XVIII y XIX que quedaron en la sombraHace casi dos décadas Ángeles Caso iniciaba con Las olvidadas un proyecto único: la reconstrucción de una genealogía cultural femenina formada por todas las mujeres que rompieron con lo que la sociedad pretendía imponerles y se atrevieron a vivir a contracorriente, a crear y pensar un mundo mejor, aunque solo recibieran a cambio el desprecio de la crítica y el canon. Las desheredadas aborda los siglos XVIII y XIX, una época crucial en la historia de Occidente, germen de la que vivimos hoy. Es el tiempo de pintoras como Élisabeth Vigée Le Brun o Adélaïde Labille-Guiard; de las ilustradas lady Mary Montagu o la duquesa de Osuna; de científicas como la marquesa de Châtelet y Ada Lovelace; de las revolucionarias traicionadas como Olympe de Gouges y Mary Wollstonecraft; de escritoras como Mary Shelley, las Brontë o Emilia Pardo Bazán; de las primeras feministas como Flora Tristan, Concepción Arenal o Rosario de Acuña; de las impresionistas como Berthe Morisot o Camille Claudel... Se dedicaron a las artes, al pensamiento, lucharon por la libertad y los derechos de los más desfavorecidos, pero la burguesía ilustrada y liberal acabó imponiendo el relato oficial. Y en él no hubo cabida para ellas. De ese rechazo nacería el feminismo, que iniciaba entonces su carrera imparable. Ángeles Caso funde géneros literarios y nos entrega una obra emocionante, reivindicativa y profundamente rigurosa sobre las heroínas que osaron alzar la voz y la cabeza. Este libro ilumina por un momento las vidas de algunas de ellas para que nos permitan sentir el deseo de iluminar las de las demás. La crítica ha dicho sobre Quiero escribirte esta noche una carta de amor:«Un libro espléndido, cartas de rendición, de entrega absoluta, [...] piezas literarias de altos vuelos, literatura de la importante, de la que te salva».Milena Busquets, El Periódico «Una inspiración para escribir, para amar, e incluso para dejar un amor que nos destruye».Semana «Acceder a los textos íntimos de estas escritoras es un privilegio: cada una se muestra en el amor como en su obra, con su estilo y su voz. [...] Un catálogo de relaciones, una cronología universal de los amantes: profundamente enternecedor».Aloma Rodríguez, El Mundo «Ángeles Caso nos muestra la fragilidad y vulnerabilidad del ser humano ante uno de sus mayores anhelos en la vida: amar y ser amado. [...] Un libro conmovedor y hermoso que recuerda cómo el amor es el misterio sobre el que el ser humano avanza en la vida en medio de luz, penumbra u oscuridad».Santiago Vargas, The Huffington Post «Leer este texto supone un viaje a través del tiempo, gratificante y de gran placer para el lector; y una reflexión sobre la humanidad y el amor».Maria Antich, Diario de MallorcaBehind the Shoulder Pads: Tales I Tell My Friends
By Joan Collins. 2023
&“I&’ve had many amazing adventures in my life. Some stories, though, I have only ever shared with my friends.… Until…
now!&”Dame Joan Collins has always believed that one should retain some mystery in life and hide a knowing smile behind one&’s shoulder pads. In her new book, she returns in dazzling form to share her most memorable moments from her eclectic and vibrant life—in and out of the limelight. Behind the Shoulder Pads will take you on a spectacular journey from her early years as a young star in Hollywood to stamping her stilettos in Dynasty; from the glittering heights of Saint-Tropez to the busy Oscars seasons in LA over the years. Joan writes movingly about her adventures with and grief for her sister, Jackie, delves deeper into the ups and downs of love and relationships, and discusses her happiness with husband Percy. Filled with a cast of household names and Hollywood icons, Behind the Shoulder Pads is a spectacularly entertaining tour de force bound to delight and shock in equal measures. Hilarious, intimate, and completely spellbinding, Joan invites you into her life like never before, sharing the stories she only tells her closest friends.Strings quivered. Notes shimmered. Meet best friends acclaimed composer Ludwig van Beethoven and bold female entrepreneur Nannette Streicher in this…
lively and lyrical nonfiction picture book.In a tall, narrow building on a wide avenue pianos plinked and plunked day and night.Everyone in quiet Augsburg knew the Stein home.What music!In 1787, aspiring yet unknown composer Ludwig van Beethoven arrives at young Nannette Stein&’s home. What follows is a decades-long friendship that persists whether life hits a low or high note. Acclaimed nonfiction writer Laurie Lawlor deftly depicts how these two fascinating friends—a composer with hearing loss and a woman who became an innovative piano maker in a time that discouraged female entrepreneurship—fought the odds and worked together in perfect harmony. The author of picture book biography Fearless World Traveler, Lawlor masterfully uses forgotten historical letters, a glossary, and rich back matter on both friends&’ lives and art to introduce readers to the man behind the music, from his loud laughter to his crushing handshake. Complete with Fearless World Traveler collaborator Becca Stadtlander&’s intricate mixed-media artwork, What Music deftly dives into musical history–and herstory–in an intimate yet expansive picture book biography that hits just the right note.An engrossing social history of the unsinkable Mollie Moon, the stylish founder of the National Urban League Guild and fundraiser…
extraordinaire who reigned over the glittering "Beaux Arts Ball,” the social event of New York and Harlem society for fifty years—a glamorous event rivalling today’s Met Gala, drawing America’s wealthy and cultured, both Black and white.Our Secret Society brilliantly illuminates a little known yet highly significant aspect of the civil rights movement that has been long overlooked—the powerhouse fundraising effort that supported the movement—the luncheons, galas, cabarets, and traveling exhibitions attended by middle-class and working-class Black families, the Negro press, and titans of industry, including Winthrop Rockefeller.No one knew this world better or ruled over it with more authority than Mollie Moon. With her husband Henry Lee Moon, the longtime publicist for the NAACP, Mollie became half of one of the most influential couples of the period. Vivacious and intellectually curious, Mollie frequently hosted political salons attended by guests ranging from Langston Hughes to Lorraine Hansberry. As the president of the National Urban League Guild, the fundraising arm of the National Urban League; Mollie raised millions to fund grassroots activists battling for economic justice and racial equality. She was a force behind the mutual aid network that connected Black churches, domestic and blue-collar laborers, social clubs, and sororities and fraternities across the country.Historian and cultural critic Tanisha C. Ford brings Mollie into focus as never before, charting her rise from Jim Crow Mississippi to doyenne of Manhattan and Harlem, where she became one of the most influential philanthropists of her time—a woman feared, resented, yet widely respected. She chronicles Mollie’s larger-than-life antics through exhaustive research, never-before-revealed letters, and dozens of interviews.Our Secret Society ushers us into a world with its own rhythm and rules, led by its own Who’s Who of African Americans in politics, sports, business, and entertainment. It is both a searing portrait of a remarkable period in America, spanning from the early 1930s through the late 1960s, and a strategic economic blueprint today’s activists can emulate.Our Secret Society includes 16 pages of never-before-seen photographs.A Memoir of My Former Self: A Life in Writing
By Hilary Mantel. 1938
THE FINAL BOOK FROM ONE OF OUR GREATEST WRITERS In addition to her celebrated career as a novelist, Hilary Mantel…
contributed for years to newspapers and journals, unspooling stories from her own life and illuminating the world as she found it. “Ink is a generative fluid,” she explains. “If you don’t mean your words to breed consequences, don’t write at all.” A Memoir of My Former Self collects the finest of this writing over four decades.Her subjects are wide-ranging, sharply observed, and beautifully rendered. She discusses nationalism and her own sense of belonging; our dream life popping into our conscious life; the mythic legacy of Princess Diana; the many themes that feed into her novels—revolutionary France, psychics, Tudor England; and other novelists, from Jane Austen to V.S. Naipaul. She writes about her father and the man who replaced him; she writes fiercely and heartbreakingly about the battles with her health that she endured as a young woman, and the stifling years she found herself living in Saudi Arabia. Here, too, is her legendary essay “Royal Bodies,” on our endless fascination with the current royal family.From her unusual childhood to her all-consuming interest in Thomas Cromwell that grew into the Wolf Hall trilogy, A Memoir of My Former Self reveals the shape of Hilary Mantel’s life in her own luminous words, through “messages from people I used to be.” Filled with her singular wit and wisdom, it is essential reading from one of our greatest writers.Salvaje
By Cheryl Strayed. 2012
La historia de los 1800 kilómetros que la joven autora anduvo en su recorrido a pie por la cordillera del…
Pacífico de los Estados Unidos. Con veintidós años creía que lo había perdido todo en la vida. Tras la muerte de su madre y tomar la decisión de separarse, sus hermanos se dispersaron y ella se quedó sin pilares sobre los que construir su vida. Cuatro años después de la muerte de su madre toma la decisión más impulsiva de su vida: recorrer el camino del las Cumbres del Pacífico, una ruta de senderismo que recorre toda la costa oeste de los Estados Unidos, desde el desierto Mojave en California y Oregon al estado de Washington. Y decide hacerlo completamente sola. Sin ninguna experiencia en senderismo, y ni tan solo habiendo pasado jamás una noche al aire libre, para ella se trataba de una idea, vaga y extravagante y prometedora.Pero esa promesa se convirtió en la necesidad de volver a juntar las piezas del rompecabezas en que se ha convertido su vida. Narrada con suspense, estilo, sentido del humor y ternura, Savaje consigue atrapar el miedo y los placeres en la vida de una joven que se encuentra en el proceso de forjar su vida contra toda expectativa, en el viaje que la volvió loca, que la fortaleció y que acabó por sanarla. La crítica ha dicho...«Espectacular...Te atrapa... Una aventura que te quita el aliento y una profunda reflexión sobre la naturaleza del dolor y la supervivencia. Un triunfo a nivel literario y personal.»New York Times Book Review «Un libro ameno y a ratos duro, que hará las delicias de senderistas y amantes de la buena literatura con las peripecias de una joven en procesode reconstrucción, a lo largo del viaje que la volvió loca, que la fortaleció y que terminó por sanarla.»EvadiumTaking Back My Power: Our Bodies. Our Consent.
By Georgia Harrison. 2023
Georgia Harrison's story as you've never heard it before. Explosive and inspiring, Georgia reveals the shocking truth of how she…
suffered revenge porn at the hands of her ex - and how she fought to get her life back. 'One woman's campaign for justice for herself and for all victims of image-based sexual abuse. Georgia writes with unflinching honesty and, perhaps most powerfully, with hope' ELIZABETH DAY'Georgia has been so brave. A total inspiration. Everyone should read this book' EM CLARKSON'Rousing and important ... A much-needed manifesto on consent' StylistIn 2020, Georgia Harrison's ex-boyfriend Stephen Bear shared intimate footage of her online without her consent. With the click of a button, Georgia's innocence and dignity were stolen. But now she's taking her power back. This is not a sad story - it's a story about the power of hope, a journey to justice, and a rallying cry for change.In court, Georgia was finally allowed to tell her side of the story - and Bear was found guilty of revenge porn and voyeurism in what became the most talked-about case in the British media. This culminated in a 21-month jail sentence, a ruling that has cemented Georgia as a feminist icon.This is Georgia's story like you've never heard it before. Unfiltered and unflinching, Georgia pulls back the curtain on the nightmare that could have crushed her, but that made her who she is today. Georgia is proud to be a voice for women, determined to help victims of image-based sexual abuse seek justice. Holding nothing back, she shines a light on how to navigate traumatic times - the importance of hope, building resilience and a positive mindset. Taking Back My Power is more than just a memoir; it's an entire movement.Nobody Cares: Essays
By Anne T. Donahue. 2018
Witty and painfully honest essays about perfection vs. reality: &“Hilarious…[an] incredibly distinctive voice.&” —Emma Gannon, bestselling author of Olive From…
the author of the popular newsletter That&’s What She Said, Nobody Cares is a candid personal essay collection about work, failure, friendship, and the messy business of being alive in your twenties and thirties. As she shares her hard-won insights from screwing up, growing up, and trying to find her own path, Anne T. Donahue offers all the honesty, laughs, and reassurance of a late-night phone call with your best friend. Whether she&’s giving a signature pep talk, railing against summer, or describing her own mental health struggles, Anne reminds us that failure is normal, saying no to things is liberating, and we&’re all a bunch of beautiful disasters—and she wouldn&’t have it any other way. &“Her essays about the less photogenic moments of her life contain their own sort of beauty, the kind that comes from failing and persevering. From breaking down her anxiety disorder to getting in touch with helpful and well-deserved female rage, Donahue is as inspiring as she is droll.&” ―Vulture &“Frank, funny, observations.&” —Cosmopolitan &“I don&’t know how anyone could read her and not immediately fall in love.&” —Scaachi Koul, author of One Day We&’ll All Be Dead and None of This Will MatterToxic
By Sarah Ditum. 2023
'Brilliant . . . really made me realise how no one has pulled back and given an overall story to…
the last 20 years . . . It's clever because it makes me think about now' ADAM CURTIS, FILMMAKERBritney, Paris, Lindsay, Aaliyah, Janet, Amy, Kim, Chyna, Jen. Nine iconic women whose fame in the early internet years of the century came at a price. In Toxic: Women, Fame and The Noughties, journalist Sarah Ditum describes how each of the women changed 'celebrity' forever, despite often falling victim to it, during what we now view as one of the most hostile eras in which to be female.Through Paris' ambivalent relationship with her blogger namesake Perez Hilton; to Britney's paternalistic governors; Jen's attempts to control her career and image; and Janet's betrayal at the Superbowl, these celebrities of The Noughties were presented with the riches of early social media and market opportunity, as long as they abided by the new rules of engagement. Some of these high-profile women were hypersexualised and 'upskirted' by the press; some were shamed by their advertising sponsors; others were contracted by shady management companies and industry figures such as Harvey Weinstein and R Kelly. Together they illuminate the culture of the early twenty-first century. Toxic: Women, Fame and The Noughties is a wild ride through the millennial years.The Librarian of Basra: A True Story from Iraq
By Jeanette Winter Jeanette Winter. 2004
*ALA Notable Children&’s book 2006 *Celebrated author-illustrator Jeanette Winter weaves a hopeful tale of one woman&’s courageous book rescue. In…
the Spring of 2003, Alia Muhammad Baker was the city of Basra&’s real-life librarian. She was the keeper of cherished books and her library was a haven for community gatherings. But with war imminent in Basra, Iraq, what could this lone woman do to save her precious books? With lyrical, spare text and beautiful acrylic illustrations, Jeanette Winter shows how well she understands her young audience. This true story of one librarian&’s remarkable bravery reminds us all how, throughout the world, the love of literature and the respect for knowledge knows no boundaries.La mujer que soy
By Britney Spears. 2023
La mujer que soy es una historia valiente y asombrosamente conmovedora sobre la libertad, la fama, la maternidad, la supervivencia,…
la fe y la esperanza. En junio de 2021, el mundo entero escuchó hablar a Britney Spears en una audiencia pública. El impacto que causó al compartir su voz, su verdad, fue innegable, y cambió el rumbo de su vida y el de la de infinidad de personas. La mujer que soy revela por primera vez la increíble peripecia vital y la fuerza interior de una de las mejores artistas de la historia de la música pop.Escritas con una franqueza y un humor extraordinarios, las impactantes memorias de Spears ilustran el poder imperecedero de la música y el amor, y la importancia de que una mujer, por fin, cuente su propia historia, en sus propios términos. La crítica ha dicho:«En sus memorias, Britney Spears se muestra más fuerte que nunca… La mujer que soy presenta su historia de una forma tan limpia, tan cándida, que parece diseñado para leerse en una sentada. Es casi imposible salir de esta historia sin empatizar con Spears y sentir una rabia inmensa en su nombre. El resentimiento que dirige hacia las terribles circunstanciasque ha sufrido a lo largo de más de una década se atenúa gracias a su constante e insistente optimismo».Leah Greenblatt, New York TimesJean, Lady Hamilton, 1861–1941: Diaries of A Soldier's Wife
By Celia Lee. 2020
“A pleasure to read. It’s predominantly about the life of Jean Hamilton’s husband Ian as an officer during the Great…
War and life for both before and after.” —UK HistorianJean, Lady Hamilton’s diaries remained forgotten and hidden in the Liddell Hart Centre for Military Archives, King’s College, London, for fifty years. The story begins with the young couples’ wedding, a dazzling bride, Jean Muir, marrying a star-struck Major Ian Hamilton. The daughter of the millionaire businessman Sir John Muir, Jean had all the money whilst Hamilton was penniless.Having spent their early married years in India, the Hamiltons returned and set up house in the prestigious Hyde Park area of London, also eventually buying Lullenden Manor, East Grinstead, that they purchased as a country home from Winston Churchill when he could no longer afford it. Churchill in particular was like family in the Hamiltons’ home; he used to go there and practice his speeches, and painted alongside Jean to whom he sold his first painting.Jean chronicled Ian’s long army career that culminated in the Gallipoli campaign in 1915. The failure there ended her husband’s distinguished career and almost ended Churchill’s as he had to leave his job as First Lord of the Admiralty. This account is Lady Hamilton’s “attempt to chronicle her husband’s life as a top-flight but penniless soldier, this at a time when young Winston Churchill . . . was emerging from his own distinguished and very colourful military career to enter a life of politics . . . Jean Hamilton is one of those larger than life people of whom we know very little until a book such as Celia’s comes along” (Books Monthly).Codebreaker Girls: A Secret Life at Bletchley Park
By Jan Slimming. 2021
“What would it be like to keep a secret for fifty years? Never telling your parents, your children, or even…
your husband?”Codebreaker Girls: A Secret Life at Bletchley Park tells the true story of Daisy Lawrence. Following extensive research, the author uses snippets of information, unpublished photographs and her own recollections to describe scenes from her mother’s poor, but happy, upbringing in London, and the disruptions caused by the outbreak of the Second World War to a young woman in the prime of her life.The author asks why, and how, Daisy was chosen to work at the Government war station, as well as the clandestine operation she experienced with others, deep in the British countryside, during a time when the effects of the war were felt by everyone. In addition, the author examines her mother’s personal emotions and relationships as she searches for her young fiancée, who was missing in action overseas. The three years at Bletchley Park were Daisy’s university, but having closed the door in 1945 on her hidden role of national importance — dealing with Germany, Italy and Japan — this significant period in her life was camouflaged for decades in the filing cabinet of her mind. Now her story comes alive with descriptions, original letters, documents, newspaper cuttings and unique photographs, together with a rare and powerful account of what happened to her after the war.“Here’s a beauty of a history of some of the codebreaking girls who helped save us during the second world war. This one’s about Daisy Lawrence’s extraordinary life as a poor girl brought up in London and then chosen for top secret work at Bletchley Park. Reads like fiction.” —Books Monthly