Fashion
on the Ration: Style in the Second World War, by Julie Summers,
is one of those wonderful social history books. Well researched,
well written, and extremely interesting this is how the citizens of
London stayed clothed during WWII. Pretty much everyone had a uniform
(for some, it was the first new clothing they'd ever had). Women
wore trousers because they were easier to sleep in when they had
taken shelter from the bombings. Trousers lost the turn up (not a
popular move, but necessary). Dress codes were eased (women no
longer had to wear hats in church). Towards the end of the war it
was all about "make do and mend". I have even more
admiration for those who lived through this, and, I came away with a
whole new respect for someone that was totally unexpected!
Another
excellent social history read was Dust Bowl Girls: the Inspiring
Story of the Team That Barnstormed Its Way to Basketball Glory,
by Lydia Reeder. In the 1930's, from a tiny college in Oklahoma
there emerged an unstoppable girls basketball team! The coach
was tough, workouts were hard, long, and mandatory. They all had to
attend class. Don't miss the rules of the game, they were much
different than they are today. Remember, too, this was a subject of
great controversy at the time because "women competing in
basketball games would sooner or later cause the downfall of modern
culture" (p. 80) The aforementioned coach was the great uncle of
the author. Just a great read!
Reading
Hermit With Dog
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