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I have long felt nostalgia for the few years before I was born (1949).
My idea is that this may arise because that time - the forties - was a
formative period for my parents; intense and exciting. It was
particularly so for the parents of my generation - but I wonder if
this might happen for any generation. For most of us, that time in our
teens, twenties or thirties can be youthful, experimental, sexual and
new. Somehow, attachment by aging adults to that period before
'settling down' could be transmitted to their children (perhaps
unconsciously). It may be that for many the unpleasant negatives are
filtered out, and subsequent generations are given a positive view of
that time. This is reinforced by media stories of nobel struggle,
wartime romance etc - but these in themselves may be created by this
selection process.
It may be that for many the negatives are held onto as well - again,
perhaps subconsciously - but with less obvious results. I also suspect
that the ramifications of wartime experiences are held onto by society
much longer than is acknowledged. It was such a massive thing to
happen but people tried to get back to 'normal' life very quickly, and
I understand that many people don't talk about the horrors of their
war experiences. My parents didn't.
This is all personal speculation.
Julian Howell
On 21 Aug 2010, at 13:38, christine hughes wrote:
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> agree with you that it is a rather mealy mouthed review - and no, I
> haven't read it either. But presumably the author wanted to show
> the different reactions to six very long years of war from a variety
> of women. And the fact of her being American seems neither here nor
> there! Many thousands of American families also suffered losses and
> it rather shows up Mr Lewis' prejudices than adds anything to a
> sensible review of her book.
>
> Am I alone in being a bit unsettled by what seems to me to be a
> difference between the way we are asked to view WW1 and WWII? I was
> having this discussion with friends not so long ago. We seem very
> reverent about the First World War and its terrible loss of life -
> rightly so. And yet I seem to detect a bit of nostalgia about the
> Second World War - but from people who never lived through it.
> There seems to be a 'Vera Lynn singalong, let's have a knees-up and
> weren't rationing and air raids fun' about a lot of the way the
> 1939-45 war is reported. I was a bit disheartened a few weeks ago
> when I went to the Imperial War Museum and encountered their 'Blitz
> Experience'. The actual mechanics were very good, I thought
> (although I do speak as one who was born after the war - in 'The
> Bulge'!) and the voiceover which I assume was taken from real
> experiences was very good - but only when you could hear it over the
> voice of the young museum attendant who was making it all into a
> joke and a 'good laugh' all the time. It does worry me too whether
> we are recording actual experiences from people who lived through it
> - yesterday's remembrances highlighted the fact that 'The Few' are
> now all over 90 - or do we think the MASSOBS diaries and films, etc,
> are enough? Does anyone else have an opinion:)? - I'm sure you do!
>
> I have just read a very good account of the war seen through the
> eyes of a woman living in London - Few Eggs and No Oranges by Vere
> Hodge. I would recommend it as being an honest account which
> details the sheer drudgery of surviving and pulls no punches. No
> wonder our parents and grandparents were just exhausted by 1946!
>
> Chris Hughes
>
>
> > Date: Fri, 20 Aug 2010 15:50:44 +0100
> > From: [log in to unmask]
> > Subject: [MASSOBS] Review of new MO diaries book
> > To: [log in to unmask]
> >
> > This message has been sent through the MASSOBS discussion list.
> > Remember, clicking 'reply' sends your message to the list.
> >
> -----------------------------------------------------------------------
> >
> > Dear fellow Jiscmailers,
> >
> > Please see attached link to Daily Mail review by Peter Lewis of Jen
> > Purcell's new book:
> >
> > DOMESTIC SOLDIERS: SIX WOMEN'S LIVES IN THE SECOND WORLD WAR BY
> JENNIFER
> > PURCELL (Constable £12.99)
> > www.dailymail.co.uk/home/books/article-1303571
> >
> > Without wishing to influence you (and I haven't read Jen's book
> myself) I
> > thought this was rather a poor review with a snide last sentence.
> But it
> > might attract readers all the same.
> >
> > What does everyone think?
> > Dorothy (Sheridan)
> > Sussex
> >
> >
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