Play Book Tag discussion

For a rather interesting topic, how much I liked the writing varied. That said, I'm glad to have read it. I have opted to round up because I think this is an important part of women's history, and it's impossible to deny that what went on in England had an impact on what was going on in Canada and the States. Due to the scope of this book, it is limited to British women, primarily from England.

One of the things this book does is show how the 1 in 4 single British women after WW I (not that the rate of being a spinster was that much higher, apparently) eventually wrought changes in rights for and attitudes about spinsters. There were a number of other factors, of course, such as the time in history, the rise of electrical appliances (it was quite enjoyable to learn about a women who made it her mission to encourage women, married and single, to make use of electrical appliances.) They fought for change in attitudes about sex, birth control, pension, what women could and couldn't do and a variety of other things. Not all of the women, of course, since many could barely survive on the long hours they worked. It's not just birth control that has freed up many things for women, it's also electricity, modern plumbing and various and sundry other things.

One of the things that had an impact is that officers back then came from the higher British classes, and they died at a higher rate that enlisted men. It was often--but not always--women who had at more education or some private means (even if not enough to cover all of what they needed) who were able to break many barriers.