I’m doing a spot of research into the period 1936-1960 in UK history and looking for things to read that will give me a real flavor of how people lived during this time. There’s SO much information about World War 2 I’m not so fussed about reading war stories, but am more interested in normal social life just before the war and for the fifteen years that followed it. I’m especially interested in literary life at this time – anything about writers or publishing would be excellent.
I’d rather read novels written and published during this time period than contemporary historical fiction, but really good examples of the latter are still welcome.
Memoirs and non-fiction that deals with this period are very welcome.
Penguin editors in 1950
Writers I’ve thought of already are: John Wyndham, Angela Thirkell, Elizabeth Taylor, Graham Greene, early Barbara Pym, later Somerset Maugham, Agatha Christie and Dorothy L. Sayers.
Non-fiction I already own: The Life and Times of Allen Lane by Jeremy Lewis, Family Britain 1951-57 by David Kynaston, Perfect Wives in Ideal Homes by Virginia Nicholson.
Any suggestions gratefully received!
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