Virginia Nicholson explore la vie de femmes remarquables, contraintes par une tragédie historique à réinventer leur existence. Son œuvre est saluée pour son approche pionnière et humaine de l'histoire sociale. Nicholson se concentre sur la narration d'histoires de générations uniques et leur capacité à redécouvrir leur vie face à l'adversité.
'Perfect Wives in Ideal Homes' reconstructs the real 1950s, through the eyes of the women who lived it. Step back in time to where our grandmothers scrubbed their doorsteps, cared for their families, lived, laughed, loved and struggled. This is their story
We tend to see the Second World War as a man's war, featuring Spitfire crews and brave deeds on the Normandy beaches. But in conditions of Total War millions of women demonstrated that they were cleverer, more broad-minded and altogether more complex than anyone had ever guessed. This title tells the story of the women's Second World War.
'One of the great social historians of our time. No one else makes history this fun' Amanda Foreman 'How Was It For You? subtly but powerfully subverts complacent male assumptions about a legendary decade' David Kynaston -------------------------------- "A feeling that we could do whatever we liked swept through us in the 60s . . ." The sixties: a decade of space travel, utopian dreams and - above all - sexual revolution. It liberated a generation. But mostly men. Meet dollybird Mavis, debutante Kristina, bunny girl Patsy, industrial campaigner Mary and countercultural Caroline. From Carnaby Street to Merseyside, white gloves to Black is Beautiful, their stories illustrate a turbulent power struggle, throwing an unsparing spotlight on morals, drugs, race, bomb culture and sex. This is a moving, shocking book about tearing up the world and starting again. It's about peace, love and psychedelia, but also misogyny, violation and discrimination, in a decade discovering a new cause: equality. And women would never be the same again. -------------------------------- 'Sparkling . . . there is a wonderfully diverse range of voices . . . we have a long way to go, but reading this book made me grateful for how far we have come' Daisy Goodwin, The Sunday Times 'An absorbing study of an extraordinary age. Beautifully written and intensively researched' Selina Hastings
In Perfect Wives in Ideal Homes, Virginia Nicholson tells the story of women in the 1950s: a time before the Pill, when divorce spelled scandal and two-piece swimsuits caused mass alarm.Turn the page back to the mid-twentieth century, and discover a world peopled by women with radiant smiles, clean pinafores and gleaming coiffures; a promised land of batch-baking, maraschino cherries and brightly hued plastic. A world where the darker side of the decade encompasses rampant prostitution, a notorious murder, and the threat of nuclear disaster. Perfect Wives in Ideal Homes reconstructs the real 1950s, through the eyes of the women who lived it. Step back in time to where our grandmothers scrubbed their doorsteps, cared for their families, lived, laughed, loved and struggled. This is their story.
Tells the story of the women who were left alone after World War I - a remarkable generation of women who were changed by war; and in their turn helped change society. This title is about those women, and about how they were forced, to stop depending on men for their income.
'Racy, vivacious, warm-hearted. Offers an illuminating and well-researched portrait of life among the artists, a century ago' TLS Subversive, eccentric and flamboyant, the artistic community in the first half of the twentieth century were ingaged in a grand experiment. The Bohemians ate garlic and didn't always wash; they painted and danced and didn't care what people thought. They sent their children to co-ed schools; explored homosexuality and Free Love. They were often drunk, broke and hungry but they were rebels. In this fascinating book Virginia Nicholson examines the way the Bohemians refashioned the way we live our lives.
Stories from the Frontline of Beauty: A History of Pain, Pleasure, and Power: 1860-1960
Exploring the intricate relationship between beauty standards and the female body, this social history delves into the contradictions inherent in the pursuit of beauty. It examines how societal ideals shape women's experiences and identities, revealing the profound impact of these standards throughout history. Through a comprehensive lens, the book highlights the cultural, social, and personal implications of beauty, making it a thought-provoking read on femininity and self-perception.
Power, Pain, Pleasure: Stories from the Frontline of Beauty 1860-1960
Exploring the intricate relationship between women's lives and fashion, this book delves into a century of cultural evolution from 1860 to 1960. It examines how clothing and beauty standards reflected and influenced societal roles, personal identity, and feminist movements. The author, known for her engaging historical narratives, presents a vivid portrayal of how women's experiences were shaped by the styles and trends of each era, offering insights into the broader historical context of gender and society.
From the popular historian and author of Among the Bohemians and How Was It For You? comes a new offering, unbuttoning the multi-layered, hundred-year- history of women's lives through fashion and beauty from 1860 to 1960