I guess no one here does that and is alarmed, Andie:)

Thinking that was deprives the people of the richness of of intellectual and emotional diversity.

I liked Bowen's writing about living in London during WWII...it allowed me to realize what that time must have been like better than almost any other author except perhaps Vera Brittain. Don't know quite why that time fascinates me so...I suppose because as I became aware of the wider world I read more English history and authors and that time was so central to my own youth. I always wonder how I would have coped...not so well, I fear. josh

That time fascinates me too, Josh. Probably because I heard stories of "the good old days" of the Blitz from all my English relatives. Now I know those days couldn't have been so good, but I've spent lots of time reading about life back then. If you're interested go on Amazon & get some of the books that care compilations of the Mass Observation diaries the government had people keep during that time.We Are At War and Private Battles are two of the titles & they make fascinating reading.

Andie, you and I discussed some time ago the Mass Observation books and you're right, those give the ordinary day to day experience so well. One of my favorite photographs is of a man in hat and overcoat standing in the rubble of a mostly burnt out bookstore alongside a wall of books miraculously untouched and he's reading...isn't that image touching? josh