Read the 1940s - August 2019: Emigration/Relocation

Our topic for August is Emigration/Relocation.

As usual, books can be fiction or nonfiction, Viragos, Persephones, books by Virago/Persephone authors, or books that otherwise embody the "Virago spirit." They can be set in the 1940s, or published in the 1940s. In short, there are no rules here -- participants can set rules to suit themselves. For questions, comments, and general chat about the theme read go to our General Discussion thread.

Visit the Book Recommendations thread for help choosing books that fit the theme & monthly topic. We also have a fabulous Google spreadsheet created by Heather/souloftherose, which compiles and classifies all the book recommendations mentioned on the thread. The spreadsheet includes a "categories" column that shows which topic(s) each book would be suitable for. Below are links to two different views of the data:
* Full spreadsheet: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1-b4Y2YrG4VseFT5qn546IjWy0JYst7cOVIrmeBHB...
* Filtered on the "Emigration/Relocation" category:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1-b4Y2YrG4VseFT5qn546IjWy0JYst7cOVIrmeBHB...
Note that the filtered view does not work on mobile devices, and it may take a few extra seconds to load in your browser. Please let us know if you have any feedback or suggestions for the spreadsheet.

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I think we all struggled a bit with our July "Travel" topic, but hopefully this one will be more fruitful. And remember, anything you read for this theme also counts for our All Virago, All August event!

Thanks Laura! Travel was a bit difficult - perhaps this month will be easier! 😁

Karen, I know what you mean about "Travel" topic. It seemed like a perfectly reasonable topic when we organized this theme read, but didn't appear to work in practice. I know it was a complete fail for me!

I'm back in the saddle this month though, with plans to read Martha Gellhorn's A Stricken Field. I read my first Gellhorn (Liana) earlier this year and loved it, so I'm looking forward to this one. I love how this theme is getting me to read VMCs that have been languishing on my shelves for ages.

Oh, I loved that one - and I have Liana , so I really should read it!! 🤣

I managed to find a couple of titles in my collection for Travel, but am struggling a bit for this one. It will have to be Breakfast with the Nikolides, which I read so long ago that it will be like reading it for the first time anyway.

By chance I lit upon The overlanders while looking for books for AV/AA. This is the story of a 1000 mile cattle drive across Australia, and was published in 1947 so I think it counts as Relocation.

>6 Sakerfalcon: 1000 miles? that's definitely relocation. It sounds like a great choice, Claire.

Hello, I have been a bit absent lately and didn't manage anything for our July theme of Travel. I do have Hetty Dorval on my summer reading pile. Am I right in thinking that it would fit the theme?

>8 Heaven-Ali: Hi Ali! We are pretty loose when it comes to rules for this theme read. I haven't read Hetty Dorval, but if romain's review is any indication (link), it sounds like a great fit for emigration/relocation. And if not, you can call it a "retroactive" read for July!

It looks like an excellent book.

I just read and reviewed A Stricken Field. Technically it's *not* a 1940s book, because it's set in 1938. But we all know things only got worse so I think it still fits the theme. And sadly, it's still relevant today. My review follows.

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A Stricken Field ()

Martha Gellhorn was an American journalist who served as a war correspondent for most of her 60-year career. As she wrote in the afterword to A Stricken Field, “I had no qualification except eyes and ears; I learned as I went. In 1938, I became a foreign correspondent as well, again because I was on the spot. My qualification was that I had spent most of my life since 1930 in Europe, involved in politics the way a tadpole is involved in a pond.”

Gellhorn left Europe in January 1939. A Stricken Field represents somewhat of a catharsis, spilling her “accumulated rage and grief” by sharing her experience in Czechoslovakia. Mary Douglas, an American journalist clearly modeled on Gellhorn herself, arrives in Prague shortly after the Munich Agreement, which ceded a portion of Czechoslovakia to Germany in an attempt to avoid war. But this resulted in refugees being expelled from Prague to face concentration camps, prison, or death in their countries of origin. The situation becomes more personal when it directly impacts Mary’s friend Rita, and Mary attempts to use her journalist credentials to influence government officials.

This is an intense, dramatic, and ultimately sad book. It’s also difficult to read today, when the world is dealing with a myriad of refugee crises with so many obstacles in the way and seemingly no end in sight. A Stricken Field is well-written, but perhaps not for everyone.

It *is* a great book, isn’t it Laura, but you’re right - so sad. And as the world gets ever more messed up, it’s hard to be reminded that we actually haven’t moved on much. 🙁

At a library sale earlier this month I spotted a Persephone. Title and author were completely unknown to me, but the blurbs on the cover suggested a WWII story. Came home to find out that Little Boy Lost by Marghanita Laski is in the spreadsheet for this month's theme.

What a powerful little book, about a British soldier tracing his lost son in post-war France. Vivid descriptions of the people and devastation after the war. So many ethical issues raised in 220 pages, and yet a compelling, emotional story, too.

I've just finished reading The overlanders which was a great book. When it looks like the Japanese will invade the Northern Territory of Australia, the Parsons family reluctantly leave their homestead to start the move south where they hope to find safety. However, in their local town they discover a plan to drive 1000 head of cattle to Queensland (1600 miles away), and Pa immediately signs the family up to help. He has spent his life working with cattle; Ma is a competent cook and manager; their elder daughter Mary is as good a rider and stock hand as any man; and even 11 year old Helen can be relied upon to pull her weight. They are travelling alongside some crusty old hands, a young man who's just left the Navy and two aboriginal men, led by a man who believes that "bullocks not bullets" will be key to Australia's war effort. What follows is a great adventure across the harsh outback landscape, struggling with lack of water, panicked cattle, poisoned horses and a severely injured man. The pacing is urgent and the language effectively conveys the voices of the characters. It was good to see that the aboriginal characters have knowledge that is respected by the other characters and are relied upon as part of the team. The novel was based upon a film which the author worked on as a researcher and writer and her afterword describes some of the making of the film. This was a really, really good read!

>13 Sakerfalcon: That sounds one that would appeal to me for sure. Nice read!

Little Boy Lost is one of my favorite Persephones, Kathy.