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Lee Miller: A Woman's War
The first in-depth look at Lee Miller's perspective on women in the Second World War, as seen through her photography and commentary from experts in the field Lee Miller photographed innumerable women during her career, first as a fashion photographer and then as a journalist during the Second World War, documenting the social consequences of the conflict, particularly the impact of the war on women across Europe. Her work as a war photographer is perhaps that for which she is best remembered―in fact she was among the most important photographers on the subject of the twentieth century. Published to coincide with an exhibition at the Imperial War Museum, Lee A Woman's War tells the story beyond the battlefields of the Second World War by way of Miller’s extraordinary photographs of the women whose lives were affected.
Introductions by Lee Miller’s son, Antony Penrose, and author Hilary Roberts precede Miller’s work, divided into chronological Women Before the Second World War; Women in Wartime Britain 1939–1944; Women in Wartime Europe 1944–1945; and Women and the Aftermath of War. Miller’s photographs, many previously unpublished, are accompanied by extended captions that place the images within the context of women’s roles within the landscape of war. 156 illustrations
Introductions by Lee Miller’s son, Antony Penrose, and author Hilary Roberts precede Miller’s work, divided into chronological Women Before the Second World War; Women in Wartime Britain 1939–1944; Women in Wartime Europe 1944–1945; and Women and the Aftermath of War. Miller’s photographs, many previously unpublished, are accompanied by extended captions that place the images within the context of women’s roles within the landscape of war. 156 illustrations
224 pages, Hardcover
First published December 8, 2015
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews
December 29, 2015
A glorious, beautiful and moving journey via Lee Miller's photographs and the insightful and well researched text by Hilary Roberts, the curator of the related exhibition currently (2015-16) at the Imperial War Museum in London. Miller was a fascinating, brilliant, brave and wounded person. She was a top fashion model, and was friends with leading-edge artists of her era including Man Ray and others.
During WWII, she eshewed being in front of the camera for becoming a war photographer. This was an amazing feminist feat in itself. This book, and the related exhibition, focuses on her photographs of women during the war, both on the front lines, and working to help at home. Lee, sensitised by an early sexual assault before puberty, by someone known to the family, likely resounded with the suffering trauma leaves, that she saw all around her. You feel it in her photos. Scuppered by alcohol, this work (including thousands of photographs) was entirely unknown to her son, whose wife discovered it in boxes in Lee's attic after her death. Lee stated in her records that she destroyed many of the photos she'd taken of the emancipation of the death camps--some things were too gruesome to share.
During WWII, she eshewed being in front of the camera for becoming a war photographer. This was an amazing feminist feat in itself. This book, and the related exhibition, focuses on her photographs of women during the war, both on the front lines, and working to help at home. Lee, sensitised by an early sexual assault before puberty, by someone known to the family, likely resounded with the suffering trauma leaves, that she saw all around her. You feel it in her photos. Scuppered by alcohol, this work (including thousands of photographs) was entirely unknown to her son, whose wife discovered it in boxes in Lee's attic after her death. Lee stated in her records that she destroyed many of the photos she'd taken of the emancipation of the death camps--some things were too gruesome to share.
January 15, 2025
Incredible.
What’s most stunning about this book isn’t Lee Miller’s photographs (that she took but also that we’re taken of her) but rather her son’s heartbreaking introduction to this book. He speaks of Lee as a biographer speaks of a complicated subject: with almost complete detachment and a sense of reverence mixed with sadness. I loved analyzing her photographs, but was more taken by a son’s summary of a mother’s life he never knew about.
What’s most stunning about this book isn’t Lee Miller’s photographs (that she took but also that we’re taken of her) but rather her son’s heartbreaking introduction to this book. He speaks of Lee as a biographer speaks of a complicated subject: with almost complete detachment and a sense of reverence mixed with sadness. I loved analyzing her photographs, but was more taken by a son’s summary of a mother’s life he never knew about.
March 14, 2020
I requested this book via inter-library loan as a follow-up to reading Whitney Scharer's excellent biographical fiction account of the life of Lee Miller, The Age of Light. Lee Miller: A Woman's War included text and photographs that illuminated many unknown or ignored facets of life in Europe before, during, and after WWII. Most of us are familiar with photos showing male soldiers, but who knew, for example, that Britain instituted *compulsory* military service for women aged 19 to 31 (excluding married women and those caring for children under 14) in 1941? Miller's photographs during and after the war focused on women, in their daily lives, in war work, as prisoners, as refugees. This was a fascinating book to read and view!
December 9, 2015
I received this as a goodreads giveaway in return for my review. I just have to say that these photos are gorgeous, and informative of the Second World War from the point of view of an extremely talented, and fearless female photographer. I am very pleased to have received this beautiful book.
November 7, 2023
I was not familiar with any of Lee Miller's work before I read Lee Miller: A woman's war.
I liked that at the beginning of the book there is an introduction by Anthony Penrose and also there is a few pages about Lee Miller by the author Hillary Roberts.
And the chronology at the end of the book mentioned some interesting things like when got the right to vote in different countries. I always think because women got the right to vote in the united states that the rest of the worlds women got the right to vote tat that time.
As for the black and white photograph's in the book I thought they were great. When I looked at then I tried to think of where the light was coming from in each photo.
There is one color photograph of Lee Miller in her kitchen at the end of the book.
I am sure I know more about Lee Miller now that I have read Lee Miller A woman's war. I thought it was worth my time to read it.
I liked that at the beginning of the book there is an introduction by Anthony Penrose and also there is a few pages about Lee Miller by the author Hillary Roberts.
And the chronology at the end of the book mentioned some interesting things like when got the right to vote in different countries. I always think because women got the right to vote in the united states that the rest of the worlds women got the right to vote tat that time.
As for the black and white photograph's in the book I thought they were great. When I looked at then I tried to think of where the light was coming from in each photo.
There is one color photograph of Lee Miller in her kitchen at the end of the book.
I am sure I know more about Lee Miller now that I have read Lee Miller A woman's war. I thought it was worth my time to read it.
January 9, 2026
I've heard friends talk about Lee (Elizabeth) Miller for years, but wasn't familiar with her work and didn't know many of the details of her life until I read this. It was inspiring to see her as a human. Beautiful work. I was particularly moved by the images on pages 42-43, 129, 132-133, 142-143, 148-149, and 158. The haunting photograph of Queen Elena (mother of King Michael of Romania), "photographed in the dilapidated surroundings of Peles Castel on the royal estate of Sinaia," which was seized by the Romanian communist regime in 1947, really made me think.
And of course, the iconic photograph of her in Hitler's bathtub on the day he died (April 30, 1945), taken by David E. Scherman, on page 163.
"This is a new and disillusioning world, war with all the complications of peace. Peace with perforations, dog eared corners and marginal notes." -Lee Miller to Roland Penrose (her second husband, late 1945
And of course, the iconic photograph of her in Hitler's bathtub on the day he died (April 30, 1945), taken by David E. Scherman, on page 163.
"This is a new and disillusioning world, war with all the complications of peace. Peace with perforations, dog eared corners and marginal notes." -Lee Miller to Roland Penrose (her second husband, late 1945
February 9, 2025
I do not know how this book ended up on my reading this book, how it ended up on my list or how I ordered it. It was a bit more wild than I was expecting. IT was very interesting and some wonderful photos. A bit sad and serious. I thought it was a good subject to learn about, I had never heard of Lee Miller. I did add a few other books about her to my list, especially the one written by her son.
A good compilation of her pictures that really showed who she was and her life story.
Quotes:
Throughout her remarkable life, Miller worked with, inspired and was in turn inspired by an important group of innovatory artists and photographers, all of whom celebrated and exploited the female form. Through their perceptive but affectionate portraits of Miller, we gain a sense of this beautiful, talented and complex women, as well as of the influences that shaped her own work”(p. 6).
A good compilation of her pictures that really showed who she was and her life story.
Quotes:
Throughout her remarkable life, Miller worked with, inspired and was in turn inspired by an important group of innovatory artists and photographers, all of whom celebrated and exploited the female form. Through their perceptive but affectionate portraits of Miller, we gain a sense of this beautiful, talented and complex women, as well as of the influences that shaped her own work”(p. 6).
October 10, 2021
After reading Whitney Scharer's "The Age of Light" I wanted to learn more about Lee Miller and see her images. I especially liked this book for its choice of photos and the details about her and women in WWII in the photo legends. The introductory chapters, one by her son, were also well done and with all, I feel I have a much better sense of this complex and pioneering woman... model, fashion and surrealistic photographer, and WWII war photographer and correspondent who was unafraid of going into the worst of things, including the concentration camps. She survived much in her life and came away with scars, but she passed a part of herself to us in the times and history she recorded.
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May 4, 2025Inspired to learn more about photographer and adventurer Lee Miller after watching the Kate Winslet biopic on Hulu, I got this book from the library.
Intro is by her son. Captions to photos by the Research Curator of Photography at Imperial War Museums. This is to say that the text is interesting and informative. The text provides some context for the photographs, which is helpful because Miller did a lot of different types of photography over the years.
This is a beautifully produced book with nearly 200 photographs included.
Lee Miller was an exceptionally talented and brave woman who lived during extraordinary times.
Intro is by her son. Captions to photos by the Research Curator of Photography at Imperial War Museums. This is to say that the text is interesting and informative. The text provides some context for the photographs, which is helpful because Miller did a lot of different types of photography over the years.
This is a beautifully produced book with nearly 200 photographs included.
Lee Miller was an exceptionally talented and brave woman who lived during extraordinary times.
September 5, 2020
Wonderful book illustrating Millers artistic talent through the camera lense. I’ve said it before and will again, this woman has lived more lives than anyone I know. She reinvents herself throughout her life. This is my 5th book about her life and photography. This book is excellent at showing us some of her best work. The chronology at the back of the book is also fascinating to read...don’t skip it, the rise and fall of women’s right to vote, work and divorce are a stark reminder how far we have come and just how much farther we still have to go.
June 20, 2019
Stunningly beautiful and cutting edge photography capturing history and moments of time pre and post WWII (1939-1953). Haunting. Lovely. Heartbreaking. Sensuous. Lee Miller lived a diverse professional life as a photojournalist capturing the beauty of the female body and the bravery of women and as a Vogue fashion model in the 1920’s.
March 8, 2020
Lots of large photos - but suprised that some of the ones referenced in the books I read were not here. Focused mainly on her war photo journalism, but included enough other things to give a full picture of her work.
November 20, 2024
What an incredible woman…to fight her way through to capture the war. But sad for what she saw and how it impacted her life. Watched the movie after reading this…they did such a wonderful job portraying her life and the effects of PTSD. She really is a remarkable woman.
January 6, 2025
Lee Miller was an incredibly fascinating woman - model turned fashion photographer turned war photographer. This book focused on her work that specifically highlighted women during the war both at home and in service.
September 8, 2018
3,5. I was expecting the book to concentrate more on World War II, not so much Lee Miller her self.
April 24, 2019
Fascinating
February 28, 2020
I felt like I didn't know enough about Lee Miller, and this was a good, quick way to remedy that. Biographical essays and photographs from different periods of her life and career.
July 27, 2020
Very interesting. Love the photos!
What an amazing woman!
What an amazing woman!
July 10, 2024
Continuing with my research into the work and life of Lee Miller. I thought this book was going to be about Lee Miller's experiences and work during World War II. Alas this book was sparse on both.
November 22, 2024
Really good, but some French errors noted (in pencil!) in my library’s copy. So taking a star off for that because this extraordinary woman’s biography deserves to be perfect.
February 14, 2025
Beautiful prints of some of Miller’s best work.
March 1, 2025
Excellent. I recently saw movie about Lee Miller which is why I decided to get this book. Lee Miller was a great person -- model, artist, photographer and journalist.
November 18, 2016
Fascinating!
March 8, 2020
Exquisite photos. What talent and vision. It is powerful to think about what she was doing and the era in which she was doing it.
May 13, 2016
I should learn. A military history buff picks his book by the cover, and a lady (I'm thinking WASP) in a war plane certainly caught my eye. But, oh my.. Getting to mid book with my eyes shut, Lee Miller has put on a uniform (no pun intended) and takes wonderful wartime pictures of WW2, catching some vivid happenings. 5 stars for content after page 92, 1 star for the pages before. Split the difference thus a 3 star book.
February 25, 2016
Great photographs, but I was expecting the book to concentrate more on World War II. The war is a part of it, but more of it is dedicated to Miller's fashion work and involvement in the Avante Garde art scene.
An art or fashion enthusiast would probably enjoy it more, just not my cup of tea.
An art or fashion enthusiast would probably enjoy it more, just not my cup of tea.
April 15, 2016
Stunning photographs of art, fashion and war by Lee Miller. I was expecting more about Miller's life, but the photos make up for it.
April 13, 2016
Stunning portraits & pictures that really bring the stories of women during WWII to life.
April 11, 2016
Interesting combination of art, history, and photography as well as the story of the life of an unusual woman and her contribution to the above.
May 25, 2016
Very interesting; thought provoking photos of women in the war effort.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews