Testament of Youth : an Introduction

[Marie]

Testament of Youth by Vera Brittain

A haunting elegy for a lost generation

In 1914 Vera Brittain was twenty and, as war was declared, she was preparing to study at Oxford. Four years later her life - and the life of her whole generation - had changed in a way that was unimaginable in the tranquil pre-war era.

Testament of Youth, one of the most famous autobiographies of the First World War, is Brittain's account of how she survived the period; how she lost the man she loved; how she nursed the wounded and how she emerged into an altered world. A passionate record of a lost generation, it made Vera Brittain one of the best-loved writers of her time.

*from the virago modern classics edition


Reading Schedule for May and June

Week of May 01 : Part I : Chapter 1 - Chapter 2 part 7

Week of May 08 : Part I : Chapter 2 part 8 - Chapter 4 part 5

Week of May 15 : Part I : Chapter 4 part 6 - Chapter 5 part 6

Week of May 22 : Part I : Chapter 5 part 7 - Part II : Chapter 7 part 2

Week of May 29 : Part II : Chapter 7 part 3 - Chapter 8 part 2

Week of June 05 : Part II : Chapter 8 part 3 - Chapter 9 part 4

Week of June 12 : Part II : Chapter 9 part 5 - Part III : Chapter 10 part 11

Week of June 19 : Part III : Chapter 10 part 12 - Chapter 11 part 11

Week of June 26 : Part III : Chapter 11 part 12 - Chapter 12

[Erik]

That's quite a syllabus you've established Marie : )

[Marie]

Haha... I was actually shocked by all the subchapters, since the chapters themselves aren't terribly long.

[Andrea AKA Catsos Person]

I'm a fan of short chapters!

[Andrea AKA Catsos Person]

Is this where we should comment about the book? Or will there be weekly threads that correspond to the syllabus divisions.

I have some comments, but I don't want to make them in the wrong place.

[Marie]

Andrea (Catsos Person) is a Compulsive eBook Hoarder wrote: "Is this where we should comment about the book? Or will there be weekly threads that correspond to the syllabus divisions.

I have some comments, but I don't want to make them in the wrong place."

Yes, there are going to be weekly sections. I've been out of town, but I've got some notes taken. When I get home tonight I'll get them sorted, and they should be up late tonight, or early tomorrow.

Hope you're enjoying the book Andrea :)

[Andrea AKA Catsos Person]

Marie, I am pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoy!

It's very good.

I didn't know a thing about this book or about the author when the book came up for a vote.

Take your time putting up the discussion threads.

I had just wondered if we were changing format for discussion, that's all.

Have a good trip and be safe!