Edith Cavell & Vera Brittain Biographies?

[Graceann]

I'm seeking good biographies of both Edith Cavell and Vera Brittain. Cavell in particular is problematic, because many books have been written about her, and some are, apparently, truly awful. Vera Brittain at least wrote memoirs, so if I can't get an objective take, at least I can read her own. Does anyone have recommendations that they'd like to share?

[Jenna]

Are you looking at women in the Britain in the First World War in general? If so, I'd start with Lyn Macdonal'd The Roses of No Man's Land which is excellent.

What is your project precisely? Even if the Cavell biographies are real sloppy, I've often found even reading the "bad" stuff is useful, if for nothing else, to refute misconceptions in one's work later...

I have not read anything specific just about them, though WWI is my favourite era.

(See WWI group:
http://www.goodreads.com/group/show/3...)

[Graceann]

I'm always interested in the woman's experience (in WWI or otherwise). Cavell and Brittain struck me as very interesting ladies, and I wanted to learn more about them.

I have no specific project, just an interest. Thanks for the tip in "Roses of No Man's Land." I'll look into that right away.

[Jenna]

In the WWI book shelf from the group I posted to the link above, there is a shelf both for "nurses" and "gender" so you might find some more good books there. The shelves are constantly growing.

I'd recommend On Her Their Lives Depend Munitions Workers in the Great War and Lines of Fire. Women Writers of World War 1 and Boys in Khaki, Girls in Print Women's Literary Responses to the Great War 1914-1918.