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Housewife, 49 #1-3
The Diaries of Nella Last: Writing in War & Peace
"Her account records the personal adjustments that trickle into daily life amid sweeping international change."—The Washington Post
This collection brings together into a single volume the best of Nella Last's prolific outpourings, including a great deal of new, unpublished material from the war years. Capturing the everyday trials and horrors of wartime Britain and the nation's transition into peacetime and beyond, Nella's touching and often humorous narrative provides an invaluable historical portrait of what daily life was like for ordinary people in the 1940s and 1950s.
Patricia Malcomson and Robert Malcolmson are social historians. They live in Nelson, British Columbia.
This collection brings together into a single volume the best of Nella Last's prolific outpourings, including a great deal of new, unpublished material from the war years. Capturing the everyday trials and horrors of wartime Britain and the nation's transition into peacetime and beyond, Nella's touching and often humorous narrative provides an invaluable historical portrait of what daily life was like for ordinary people in the 1940s and 1950s.
Patricia Malcomson and Robert Malcolmson are social historians. They live in Nelson, British Columbia.
512 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2012
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383 people want to read
About the author
Nella Last
4 books32 followersNella Last was a wife and mother who wrote up her day-to-day experience of civilian life in the Second World War as part of the Mass-Observation Archive, which was set up by sociologist Charles Madge and anthropologist Tom Harrisson to record ordinary people's views on contemporary events. She was an intelligent woman, who was stifled by her life and repressive marriage in a provincial place. Fortunately, she had two escape routes from depression: her writing and her work with the Women's Volunteer Service. She began the diary in 1937 and kept it up longer than most and writing more than everyone else. It was finally published in 1981. Nella died in 1968, so never lived to see her wartime diaries published.
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 17 reviews
February 14, 2020
I really enjoyed Nella Last's War, so I was eager to read this when I discovered it wasn't a rehash. Indeed it was not, having different editors etc. It was interesting to note how Nella's writing evolved over time. At first (1939) she writes very much as she must have spoken, leaving out many definite articles ("I had a struggle to get them all in car"); over time this tendency disappears. Some of the previously published passages are present in this volume, but I got the impression that either Mrs Last wrote some passages more than once, or perhaps the Broad/Fleming edition edited with a rather heavy hand--as some extracts were almost unrecognisable!
The emphasis of the portions chosen for this book is on Nella and Will Last adjusting to peacetime, retirement, and the empty nest as their sons leave home--Arthur to marry and start a family, Cliff to make a new life for himself in Australia. In a note to the text of "Nella Last's War", Cliff Last said that he didn't think his mother was aware he was homosexual. Well, perhaps she turned a blind eye, at first hoping he would settle down with a nice girl like other lads, but then on p.245 she writes: If Cliff knew how clearly I saw things, his way of thinking and acting, the worthlessness of so many of his "friendships," I feel something would go. It's better I should let him think I'm "sweet and dumb,"seeing and understanding only what he sees fit, knowing nothing but what he thinks fit to tell me. He forgets--or ignores--that talk and gossip filters through.
Even in the wartime extracts presented here, Nella comes through as much less "heroic" and more of a normal middleaged woman; more of her squabbles and discontent with her marriage are evident, as well as her husband's reclusive, antisocial attitudes and postwar breakdown. Added to her comments on mentally unstable relatives in her own birth family, and Will's parents' descent into dementia read of in Nella Last's Peace: The Post-War Diaries of Housewife 49, it sounds like one small, very unhappy family indeed. She is less of a philosopher/heroine in this edition, but more real and human, right down to her odd perspective on her own attitudes toward "eastern" (ie Indian) and African adults, seeing them as so charming etc--contrasted with her "shrinking" from being so much as touched by "half-caste" children.
I am curioud to read Nella Last in the 1950s: Further Diaries of Housewife, 49.
My one complaint is the poor attention to proofreading in the editorial notes; there are several "widows" (ie one line on the page where the footnote should appear, with plenty of space for it unused, forcing the reader to turn the page to find the rest of the footnote) and some typographical errors. See p. 355-356, and p80 ("Arthur had just get engaged", instead of "got")--not Nella's writing, but shoddy editorial work.
The emphasis of the portions chosen for this book is on Nella and Will Last adjusting to peacetime, retirement, and the empty nest as their sons leave home--Arthur to marry and start a family, Cliff to make a new life for himself in Australia. In a note to the text of "Nella Last's War", Cliff Last said that he didn't think his mother was aware he was homosexual. Well, perhaps she turned a blind eye, at first hoping he would settle down with a nice girl like other lads, but then on p.245 she writes: If Cliff knew how clearly I saw things, his way of thinking and acting, the worthlessness of so many of his "friendships," I feel something would go. It's better I should let him think I'm "sweet and dumb,"seeing and understanding only what he sees fit, knowing nothing but what he thinks fit to tell me. He forgets--or ignores--that talk and gossip filters through.
Even in the wartime extracts presented here, Nella comes through as much less "heroic" and more of a normal middleaged woman; more of her squabbles and discontent with her marriage are evident, as well as her husband's reclusive, antisocial attitudes and postwar breakdown. Added to her comments on mentally unstable relatives in her own birth family, and Will's parents' descent into dementia read of in Nella Last's Peace: The Post-War Diaries of Housewife 49, it sounds like one small, very unhappy family indeed. She is less of a philosopher/heroine in this edition, but more real and human, right down to her odd perspective on her own attitudes toward "eastern" (ie Indian) and African adults, seeing them as so charming etc--contrasted with her "shrinking" from being so much as touched by "half-caste" children.
I am curioud to read Nella Last in the 1950s: Further Diaries of Housewife, 49.
My one complaint is the poor attention to proofreading in the editorial notes; there are several "widows" (ie one line on the page where the footnote should appear, with plenty of space for it unused, forcing the reader to turn the page to find the rest of the footnote) and some typographical errors. See p. 355-356, and p80 ("Arthur had just get engaged", instead of "got")--not Nella's writing, but shoddy editorial work.
February 2, 2016
I bought this by accident, meaning to buy Nella Last's War, which I'd seen on the TV.
A remarkable book. Nella participated in Mass Observation's diary Writing exercise, submitting to them a description of her day-to-day life, and submitting her diary between 1939 and 1966, including 2 million words written during World War 2.
I started the book and thought this is quite enjoyable. The amateur historian in me recognised the value of this sort of archive, an ordinary person, writing for different reasons than most diarists, and leading a very different life. Most notable diarists are notable first for other reasons and are often determined to present a positive image of themself. Actually, Nella was very good at recording much praise she received - and good on her: women are/were supposed to be modest and not boast about their efforts or achievements.
Early in the book, I thought, right okay, I downloaded the 'wrong' book, but, nevertheless, once I finish this I can tick Nella Last off my list. The editors of this say that it mainly comprises writing not in the other books, by different editors, so I'm confident there will be little overlap.
And the more I read the more intrigued I became. I doubt I would have liked her very much, either as a contemporary or as an elderly relative/neighbour, had she lived that long. Difficult to say: in some ways she was quite judgemental, in other ways she showed great kindness. I suspect she went a bit OTT with the WVS and Red Cross work. Not quite Lady Bountiful Do-Gooder, but grateful for something to alleviate being a bored housewife with few hobbies. I suspect that what she did, while useful, was probably less useful than what many people were doing on the Home Front - but probably a lot more useful than my paternal grandmother, almost the same age was doing (not very much, as far as I can gather).
It was the small details that intrigued me. For example, how she swung between stating almost overtly she was an atheist, to sometimes invoking a god, or a spirituality. I was quite shocked at how many of her acquaintances took their own lives. Rather silly of me, and I hadn't given it much thought, but I suppose I'd rather thought that suicide (other than for the indulged, degenerate aristocracy) was a modern invention, something that came out of the 60s (when, as some would have us believe), decent society as it existed collapsed.
I like the way she commented on people, often judgementally. Sometimes quite annoyingly - presuming to know better than individuals what's best for them relationship-wise. Sometimes amusingly, echoing my own thoughts about chance encounters with people who have few manners. And then, her writing about her next door neighbour with post natal depression (although she didn't use that expression) was an eye-opener. One felt sorry for the poor young woman, but also respected Nella at her best.
It's quite a long book and took me a while to get through (including a plane journey, several days on the beach and so on). But it's not difficult reading (as long as you can get past every woman being called "Mrs"...it's really confusing, & I simply don't understand this desire to lose one's own special given way, but I remember this being the norm in the 70s, & my mother was still doing it this century).
If anyone is interested in everyday life both during WW2 & he austerity years afterwards, this is essential reading. There's been too much inaccuracy depicted by the fashion industry, desperate to sell their 'vintage' look. It wasn't like that at all for housewives like Nella - and she was relatively well off.
The other compilations of her Diaries are on my TBR.
A remarkable book. Nella participated in Mass Observation's diary Writing exercise, submitting to them a description of her day-to-day life, and submitting her diary between 1939 and 1966, including 2 million words written during World War 2.
I started the book and thought this is quite enjoyable. The amateur historian in me recognised the value of this sort of archive, an ordinary person, writing for different reasons than most diarists, and leading a very different life. Most notable diarists are notable first for other reasons and are often determined to present a positive image of themself. Actually, Nella was very good at recording much praise she received - and good on her: women are/were supposed to be modest and not boast about their efforts or achievements.
Early in the book, I thought, right okay, I downloaded the 'wrong' book, but, nevertheless, once I finish this I can tick Nella Last off my list. The editors of this say that it mainly comprises writing not in the other books, by different editors, so I'm confident there will be little overlap.
And the more I read the more intrigued I became. I doubt I would have liked her very much, either as a contemporary or as an elderly relative/neighbour, had she lived that long. Difficult to say: in some ways she was quite judgemental, in other ways she showed great kindness. I suspect she went a bit OTT with the WVS and Red Cross work. Not quite Lady Bountiful Do-Gooder, but grateful for something to alleviate being a bored housewife with few hobbies. I suspect that what she did, while useful, was probably less useful than what many people were doing on the Home Front - but probably a lot more useful than my paternal grandmother, almost the same age was doing (not very much, as far as I can gather).
It was the small details that intrigued me. For example, how she swung between stating almost overtly she was an atheist, to sometimes invoking a god, or a spirituality. I was quite shocked at how many of her acquaintances took their own lives. Rather silly of me, and I hadn't given it much thought, but I suppose I'd rather thought that suicide (other than for the indulged, degenerate aristocracy) was a modern invention, something that came out of the 60s (when, as some would have us believe), decent society as it existed collapsed.
I like the way she commented on people, often judgementally. Sometimes quite annoyingly - presuming to know better than individuals what's best for them relationship-wise. Sometimes amusingly, echoing my own thoughts about chance encounters with people who have few manners. And then, her writing about her next door neighbour with post natal depression (although she didn't use that expression) was an eye-opener. One felt sorry for the poor young woman, but also respected Nella at her best.
It's quite a long book and took me a while to get through (including a plane journey, several days on the beach and so on). But it's not difficult reading (as long as you can get past every woman being called "Mrs"...it's really confusing, & I simply don't understand this desire to lose one's own special given way, but I remember this being the norm in the 70s, & my mother was still doing it this century).
If anyone is interested in everyday life both during WW2 & he austerity years afterwards, this is essential reading. There's been too much inaccuracy depicted by the fashion industry, desperate to sell their 'vintage' look. It wasn't like that at all for housewives like Nella - and she was relatively well off.
The other compilations of her Diaries are on my TBR.
October 6, 2012
I wasn't always sure about the extracts that were chosen for inclusion - sometimes they were too disjointed, and at other times they didn't seem worth including. But it's still a fascinating piece of social history and she's an amazing diarist.
May 20, 2016
Nella Last wrote extensive diaries for the mass observation project. I thought I would enjoy this more than I did, I hoped for more detail of everyday life during the war. I found I didn't warm to Nella. The book records Nella's day to day thoughts and feelings.
September 2, 2017
Of all the war dairies I've read, this is my favorite. It's a a very personal and touching account of a housewife during WWII. She take you on a journey of a housewife breaking free and becoming independent, growing as a person but most of all as a woman.
May 22, 2017
Really liked this - a different perspective on the war
May 28, 2017
A few weeks ago while flicking through stations on the telly I came across Housewife, 49, based on the diaries of Nella Last during WWII it tells of life on the homefront, and one woman’s story. I really enjoyed the film. It is one of those small films, telling a small story, but an important one. So I decided to read some of Nella Last’s diaries. This collection, edited by Patricia & Robert Malcolmson, collects Last’s diaries during and after the second World War.
Last began writing her diaries for Britain’s Mass-Observation project, which was designed to reveal just what British people thought and did. It was a social project specialising in everyday life and “ordinary” people. You can read more on their website – http://www.massobs.org.uk/. Nella Last wrote her diaries right through the war and through the fifties and sixties. This collection has selections from the 1940s to the 1950s.
And if you are all interested in social history, or ordinary life then you should give it a read. Because it really is a fascinating look at Britain during and after the war. But it also the story of one woman and the battles she fought and struggled with during her life. In many ways it felt like reading a proto-blog. These are Last’s day to day thoughts, not only about the war but also about her own family, friends and neighbours. And those parts are, to me, the most interesting. Nella is very much of her time. She has those biases and prejudices, but she sometimes sees them for what they are and tries to overcome them.
It is also the story of a marriage. Nella’s husband Will suffers a lot from “his nerves”. An anxious man he never wants to go out and socialise, or even have people over, whereas Nella yearns for company. She spends a lot of her time protecting him from anything too exciting, she even makes sure to pick books that don’t feature murder when she collects some library books for him.
Nella very much identifies as a wife and mother, I wonder what she would have been capable of if given the education and freedom of today’s world?
Last began writing her diaries for Britain’s Mass-Observation project, which was designed to reveal just what British people thought and did. It was a social project specialising in everyday life and “ordinary” people. You can read more on their website – http://www.massobs.org.uk/. Nella Last wrote her diaries right through the war and through the fifties and sixties. This collection has selections from the 1940s to the 1950s.
And if you are all interested in social history, or ordinary life then you should give it a read. Because it really is a fascinating look at Britain during and after the war. But it also the story of one woman and the battles she fought and struggled with during her life. In many ways it felt like reading a proto-blog. These are Last’s day to day thoughts, not only about the war but also about her own family, friends and neighbours. And those parts are, to me, the most interesting. Nella is very much of her time. She has those biases and prejudices, but she sometimes sees them for what they are and tries to overcome them.
It is also the story of a marriage. Nella’s husband Will suffers a lot from “his nerves”. An anxious man he never wants to go out and socialise, or even have people over, whereas Nella yearns for company. She spends a lot of her time protecting him from anything too exciting, she even makes sure to pick books that don’t feature murder when she collects some library books for him.
Nella very much identifies as a wife and mother, I wonder what she would have been capable of if given the education and freedom of today’s world?
September 2, 2018
A finely detailed account of the British home front during WWII and the postwar period. Had she had the education and connections, Nella Last would have become a famous writer in her lifetime. As it is, her wit, verbal talent, and eye for detail make her work priceless. Her diaries are at once familiar and utterly novel because this is her-story — the narrator is a lower middle-class woman. The male and classist lenses through which I learned history have never been clearer. Lasts’ dedication to her endless and largely thankless responsibilities on the home front were extraordinary. At the same time, her acute fear of nuclear weapons makes me wonder how we’re so blasé about them 60 years on. Peace can be very hard work, as one who lived through both world wars, Nella Last knew it was worth working for.
May 4, 2017
Having enjoyed the wartime diary of Nella Last, I had great hopes for this collection. Unfortunately, the editors commented that Nella wrote a lot about cooking and rationing and shopping and so had edited much of that out, but that was exactly what I wanted to read about. The social and political history often naively talked about by Nella is fascinating, but mundane everyday life is rarely captured in detail and that is what made Nella's writing so endearing. That is why she was "Housewife, 49".
October 11, 2025
Provides a lot of insight into the life of women — or at least one woman — during WWII and its aftermath in England. Nella’s writings reminded me that no one truly knows anyone else. We all have an inner life, with feelings and thoughts rarely shared with others.
Read
June 14, 2020So interesting
Read
April 14, 2025Just couldn't get into this. Will try again
May 16, 2024
I came to read this curated diary by the influence of the late great Victoria Wood. Like her, Nella has been a friend to me in anxious periods. Rarely do we see the raw and nervous, let alone female experience of the Home Front.
March 9, 2017
A real experience of a different time
I've really enjoyed immersing my self into the life of Nella, seeing things through a different lense of time. Processing thoughts and feelings along with day by day activities has swept me along like the wind across her beloved lakes.
I've really enjoyed immersing my self into the life of Nella, seeing things through a different lense of time. Processing thoughts and feelings along with day by day activities has swept me along like the wind across her beloved lakes.
March 3, 2017
I had read the first diary of Housewife 49 Nella Last which I thought was just wonderful. This book is partly unpublished material form the war diaries and also includes entries that follow from after the war. A truly remarkable book which demonstrates her skill as an author , this is a must read for anyone who has an interest in this time period.
April 16, 2017
After I'd watched Victoria Wood in Housewife 49 I got this book by accident thinking it was Nella Last's War. While the diary entries themselves were fascinating I found the editing too heavy. Not only was there not enough Nella but I also found much of what the editors chose to include, or more importantly not to include was questionable. I was left feeling that too much was missing particularly as the years went on from 1943.
I did find the page at the back of the book explaining the old fashioned money was very useful but it was inconvenient that at the top of each page, throughout the book, the date and month was given but not the year (except at the beginning of each chapter.) This became even more of an issue when numerous years were in one chapter and maybe only a couple of entries were provided per year.
I very much enjoyed reading Nella's entries and found them honest and thought provoking. I found many of her thoughts and concerns still relevant today along the lines of how she complained of the world getting so much faster and she also described her worries re populism and how young people were struggling to get ahead. She questioned her own racism and her view of politics. I enjoyed her sense of humour too. I was interested in the difference between how women with depression in those days were treated compared to the men. I was also interested in what she was cooking and how she kept busy in the home. Her housework was an inspiration! I found it all extremely motivating.
Unfortunately due to the heavy editing this book was a disappointment but I'll probably read Nella Last's War at some point. I'm sure I would have enjoyed this book much more as a top up if I had read the other books first (Nella Last's War & Nella Last's Peace) but as a stand alone book it was too much of a skimmer. Far too much for one book and in trying to fit it all in too much was lost.
I did find the page at the back of the book explaining the old fashioned money was very useful but it was inconvenient that at the top of each page, throughout the book, the date and month was given but not the year (except at the beginning of each chapter.) This became even more of an issue when numerous years were in one chapter and maybe only a couple of entries were provided per year.
I very much enjoyed reading Nella's entries and found them honest and thought provoking. I found many of her thoughts and concerns still relevant today along the lines of how she complained of the world getting so much faster and she also described her worries re populism and how young people were struggling to get ahead. She questioned her own racism and her view of politics. I enjoyed her sense of humour too. I was interested in the difference between how women with depression in those days were treated compared to the men. I was also interested in what she was cooking and how she kept busy in the home. Her housework was an inspiration! I found it all extremely motivating.
Unfortunately due to the heavy editing this book was a disappointment but I'll probably read Nella Last's War at some point. I'm sure I would have enjoyed this book much more as a top up if I had read the other books first (Nella Last's War & Nella Last's Peace) but as a stand alone book it was too much of a skimmer. Far too much for one book and in trying to fit it all in too much was lost.
Displaying 1 - 16 of 17 reviews