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How We Lived Then: A History of Everyday Life During the Second World War
Although nearly 90% of the population of Great Britain remained civilians throughout the war, or for a large part of it, their story has so far largely gone untold. In contrast with the thousands of books on military operations, barely any have concerned themselves with the individual's experience. The problems of the ordinary family are barely ever mentioned - food rationing, clothes rationing, the black-out and air raids get little space, and everyday shortages almost none at all. This book is an attempt to redress the balance; to tell the civilian's story largely through their own recollections and in their own words.
592 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1971
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 40 reviews
August 13, 2021
The wealth of detail in this book is remarkable. Almost every aspect of daily life in England during the war years is covered. The author has reached out to a multitude of individuals for first hand experiences and observations. For anyone writing a book or making a film about the war as experienced in England this book is probably essential reading. My only reservation is that for the common reader there's probably too much information.
December 14, 2023
This book, written in 1971, is filled with amazing first person accounts of life in Britain during World War II. It's obviously been used by other authors as source material because many stories in this book can be found in newer books. Every aspect of life during the war years is covered, using the memories and diaries of the people who lived through them. Now that the war generation is passing into history, books such as this one, written when witnesses were still alive to be interviewed, become invaluable. This book is a treasure trove, I highly recommend it for those interested in this time period.
September 7, 2014
World War II was in many instances the defining event for modern Britain. It lasted 6 long years, two of which they were fighting Germany alone. Norman Longmate gives us an encyclopedic look at what it was like to live in the UK during those years, From rationing (which lasted until 1954) to mandatory national service for anyone under the age of 60, to the nightly bombing during the Blitz (and later attacks by V-1 and V-2 rockets) to the more friendly, but still disconcerting invasion of over a million foreign troops. one can only have boundless admiration for the British people who not only managed to keep on going, but who were remarkably cheerful about it.
Today we fight ugly little wars in faraway places and no one except the families of our all volunteer armed services make any kind of sacrifice. It's instructive to read a book like this to see what people had to do when they were literally with their backs to the wall trying to save western civilization.
Today we fight ugly little wars in faraway places and no one except the families of our all volunteer armed services make any kind of sacrifice. It's instructive to read a book like this to see what people had to do when they were literally with their backs to the wall trying to save western civilization.
October 27, 2014
One can find many books on the history of World War II, from the perspective of each country involved, to the political undertones, to the experiences of officers and footsoldiers. This book is unique, written in 1970, in a sweeping attempt to explain how the war in England was won on the homefront.
This book was somewhat personal for me, in that some of the artifacts in it were common items from my childhood: we would go through large shoeboxes of pictures and ephemera, and at one point, we found ration coupon books and played "war shops." Somehow as children of the 1970s, the story had come down to us about our English relatives' hardship in finding the most basic of foods and clothing as the war dragged on for six long years; an emigrant cousin or two brought her ration books with her "just in case," and they stayed in a cabinet for decades until we brought them out.
Reading about how English ingenuity used garden hose and rope to replace failed bicycle tires, any textiles at all to replace worn clothing, and hundreds of other make-do efforts, made me appreciate the civilian sacrifice all the more. The United States is currently fighting on several fronts, but civilians have been asked to give up nothing, and we are not particularly aware of the realities of these wars. The English fought hunger and deprivation at home to spare more for their sons and husbands on the front lines, with very little complaining and a chin-up attitude I still find in my family today.
At over 700 pages, Longmate covered nearly all possible aspects of home life: kitchen, cooking, clothing, shopping, movies, popular music, the influx of other Allied troops, books, the media, school, the evacuation of children from dense cities, family relations, and far more. Because it was written just a few decades after it happened, he interviewed women and former children who had these experiences, and thus includes firsthand accounts that are no longer possible, so as a historical document this is rich with information.
Much exists about this war, but reading about how it permeated every aspect of civilian life allows a 21st century reader to truly understand how it was the cultural touchpoint of a generation. It is well worth the time to read through it and reflect.
This book was somewhat personal for me, in that some of the artifacts in it were common items from my childhood: we would go through large shoeboxes of pictures and ephemera, and at one point, we found ration coupon books and played "war shops." Somehow as children of the 1970s, the story had come down to us about our English relatives' hardship in finding the most basic of foods and clothing as the war dragged on for six long years; an emigrant cousin or two brought her ration books with her "just in case," and they stayed in a cabinet for decades until we brought them out.
Reading about how English ingenuity used garden hose and rope to replace failed bicycle tires, any textiles at all to replace worn clothing, and hundreds of other make-do efforts, made me appreciate the civilian sacrifice all the more. The United States is currently fighting on several fronts, but civilians have been asked to give up nothing, and we are not particularly aware of the realities of these wars. The English fought hunger and deprivation at home to spare more for their sons and husbands on the front lines, with very little complaining and a chin-up attitude I still find in my family today.
At over 700 pages, Longmate covered nearly all possible aspects of home life: kitchen, cooking, clothing, shopping, movies, popular music, the influx of other Allied troops, books, the media, school, the evacuation of children from dense cities, family relations, and far more. Because it was written just a few decades after it happened, he interviewed women and former children who had these experiences, and thus includes firsthand accounts that are no longer possible, so as a historical document this is rich with information.
Much exists about this war, but reading about how it permeated every aspect of civilian life allows a 21st century reader to truly understand how it was the cultural touchpoint of a generation. It is well worth the time to read through it and reflect.
September 3, 2011
This book is about the British home front--day-to-day life--during World War II.
This book encompasses an incredible amount of information put together in an easily-read, interestingly-organized manner. In fact, considering the quantity and variety of subjects covered and the large number of sources used, I would have to say the organization is masterful. Longmate's own memories, statements, and opinions sometimes jar, but I found this a fascinating read. Though I had read at least twenty books about Britain during World War II before reading this one, much of the specific hardships, living situations, amusements, occupations--so many things--were new to me, or were covered more completely. A random example would be exactly how clothing coupons worked.
Keeper.
This book encompasses an incredible amount of information put together in an easily-read, interestingly-organized manner. In fact, considering the quantity and variety of subjects covered and the large number of sources used, I would have to say the organization is masterful. Longmate's own memories, statements, and opinions sometimes jar, but I found this a fascinating read. Though I had read at least twenty books about Britain during World War II before reading this one, much of the specific hardships, living situations, amusements, occupations--so many things--were new to me, or were covered more completely. A random example would be exactly how clothing coupons worked.
Keeper.
July 24, 2024
This book is a huge tome of anecdotes about how the British managed everyday life during WWII. Tons of examples are given and it's mostly written in a smooth style. Each chapter addresses various aspects of shortages. Surely Anthony Horowitz consulted this book when he wrote the FOLEY'S WAR tv series. One shortage in the book involved the huge shortage of onions. In a recent FOLEY'S WAR episode I watched, there was a raffle being held, the prize being a nice juicy onion.
Really excellent resource for anyone wanting to WRITE a story about this time period.
As an aside, having been published in 1971, it's interesting to see some politically incorrect language being used, like aggravating "masculine women". The author was a teenager in the war, being called up himself in the last year of the war. He gives some examples illustrating the shortages from his own experiences but it's mostly from a vast amount of letters he received when he solicited people to send him their wartime recollections, to quote the Guardian.
Really excellent resource for anyone wanting to WRITE a story about this time period.
As an aside, having been published in 1971, it's interesting to see some politically incorrect language being used, like aggravating "masculine women". The author was a teenager in the war, being called up himself in the last year of the war. He gives some examples illustrating the shortages from his own experiences but it's mostly from a vast amount of letters he received when he solicited people to send him their wartime recollections, to quote the Guardian.
January 11, 2019
This is a great collection of first person accounts of life on the home front during WWII. Covering rationing, the creation of Anderson shelters, weddings, births and the evacuation of children from London and much more, the book gives a really interesting perspective of what the situation was like for those 'keeping the home fires burning' during the midst of the war.
You can definitely choose to read this from front to back, or pick chapters that you're more interested in and skip the ones you don't like, as it is quite a large book with a significant amount of detail given to each topic in the book. There's no continuation of characters from chapter to chapter, which gives the opportunity to pick up chapters here and there if that's what you fancy.
You can definitely choose to read this from front to back, or pick chapters that you're more interested in and skip the ones you don't like, as it is quite a large book with a significant amount of detail given to each topic in the book. There's no continuation of characters from chapter to chapter, which gives the opportunity to pick up chapters here and there if that's what you fancy.
July 20, 2017
An island nation, mostly abandoned by its allies, fights off the fascist continental empire with austerity, hard work, and cooperation. Sure, the military (especially the air force) did its work. But Longmate focuses on the lives of ordinary civilians, often letting them tell their stories in their own words. I enjoyed the first-hand accounts of rationing, blacking out, building shelters, and joining everything from the fire brigade to civil defense units and knitting circles. This was the lived experience of my family, so I will never tire of learning about it.
July 23, 2018
Fascinating first-person accounts on the social history of World War Two, I'll be coming back to this one once the boys cycle round to this period in history. Evocative and moving.
September 29, 2019
2.5 stars [Memoir]
W: 2.25; U: 2.5; T: 2.25-3=2.63. Exact: 2.46.
A collective memoir of WWII, from the point of view of English civilians. Published in 1971, it is an uncommon viewpoint upon the war. Mediocrity and insipidity make its recommendation limited.
W: 2.25; U: 2.5; T: 2.25-3=2.63. Exact: 2.46.
A collective memoir of WWII, from the point of view of English civilians. Published in 1971, it is an uncommon viewpoint upon the war. Mediocrity and insipidity make its recommendation limited.
January 19, 2016
A history of World War II in which Churchill, Hitler, Eisenhower, Roosevelt and others scarcely get a look in is always worth a read! So often histories of the war either take an overview approach, or a specifically military approach, or they focus on a specific group, a specific battle or theatre of war. But this book is very much about the ordinary man (and woman) in the street and their wartime experiences, rather than high-level politics and military manoeuvres. Even the Blitz as an extraordinary event gets very little time; it is very much about the day-to-day experiences of wartime, the minor and the mundane.
Longmate, who himself lived through the war as a teenager, takes a thematic rather than chronological approach, each chapter focusing on a different aspect of life on the home front: rationing, the black-out, wartime weddings, evacuation, schools, garden air-raid shelters, pets, holidays, travel, sports and entertainment, even personal hygiene! It really brings home just how total a war it really was; there was almost no element of life that continued unchanged and undisturbed.
Longmate collected a huge quantity of personal reminiscences for this book, and every chapter, every page is full of memories and anecdotes from his contributors. These personal accounts really give life and immediacy to the narrative, and very often the banal quality of them makes it even more poignant. For most people didn't, couldn't see the bigger picture, and the day-to-day petty inconveniences and deprivations were their most salient memories of the war. And yet in many ways these are the most interesting elements of the wartime story because they are most representative of real life and real people.
Longmate, who himself lived through the war as a teenager, takes a thematic rather than chronological approach, each chapter focusing on a different aspect of life on the home front: rationing, the black-out, wartime weddings, evacuation, schools, garden air-raid shelters, pets, holidays, travel, sports and entertainment, even personal hygiene! It really brings home just how total a war it really was; there was almost no element of life that continued unchanged and undisturbed.
Longmate collected a huge quantity of personal reminiscences for this book, and every chapter, every page is full of memories and anecdotes from his contributors. These personal accounts really give life and immediacy to the narrative, and very often the banal quality of them makes it even more poignant. For most people didn't, couldn't see the bigger picture, and the day-to-day petty inconveniences and deprivations were their most salient memories of the war. And yet in many ways these are the most interesting elements of the wartime story because they are most representative of real life and real people.
December 7, 2011
For this 1970 book on Britain's wartime hardships, Norman Longmate interviewed many hundreds of survivors and delved into voluminous documentation in order to give us a picture of just how hard it was for those trying to find food, clothing and a way to stay alive during a very dangerous time.
Longmate's tome is separated in a mostly linear fashion; starting with the outbreak of war in 1939 and ending with VE day and the soldiers starting to come home in 1945. In between are chapters on the various entertainments available during those six years, the different ways those on the homefront tried to "do their bit" and the extraordinary difficulties faced in getting enough to eat and clothing one's family members decently. When you have to keep your children home from school because you couldn't find shoes for them to wear (at any price) things are pretty grim. When asked how they remember these years, most of the respondents say what they remember is being cold and hungry. At 2 oz. of cheese a week per person, hunger doesn't begin to describe it.
What is astounding to me is how willingly and creatively British citizens faced these difficulties. Nobody was thrilled to have to try to make something palatable out of powdered egg, but nobody seems to have done much whining about it, either. Contrasted with the amount of whining we (and I include myself) do on a regular basis, these people were superheroes.
Longmate's tome is separated in a mostly linear fashion; starting with the outbreak of war in 1939 and ending with VE day and the soldiers starting to come home in 1945. In between are chapters on the various entertainments available during those six years, the different ways those on the homefront tried to "do their bit" and the extraordinary difficulties faced in getting enough to eat and clothing one's family members decently. When you have to keep your children home from school because you couldn't find shoes for them to wear (at any price) things are pretty grim. When asked how they remember these years, most of the respondents say what they remember is being cold and hungry. At 2 oz. of cheese a week per person, hunger doesn't begin to describe it.
What is astounding to me is how willingly and creatively British citizens faced these difficulties. Nobody was thrilled to have to try to make something palatable out of powdered egg, but nobody seems to have done much whining about it, either. Contrasted with the amount of whining we (and I include myself) do on a regular basis, these people were superheroes.
June 29, 2017
I've only read the kitchen front chapter and skimmed through some others but i can already tell that it is one of the most interesting books about life on the home front i've read so far.
A great source if you're looking for eyewitness reports. i loved that he included quotes about the actual taste of foods instead of just repeating rationed food all over.
Incredibly useful for sensory history!
A great source if you're looking for eyewitness reports. i loved that he included quotes about the actual taste of foods instead of just repeating rationed food all over.
Incredibly useful for sensory history!
November 7, 2018
Walk down memory lane for WW II survivors
Extremely well researched and a wealth of references. A walk down memory lane for those who survived WW II. The anecdotal style is reminiscent of Kynaston’s “Austerity Britain” and like it probably has too many similar anecdotes, it would serve the purpose and be just as enjoyable at 50% of the length. A good read if you’re interested in a different perspective on WW II in Britain.
Extremely well researched and a wealth of references. A walk down memory lane for those who survived WW II. The anecdotal style is reminiscent of Kynaston’s “Austerity Britain” and like it probably has too many similar anecdotes, it would serve the purpose and be just as enjoyable at 50% of the length. A good read if you’re interested in a different perspective on WW II in Britain.
December 5, 2016
I can't rate this highly enough. 20 stars worth of well written, fascinating, detailed history.
May 16, 2022
If you want to know about the homefront, this is an essential book. The author lived through the time, and then says he collected first person accounts and wove them into this book. It's not an oral history, as some have said, and not only first person accounts. And it's not always well written. For instance, he mentioned smoke screens, but not what they are.
But the wealth of detail of daily life is amazing. The jokes they told because of radio shows and ads everybody listened to, the frustrations of rationing, and the racism of the American soldiers. Also the book shared some rare criticisms of the war policies, detailing the pointlessness of the constant gathering of metal, which then lay in uncollected piles for the rest of the war and the mishandling of the Channel Island evacuations.
Really worth your time.
But the wealth of detail of daily life is amazing. The jokes they told because of radio shows and ads everybody listened to, the frustrations of rationing, and the racism of the American soldiers. Also the book shared some rare criticisms of the war policies, detailing the pointlessness of the constant gathering of metal, which then lay in uncollected piles for the rest of the war and the mishandling of the Channel Island evacuations.
Really worth your time.
February 9, 2019
This is an incredibly comprehensive book of everyday life in Britain during World War II. Although I was born and raised in Britain, before I read this book, I knew little about this subject beyond the bare facts of air raids, blackouts, and rationing.
40 chapters are devoted to topics as diverse as the impact of the war on: women in the workplace, reading, university life, music, cinema, and sports. The book was very interesting and easy to read but, as other reviewers have noted, Longmate included too many (fairly similar) anecdotes about each topic. It was as if, having gathered together as much material as possible on his subject, he could not bear to leave anything out.
40 chapters are devoted to topics as diverse as the impact of the war on: women in the workplace, reading, university life, music, cinema, and sports. The book was very interesting and easy to read but, as other reviewers have noted, Longmate included too many (fairly similar) anecdotes about each topic. It was as if, having gathered together as much material as possible on his subject, he could not bear to leave anything out.
April 17, 2022
An excellent history of life in England during the war
I never imagined life during the war, mostly I have seen American Hollywood films. Here in this book I have learned the reality of life in England during the war. I also have learned how blessed I am to have not gone through that time. I admire the English, for what they did, and how they went on. We here in the U.S should read this and see how fortunate we are, and how admirable these people from the past are. My respects to those of you who have gone through this.
I never imagined life during the war, mostly I have seen American Hollywood films. Here in this book I have learned the reality of life in England during the war. I also have learned how blessed I am to have not gone through that time. I admire the English, for what they did, and how they went on. We here in the U.S should read this and see how fortunate we are, and how admirable these people from the past are. My respects to those of you who have gone through this.
March 18, 2024
This book is a fantastic wealth of information about life on the home front in Britain during WW2. It contains everything that the British education system fails to teach about WW2, heaven forbid we should be patriotic and proud of our ancestors, history and country. From rationing to evacuation, make do and mend and dig for victory, 5 inch baths, the black out, air raids, life for pets, children, women, the home guard, hobbies, work etc. every aspect of daily civilian life is covered by real life accounts. I highly recommend to anyone interested in the period.
May 27, 2025
Very, very detailed look at everyday life in (mostly) England during the Second World War. It also includes an appendix on life on the Channel Islands, which were occupied for the duration of the war. I do wish more time was spent here, as in many respects they fared far worse than their English cousins.
Just like real life, parts of the book drag a bit - we are describing everyday life, don't forget. But How We Lived Then is an invaluable resource for an often-neglected aspect of war.
Just like real life, parts of the book drag a bit - we are describing everyday life, don't forget. But How We Lived Then is an invaluable resource for an often-neglected aspect of war.
January 31, 2022
An enthralling account of the home front during the Second World War. Norman Lombard amassed an amazing amount of material from written and oral sources. He even add his own memories. Reading the book was a truly immersive experience.
April 15, 2022
Long and full of lots of stories, some situations I knew of, some were brand new to me. Lots of details of daily life, triumphs and struggles. Interesting how the usual British reserve changed to naturally including neighbors and strangers.
July 3, 2018
A unique telling of what went on at the Home-Front in England during WWII; at times it seems like more detail than one needs. There is a lot of repetition of vignettes as he tells citizens stories.
December 10, 2019
A completely accurate description of the war from someone who lived it, just like my parents, aunt and uncle. Felt like I was hearing my family’s stories all over again. Absolutely spot on!
August 4, 2020
Immersive. Almost makes the reader live the experience of those who went through the war and bombings.
May 22, 2021
Dry.
May 9, 2024
Wow this was a time my parents grew up
July 23, 2025
❤️❤️❤️
April 9, 2015
This is a very comprehensive look at what life was like for civilians in Britain during World War II. It covered everything from how women dealt with food shortages to lipstick shortages to types of shelters used, gas masks to BBC and popular entertainment and so much more! He didn't address individual battles except to touch on how they affected morale because that information has been covered by others. Norman Longmate did an immense amount of research from documents by civilians and the government written during and after the war. Additionally he sought out new sources from those whose voices had been under-represented and from whom he gathered diaries, letters, new writings, and interviews. It was fascinating and a must read for anyone interested in the history of Britain or World War II. All of the stories were interesting, some were uplifting, some inspiring, some funny, and some heart-breaking. There is an Appendix that covers the occupation of the Channel Islands. Also there are pictures included at the end.
This book was written very early in the 1970's and reflected ideas present in the 1940's. As a result some of the language and stereotypes are not considered appropriate in 2015.
This book was written very early in the 1970's and reflected ideas present in the 1940's. As a result some of the language and stereotypes are not considered appropriate in 2015.
May 5, 2016
I have the highest of praise for this book- but it took me a long time to read and the typeface is unhelpfully tiny.
These are minor drawbacks - this is a marvellous look at the lives of millions of Britons that were changed by the war. Longmates source material is thousands of letters from British citizens who went through the war, shepherded into categories such as rationing, food, entertainment, the ARP.
On the whole everyone did a pretty good job, pulling together, enduring privations with good grace.
The penultimate chapter on the occupation of the Channel Islands makes for chilling reading - praise be it was not the lot of the entire British Isles.
Long, dense and delightfully opinionated, this is a treasure trove for us in 2016 as collective memories start to wane.
These are minor drawbacks - this is a marvellous look at the lives of millions of Britons that were changed by the war. Longmates source material is thousands of letters from British citizens who went through the war, shepherded into categories such as rationing, food, entertainment, the ARP.
On the whole everyone did a pretty good job, pulling together, enduring privations with good grace.
The penultimate chapter on the occupation of the Channel Islands makes for chilling reading - praise be it was not the lot of the entire British Isles.
Long, dense and delightfully opinionated, this is a treasure trove for us in 2016 as collective memories start to wane.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 40 reviews