Professional Work and Friendship
'... very accomplished study... Grounded in solid archival research and delving into a wealth of previously unpublished letters and diaries, it offers valuable insights... fluent and information-packed volume...' Women: a cultural review 'British Women Writers 1914-1945 presents a dynamic portrait [...] through impressive research and insightful arguments.' Tulsa Studies in Women's Literature Catherine Clay's book adds to this body of work, offering valuable insight into the general conditions of literary production and the importance of the creation of a literary community in forming and sustaining a literary career between 1914 and 1945... [Clay] conveys much of the character, complexity, and meaning of the women and the period in which they lived. The value of work such as this lies not only in providing the reader and researcher with additional insights into the working lives of these particular writers in a particular place and time, but perhaps also in the inspiration it provides to those of us concerned with more contemporary critical studies in this sphere. SHARP
Dr Catherine Clay is a Teaching Fellow at the Institute for Women's Studies, Lancaster University, UK.
Contents: Introduction: biographies of friendship; Women's friendship in inter-war Britain; Vera Brittain and Winifred Holtby: a 'trade in work and desire'; Winifred Holtby and Lady Rhondda: a romance of business; Vera Brittain and Storm Jameson: 'a passionate beckoning'; Stella Benson and Laura Hutton: representing the lesbian body; Stella Benson, Naomi Mitchison and Winifred Holtby: a triadic model of friendship and desire; Conclusion; Appendix; Bibliography; Index.