Deborah Gorham was born in New York, but has lived for many years in Ottawa, Canada, where she is Professor of History at Carleton University and Director of the Pauline Jewett Institute of Women's Studies. She has published numerous articles and books on British and Canadian women's history, including The Victorian Girl and the Feminine Ideal (1982), Up and Doing: Canadian Women and Peace (1990), co-edited with Janice Williamson, and Caring and Curing: Historical Perspectives on Women and Healing in Canada (1994), co-edited with Dianne Dodd.

"Gorham has written an important life of Vera Brittain that scholars and students of the period will not want to miss." American Historical Review, June 1997 "By far the most substantial product of academic interest in Brittain to have appeared to date." Times Literary Supplement"Sensitive and compelling biography." The Toronto Star"Gorham is to be commended for producing a balanced book, and for making extensive and intelligent use of feminist criticism. Gorham has been blessed with extensive source materials and has used them well in a fine, provocative, inspiriting biography." The Women's Review of Books, July 1996

• Acknowledgements. 1. Introduction.Part I: Macclesfield and Buxton:.2. Origin, 1893-1911.3. 'Provincial Young Ladyhood', 1911-1914.Part II: 'History's Greatest Disaster': Love and Work in the Great War:.4. Somerville, 1914-1915.5. Love in Wartime.6. War Work.Part III: 'Lady into Woman': Friendship, Work and Marriage in the 1920s:.7. Friendship and Feminism.8. Feminism and Internationalism.9. Semi-detached Marriage.Part IV: 'Having Crossed the Rubicon': The 1930s and After:.10. The Writing of Testament of Youth.11. 'Having crossed the Rubicon.'.12. Conclusion.