Helen McCarthy – författare

In the decades following Europe’s first total war, millions of British men and women looked to the League of Nations as the symbol and guardian of a new world order based on international co-operation. Founded in 1919 to preserve peace between its member-states, the League inspired a rich, participatory culture of political protest, popular education and civic ritual which found expression through the establishment of voluntary societies in dozens of countries across Europe and beyond. Embodied in the hugely popular League of Nations Union, this pro-League movement touched Britain in profound ways. Foremost amongst the League societies, the Union became one of Britain’s largest voluntary associations and a powerful advocate of democratic accountability and popular engagement in the making of foreign policy. Based on extensive archival research, The British people and the League of Nations offers a vivid account of this popular League consciousness and in so doing reveals the vibrant character of associational life between the wars.

An original, compellingly told story of women's fight to represent their country abroad in the face of opposition from the men of the Foreign Office'A fascinating account of the manoeuvres of the leaders of the Foreign Office to prevent the admission of women to its diplomatic and consular services' Spectator'The women are striking, the trajectories of their often brief careers compelling' ObserverThroughout the twentieth century and long before, hundreds of determined British women defied the social conventions of their day in order to seek adventure and influence on the world stage. Some became travellers and explorers; others business-owners or buyers; others still devoted their lives to worthy international causes, from anti-slavery and women’s suffrage to the League of Nations and world peace. Yet until 1946, no British woman could officially represent her nation abroad. It was only after decades of campaigning and the heroic labours performed by women during the Second World War that diplomatic careers were finally opened to both sexes. Women of the World tells this story of personal and professional struggle against the dramatic backdrop of war, super-power rivalry and global transformation over the last century and a half. From London to Washington, Geneva to Tehran, and in the deserts of Arabia, the souks of Damascus and the hospitals of Sarajevo, resolute women undaunted by intransigent officials and hostile foreign governments proved their worth.Moved by a longing to escape domestic redundancy, to follow in the footsteps of fathers or brothers, to build a more peaceful world, to discover cultures other than their own or simply to serve the nation which denied them full equality, these women were extraordinary individuals fighting prejudice in high places. Drawing on letters, memoirs, personal interviews and government records, these heroines caught up in the larger endeavours of the world’s greatest empire are brought vividly to life to enrich our understanding of Britain’s global history in modern times.

SHORTLISTED FOR THE WOLFSON HISTORY PRIZE 2021Shortlisted for the PEN Hessell-Tiltman Prize 2021Longlisted for the HWA Non-Fiction Crown 2021'Fabulous' - The Times'A milestone in women's history' - Observer'Groundbreaking ... a fascinating read' - HeraldIn Britain today, three-quarters of mothers are in employment and paid work is an unremarkable feature of women’s lives after childbirth. Yet a century ago, working mothers were in the minority, excluded altogether from many occupations, whilst their wage-earning was widely perceived as a social ill. In Double Lives, Helen McCarthy accounts for this remarkable transformation and the momentous consequences it has had for Britain. Recovering the everyday worlds of working mothers, this groundbreaking history forces us not only to re-evaluate the past, but to ask anew how current attitudes towards mothers in the workplace have developed and how far we have to go. 'Impressive and nuanced' - Guardian'Brilliant' - Literary Review

Leiji Matsumoto is one of Japan's most influential myth creators. Yet the huge scope of his work, spanning past, present and future in a constantly connecting multiverse, is largely unknown outside Japan. Matsumoto was the major creative force on Star Blazers, America's gateway drug for TV anime, and created Captain Harlock, a TV phenomenon in Europe. As well as space operas, he made manga on musicians from Bowie to Tchaikovsky, wrote the manga version of American cowboy show Laramie, and created dozens of girls' comics. He is a respected manga scholar, an expert on Japanese swords, a frustrated engineer and pilot who still wants to be a spaceman in his eighties.This collection of new essays--the first book on Matsumoto in English--covers his seven decades of comic creation, drawing on contemporary scholarship, artistic practice and fan studies to map Matsumoto's vast universe. The contributors--artists, creators, translators and scholars--mirror the range of his work and experience. From the bildungsroman to the importance of textual analysis for costume and performance, from early days in poverty to honors around the world, this volume offers previously unexplored biographical and bibliographic detail from a life story as thrilling as anything he created.

In the decades following Europe’s first total war, millions of British men and women looked to the League of Nations as the symbol and guardian of a new world order based on international co-operation. Founded in 1919 to preserve peace between its member-states, the League inspired a rich, participatory culture of political protest, popular education and civic ritual which found expression through the establishment of voluntary societies in dozens of countries across Europe and beyond. Embodied in the hugely popular League of Nations Union, this pro-League movement touched Britain in profound ways. Foremost amongst the League societies, the Union became one of Britain’s largest voluntary associations and a powerful advocate of democratic accountability and popular engagement in the making of foreign policy. Based on extensive archival research, The British people and the League of Nations offers a vivid account of this popular League consciousness and in so doing reveals the vibrant character of associational life between the wars.

"Impressive, exhaustive, labyrinthine, and obsessive—The Anime Encyclopedia is an astonishing piece of work." —Neil GaimanWith over 10,000 entries nothing comes close . . . from classics to hidden gems, all the anime you love is finally at your fingertips.This 3rd edition of The Anime Encyclopedia brings the landmark reference work up to date with six additional years of information on Japanese animation, its practitioners and products, as well as incisive thematic entries on anime history and culture. Even the most diehard anime fans will come away with new facts about their favorite anime and hidden gems to watch.More than just generic listings, these reviews have snark, intelligence, and a discerning point of view. Data-obsessed fans will relish the extensive credits, online links, and cross-references, and parents and librarians will appreciate the content advisories.

Everything you ever wanted to know about manga.The Manga Bible is the definitive guide to manga, taking you from its earliest beginnings in 12th-century Japan right through to the 21st-century global phenomenon it has become. Whether you're already a manga superfan or new to this magical world, this is the ultimate guide to the art form. Expert manga historian Helen McCarthy covers all the iconic genres, stories and artists, as well as introducing you to a host of lesser-known creators and characters, telling the fascinating story of this international sensation. - Explores the key genres, types and styles of manga from romance to sci-fi to horror and beyond- Evaluates the cultural contexts and transformation of manga in relation to war, politics, gender and technology- Features over 70 profiles including Akira Toriyama, Baron Yoshimoto, Hideko Mizuno, and the 'God of Manga' Osama TezukaPraise for The Anime Encyclopedia: A Century of Japanese Animation 'Impressive, exhaustive, labyrinthine and obsessive - The Anime Encyclopedia is an astonishing piece of work.' Neil Gaiman'... promises to do for anime what Halliwell did for film.' Mark Schilling, Screen International Praise for A Brief History of Manga 'It is with such wonderful details that McCarthy's bullet-point history of the form really triumphs' Jasper Sharp, Manga UK blog Praise for The Art of Osamu Tezuka: God of Manga '... an absolute treasure trove for anyone who wants to learn more about the God of Manga and his varied creative output.' NEO magazine