Vera Brittain was a British writer and pacifist whose work primarily focuses on personal experience and social commentary. Her writing often explores the impact of war and the urgency of peace activism, distinguished by its candid and reflective style. Through her literary talents, she offers profound insights into human resilience in the face of tragedy and a tireless advocacy for non-violence. Her oeuvre stands as a significant contribution to 20th-century literature, continuing to resonate with readers for its moral message.
This poignant work collects letters written from 1913 to 1918 between Vera Brittain and four young men - her fiance Roland Leighton, her younger brother Edward, and their two close friends, Victor Richardson and Geoffrey Thurlow - who were killed in World War I. While this correspondence inspired Testament of Youth, Brittain's classic memoir of her wartime experiences, most of the letters are published here for the first time.
This title tells one woman's unforgettable record of the First World War, 'Testament of Youth' is in spirit and impact as powerful a classic as 'All Quiet on the Western Front' and 'Goodbye to All That' - a haunting elegy for a lost generation.
The wonderful biography of Winifred Holtby and her friendship with Vera Brittain, now reissued as a Virago Modern Classic
Now a major motion picture starring Alicia Vikander, Kit Harington, Hayley Atwell, and Taron Egerton In 1915 Vera Brittain abandoned her studies at Oxford to enlist as a nurse in the armed forces, serving in London, in Malta, and at the Western Front in France. By war's end, all those closest to her were dead, and she had witnessed firsthand the destruction and suffering of modern combat. Much of what we know and feel about the First World War we owe to Brittain's Testament of Youth. In this elegiac yet unsparing memoir, Brittain focused on the men and women who came of age as war broke out, exploring their politics, their hopes, and their fatal idealism. Acclaimed by the Times Literary Supplement as a book that helped "both form and define the mood of its time," this searing portrait is also a testament to every generation irrevocably changed by war.
This collection of Vera Brittain's poetry and prose, some of it never published before, commemorates the men she loved - fiancé, brother and two close friends - who served and died in the First World War. It draws on her experiences as a VAD nurse in London, Malta, and France, and illustrates her growing conviction of the wickedness of all war. Illustrated with many extraordinary photographs from Brittain's own albums, and edited with a new introduction by Mark Bostridge, BECAUSE YOU DIED is an elegy to men who lost their lives in a bloody conflict, and a beautiful volume of remembrance to mark the anniversary of the Armistice.
The biography offers an intimate look at Frederick William Pethick-Lawrence, chronicling his life and career through the lens of Vera Brittain, a close friend for over twenty years. It presents a comprehensive and affectionate portrayal of his character and accomplishments, capturing the essence of a significant figure in history. First published in 1963, the work reflects Brittain's deep understanding and appreciation of Pethick-Lawrence, providing readers with a rich narrative of his contributions and personal journey.