A review by susannavs
Jambusters: The Women's Institute at War 1939-1945 by Julie Summers

5.0

I really enjoyed this book. Since I don't live in the UK, I don't know much about the WI, apart from seeing the movie "Calendar Girls"! But this book show their triumph during World War II. The WI took evacuees from the cities, grew vegetables, organised to pick wild-growing fruits to make jam, came up with recipes for rationing, organised savings, donated to various war efforts (the medical where possible as they were a pacifist group officially, but nonetheless patriotic!), and ran courses to educate women (which they are still doing today). The women gave their all to the efforts while the men were fighting in Europe and the rest of the world. A great piece of social history, of a group of women you wouldn't have thought would have contributed so much - yet they were recognised in their time by the leaders.