Janie Hampton

Fascinating story of the start of the girl guides and all they did to aid the war effort. The first half of the book was riveting. It suffered in the later chapters by slipping into scattered anecdotes that skipped around in time, making it difficult to follow developments.
Still, I had no idea how essential guides were in the UK and how much good they did during the war. Worth a read if only to understand the lasting value of the guiding movement.
Note: the girls seemed to be much more respected than the scouts…

Merged review:

Fascinating story of the start of the girl guides and all they did to aid the war effort. The first half of the book was riveting. It suffered in the later chapters by slipping into scattered anecdotes that skipped around in time, making it difficult to follow developments.
Still, I had no idea how essential guides were in the UK and how much good they did during the war. Worth a read if only to understand the lasting value of the guiding movement.
Note: the girls seemed to be much more respected than the scouts…… (mais)

This is a fine book. Great anecdotes, supremely inspirational and well researched. It's not the book I needed, though - I was looking for a good overview of what guiding was all about and I was recommended this. I wouldn't say it's a good starting point seeing as the basics of guiding aren't explained and it doesn't explore what guides do in peacetime. I'm still looking for a good all rounder on the topic but if you're already familiar with guiding and in need of some awesome girls and women doing awesome things, pick this up.… (mais)

I was reading this during the first week of the London 2012 torch relay, so made a good accompaniment to the build up to the 2012 games. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone with an interest in the Olympics, particularly in the run-up to are immediately after this year's Olympiad. Not only is this a great account post-war Britain, where rationing was still in place, but it also provides an insight into how the games and sport has changed, but equally how other aspects remain very similar.

The really interesting parts were the descriptions of the preparations for the games and some of the lengths which members of the British team had to go to in order to compete. Some of the sections on the events themselves were a little lengthy and in parts heavy and a little over reliant on quotes. It would have nice to have heard the author's voice a little more often. Nevertheless a fascinating account of how the Games were revived after at the end of a bleak decade for Britain and the world.… (mais)