A Nurse’s War

‘A born diarist – sensitive, observant, sometimes opinionated, never taking herself too seriously – Kathleen Johnstone gives us a wonderfully intimate and humane picture of a northern life towards the end of the war. In fact, a positive gem.’ David Kynaston, author of Austerity Britain

‘Warm, chatty and endlessly absorbing, the diary of student nurse Kathleen Johnson opens a fascinating window into the small joys and terrible tragedies of World War Two. From her delight at a “real egg” to her amazement at the new “wonder drug” penicillin, this delightful diary brims with intelligence and humour.’ Wendy Moore, author of Endell Street: The Women Who Ran Britain’s Trailblazing Military Hospital

‘An inspiring and uplifting record of wartime life in a hospital. Kathleen Johnstone’s warmth and wit render her diaries a gripping read.’ Lucy Fisher, author of Women in the War: The Last Heroines of Britain’s Greatest Generation

Praise for Nella Last’s Peace, from the same editors:

‘Extraordinary – tender, intimate, striking, heartbreaking and witty – it grants us the lovely and dignified privilege of knowing a stranger’s heart.’ A. L. Kennedy

‘A social document of extraordinary interest and value.’ D J Taylor

Patricia and Robert Malcolmson are social historians who have edited several diaries for publication. They have edited three different volumes of the diaries of Nella Last, the inspiration for the award-winning drama Housewife, 49: Nella Last’s Peace, Nella Last in the 1950s and the collected edition The Diaries of Nella Last. Patricia and Robert’s other books include The View from the Corner Shop: The Diary of a Yorkshire Shop Assistant in Wartime (the diary of Mass Observation writer Kathleen Hey) and Women at the Ready, a history of the Women’s Voluntary Service on the Home Front during the Second World War. They live in Nelson, British Columbia, Canada.

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