25 December 2005 – from Matthew

Hm. I had lusted over this book – the just-post-war Mass Observation diaries of 5 disparate UK citizens, for months and months, and had marked it with a 1 on my Amazon wish-list. Finally got to it after months of anticipation… and it was a little bit dull. A bit of an effort to get on with it (not as bad as the Half Brother – see my entry for that in about 3 years’ time!!) especially as it was my “home” rather than “travelling” read. Really, I have preferred fictionalised diaries like the Provincial Lady, which I am sure still reflected the times. And it was pretty horrible to read all the anti-Semitic and xenophobic comments, too.

Still, glad I have and read it, and there was some interest – and I have applied to join the modern Mass Observation project, as an inveterate diarist!