Book details

Book description

Winifred Holtby was a prolific journalist and writer whose most famous work South Riding is on many university courses. She was an active campaigner for several progressive causes during the inter-war period such as pacifism, feminism and most important to her, racial equality and harmony in South Africa. She was the subject of Vera Britain's Testament of Friendship. She was essentially a 'woman in her time' and yet could also be seen as an index to many of the progressive movements which were around in the pre-war days and in this sense she was indeed a 'clear stream'. Written in a wonderfully accessible style interspersed with excellent research as well as warmth from one born in the same district as Winifred herself this is the definitive biography of a woman ahead of her time. Marion Shaw's clever, sparkling book does full justice to a remarkable woman... INDEPENDENT ON SUNDAY Intriguing ... an excellent source of further enlightenment SUNDAY TIMES This well-meaning and carefully researched book does in the end deliver a poignant and overdue tribute to Winifred Holtby. LITERARY REVIEW Marion Shaw's "spotlight" technique works well, revealing the many sides of a fascinating, intelligent, independent and committed woman. CONTEMPORARY REVIEW Marion Shaw is head of the English department at the University of Hull and she has written many books of literary criticism on Tennyson. She lives in Kingston-on-Soar in Nottinghamshire.