'Zeppelin Nights is social history at its best... White creates a
vivid picture of a city changed forever by war' The Times
2018 marks the centenary of the end of the First World War. In those
four decisive years, London was irrevocably changed. Soldiers passed
through the capital on their way to the front and wounded men were
brought back to be treated in London's hospitals. At night, London
plunged into darkness for fear of Zeppelins that raided the city.
Meanwhile, women escaped the drudgery of domestic service to work as
munitionettes. Full employment put money into the pockets of the poor
for the first time. Self-appointed moral guardians seize the chance to
clamp down on drink, frivolous entertainment and licentious behaviour.
Even against a war-torn landscape, Londoners were determined to get on
with their lives, firmly resolved not to let Germans or puritans spoil
their enjoyment. Peopled with patriots and pacifists, clergymen and
thieves, bluestockings and prostitutes, Jerry White's magnificent
panorama reveals a battle-scarred yet dynamic, flourishing city.
'Jerry White's name on a title page is a guarantee of a lively,
compassionate book full of striking incidents and memorable images...
This is a fast-paced social history that never stumbles... A
well-orchestrated polyphony of voices that brings history alive'
Guardian
