Being interested in all things WW2 I thought this diary of a country lady would be lightweight and not very interesting. How wrong I was. Somehow, through the words of this middle-aged woman, an authentic atmosphere of the period is evoked in a way that most books about this era can only hope to approximate. I found myself thoroughly immersed in the lives of the small community in which Betty moved, and astonished at just how much people used to care for their neighbours. I am a 39 year old man, but can recommend this book to anyone - young or old, male or female.