I read this book a little while ago, having picked it up in Oxfam due to its green spine. I didn't realise that it was actually a Modern Classic until I spotted it quite by chance on my master list.
This book is a memoir of Glendinning's great-aunt, Winnie Seebohm. Despite suffering from great ill-health (she died at 22), she was one of the first female students at Newnham College, Cambridge in 1885. I found it a wonderful tale, very inspiring, but at the same time hugely tragic - it was fascinating to read about early student life for women, something that we all take for granted today, but so sad that so much potential should be lost.
Just published once, this is the edition that I have. (You may have spotted that Glendinning has written introductions to a number of the VMCs)
I love the sound of this - I am fascinated by the experiences of the first women to receive a university education in Britain. I wonder if the library has it? I am off to find out..
ReplyDeleteif it doesn't Rachel, I will happily post it to you :)
ReplyDeleteThis is definitely something I'll look out for too - like Rachel, its an area I'm really interested in. I got 'Bluestockings' for Christmas, which looks at women breaking into university education, so this looks like it would be a good companion book! Thank you for reviewing it!!
ReplyDeleteI'd only seen this one on the master list too, but now it's firmly on my wishlist. I have Vera Brittain's The Women at Oxford,on a similar theme and I am very much looking forward to it.
ReplyDeleteEscaping - I want to read Bluestockings too.
ReplyDeleteJane - I hadn't heard of the Vera Brittain so thanks for mentioning it
This book sounds so interesting Verity, it is definately one for my amazon wish list... I wonder if this Victoria Glendinning is the same as the Glendinning who has written several literary biographies? Happy reading!
ReplyDeleteHi Hannah - thanks for popping in. It is the same Glendinning - she's also written a number of VMC introductions.
ReplyDeleteOh this would indeed make a wonderful companion novel to Bluestockings!
ReplyDeleteI have come across numerous mentions of Victoria Glendinning recently in relation to Virginia Woolf.
Absolutely brilliant book - I have had such inspiration from Winnie Seebohm. I too have turned to Thomas A Kempis at times when life has not worked out the way I wanted it to - "Out, out, brief candle", but thank goodness her letters survived for us today.
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