Customer Reviews

Wartime Scrapbook: From Blitz to Victory 1939--1945

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The reason I loved the wartime scrapbook, just one of Robert Opie's beautiful books, is that it is is simply glorious to pour over. I can't imagine anyone ever tiring of the colors, the products and momentos from such a crazy yet unflashy era. The war years provided little but shortage in every way, but this book shows just how attentive product design and everyday life reflected what people sorely needed. The pages are filled with beautiful handwritten notes by Opie (I assume). And the glossy pages are strong and turnable. Very coffe table-ish and probably bathroomy as well.

Hats off to Mr. Opie for making history come alive in such a way that all ages can understand and even enjoy it. Wartime Scrapbook is one in a series of books compiled about specific periods in British history. Despite the fact it's about life during WWII, it's life presented in a way that is fascinating to both adults and young people without being dismal over the grislier aspects of war. That kind of book also has its place but this is daily life on the homefront; where every egg counted and "making do" is what they did; both creatively and effectively. I recommend this book to anyone interested in that time period; even historians can glean insights into the way people lived, not just existed, under the cloak of war. This is done through many wonderful drawings, text, reproductions of ration books and other documents, and even groceries that housewives shopped for and toys that children played with. Truly a great look at the way the intrepid Brits made it through! Great for the collector or the curious. I recommend it highly.

This was the first of Robert Opie's stunning scrapbooks. Originally published in 1995, when I bought it and I was hooked on the format, since then I've bought all the others (and done a Listmania on them). What better way to present hundreds of bits of printed ephemera and packaging about the war years in the UK presented in themed spreads.

I often wonder if potential buyers are put off when they see that the book only has sixty-two pages. Check out the size, though and that inside are over nine hundred items beautifully shown in a collage format.

Each spread has a theme, it could be newspapers, magazines and official documents all about rationing or childrens board games or candy packets or anything relating to air raid precautions. All the material has been carefully positioned for maximum legibility even though most of it overlaps something.

I think it's worth pointing out that all the material is essentially printed everyday items; its not a scrapbook military or progress of the war photos . My only criticism (and this applies to all the Opie scrapbooks) is that the small amount of text on each spread has been handwritten by the author in not the most readable writing. There are plenty of casual script types that could have been used instead and still keep the personal scrapbook feel.

Bringing the domestic war years back home, check out America's Wartime Scrapbook - Pearl Harbour to V-J, exactly the same format but the material was from the collection of Charles Numark and contains 1500 items.

***LOOK INSIDE THE SCRAPBOOK by clicking 'customer images' under the cover.