inBlogs: Maisie Dobbs, Inspiration from an Extraordinary Generation

February 6, 2012 by inReads

InBlogs uncovers blogs from the world of reading and writing, special voices that deserve to be heard above the internet din.

Jacqueline Winspear is the author of a series of historical mysteries featuring ex-WWI nurse Maisie Dobbs. Her blog grew from research into the years of the Great War 1914-18, and the aftermath, and the effect it had on society – especially women. In Jacqueline’s own introductory words: ”In each post I’ll be delving into the stories and articles about and by this generation of women that I’ve uncovered during my own research into the era….It might be a story about a woman of the time, perhaps one of my heroines; an interview with an author who has written a non-fiction book about the era, or a discussion about an article written in a magazine published between the wars with advice that could serve us today.”

The nine Masie Dobbs books have been described as “less whodunits than whydunits,” especially the first eight which really explore through the characters and the story, the effects of war on individuals. Elegy for Eddie is set for release on March 27, 2012.

We couldn’t think of a finer person to consider what books we might find on Downton Abbey nightstands. Fans of the series might also be interested in:

• Jacqueline’s essay about a visit to the battlefields of The Somme and Ypres
• A recent Huffington Post piece by Jacqueline about criticism of Downton Abbey’s historical accuracy

In the following video, Jacqueline speaks about her seventh Masie Dobbs novel, The Mapping of Love & Death, about a young American cartographer who enlists with the
British army and is listed as missing during the Great War: