Well, this book caught my eye on the £1 bargain trolley outside Housmans radical book shop a few months ago. I had been saving this write-up for months, for a future 'zine, but it seems pertinent now.
The front cover, with its array of 80s female goths, and its Orwellian title struck a note with me. I love reading about pop culture and about social history. I wish I had realised this when I was a student (an abandoned sociology A'Level, forever my disgrace). 'A brilliant exposé of poverty and politics in Britain today', says the back cover. The book addresses the 'second depression' era,f ollowing on from 1937 Great Britain when George Orwell pioneered investigative journalism by way of travelogue/interviews/political observations up and down the UK. Whereas Orwell exposed the shocking and dire living conditions of the working classes (the coalminers of this era, who faced job losses that all but completely finished the industry off in this country – and their families), Beatrix Campbell approaches the situation from female point of view. That is, the wives of the jobless workers, and the wives being jobless themselves and the effect of all this on working class families. I did not realise how crassly the government treated women citizens in the 1980s. There are interviews here with women who were effectively forced back into living with abusive male partners, because there was the suspicion that they would claim dole money falsely! Women were instructed to live back with men who had beaten or verbally abused them so that they would not be homeless or without funds to live. There is also the pertinent portrayal of single parent mothers and the stigmatisation of them then (it is probably just as bad nowadays, however), and how people perceived them as grabbing money off the state, when there was no work that would accept them, that is if it was available in the first place. The coalminers' wives are touched on too. How they fought to get pay equal to the men – when at this time, their work was not seen as equal. They worked as dinner ladies, or did other kinds of physical labour, contributing just as much to their families. Something that still rings true today, sadly, is how when men are out of work it is seen as a great loss, and damaging to their person – yet if it is a woman, she is simply referred to as a 'house-wife', and it might be seen as a lesser concern. Campbell rightly points out that it would be more helpful if women in these circumstances were referred to as wageless rather than housewives. This thought has certainly had me re-analysing my thoughts about myself/housework/my status as a woman when I have been unemployed. I still remember how Orwell recounted in his book that a certain kind of working class northern man who finds himself unemployed will still get the best seat in the house, not perform any housework alongside his wife, and have perfect leisure, tea on the table, etc! A brilliant, brilliant book. One that I am sorely surprised has not been reprinted and re-marketed, given its poignancy in the last few years. But I hear that Beatrix Campbell has been working on a book that recounts more recent social/working history, and I relish its arrival in print. Campbell remains an active feminist and campaigning member of the Green Party. Follow her inspiring blog too: http://www.beatrixcampbell.co.uk Incredibly rare time off work. I've been reading zines, listening to Four Tet - bliss! Recently enjoyed zines: I picked these up from a mixture of places: SE London Zine Fest, Sweet Candy Distro, in person, from pen pals, from independent shops. Record Collecting was the most curious of all - I don't seem to manage to track down many zines made by men, and this one was about the electronic musician, Pedro the Lion. I found it really interesting reading about a musician I wasn't very familiar with, the great detail was appreciated as was the music fan perspective and passion, so it didn't matter that I was not a 'fan'. I'd like to re-acqaint myself with the music now, I think, it's been about 7 years since I heard snippets of it. It was good to read Chickeney, a zine about living on a farm, as I love growing vegetables myself. I also picked up a zine that lists what vegetables are in season against a calendar, which is perenially useful! That was bought from a wonderful farm shop in Dalston. Echo Echo is a new perzine on me. I love the depth of writing, the new perspective on me, and the painted colour cover. I also enjoyed a recent issue of Telegram - so much so that I realise I have gone and unwittingly bought it again via Sweet Candy Distro! Whoops, I do this sometimes. I can misplace zines in this house, as I my kitchen pantry shelf where they are all carefully filed in order by genre and A to Z, is now officially all full up! I haven't worked out what to do yet... I am in the process of listing the collection, but I doubt I can brave parting with any. There are a few other zines that have left a great impression on me in recent times, but that are on loan to friends right now, so will write about them soon. I have more than enough zines right now, yet I ordered more last night! I have also been buying lots of zines and magazines and such whenever I visit 56a, or Housman's or Vx, because I love exploiting the unique collections on sale, and supporting such ethical independent retailers. Here is the current reading pile that I am working my way through (and have been since Autumn, my reading time is ordinarily so limited now, sadly): Changed the music to Yann Tiersen now. I need to buy more Four Tet albums though, I forgot I liked them.
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AthemauraEnthusiastic about 'zines, libraries, gardening in the city, independent book shops/record shops/cafes, vegetarian and vegan, London in all its variety, local living/community. Archives
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