A Force to Be Reckoned With cover art

A Force to Be Reckoned With

A History of the Women's Institute

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A Force to Be Reckoned With

By: Jane Robinson
Narrated by: Patience Tomlinson
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About this listen

Everyone knows three things about the Women’s Institute: that they spent the war making jam; the sensational Calendar Girls were WI; and, more recently, that slow-handclapping of Tony Blair. About 215,000 women in the UK belong to the WI. Their membership crosses class and has recently begun to recruit huge numbers of young women. It was founded in 1915, not by worthy ladies in tweeds but by the feistiest women in the country, including suffragettes, academics and social crusaders who discovered the heady power of sisterhood, changing women’s lives and their world in the process.

This fascinating book reveals for the first time how they are - and always were - a force to be reckoned with.

©2011 Jane Robinson (P)2012 Isis Publishing Ltd Gender Studies Social Sciences Women United Kingdom War
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I have read and enjoyed other Jane Robinson books, so I downloaded this with anticipation. I was not disappointed. The history is told with a lot of humour and an understanding of the Women's Institute. There were many times that I was laughing out loud - knickers falling down at an AGM! The recipe suggestions have to be heard to be believed The narration was superb. She got the different accents spot on without caricaturing them, which some cannot do. If you have the least interest in the largest women's organisation in the UK, this is one for you.

Superb narration

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I was a bit dubious when I clicked on the title. But I have found it hard to put down. The WI history is told in a friendly way and is not condescending. Possibly not for everyone, but I would recommend this title with a suggestion of try this history you might just like it.

History of the WI.

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