Description
Book SynopsisEllen Wilkinson viewed herself as part of an international radical community and became involved in socialist, feminist, and pacifist movements that spanned the globe. By focusing on the extent to which Wilkinson’s activism transcended Britain’s borders, Laura Beers adjusts our perception of the British Left in the early twentieth century.
Trade ReviewA thorough, readable account of a remarkable life. From working class roots in Manchester, Ellen Wilkinson went on to become a socialist, suffragist, Labour MP, journalist, novelist, internationalist, trade unionist, Jarrow Crusade leader, and the only woman in Attlee’s postwar Cabinet—a lifetime journey few women, or men, could achieve even now. -- Pat Thane, coauthor of
Sinners? Scroungers? Saints? Unmarried Motherhood in Twentieth-Century EnglandExtremely well researched and exceptionally well written,
Red Ellen is work of the very highest caliber by an immensely talented historian of twentieth-century Britain. Beers provides a real sense of who Ellen Wilkinson was, how people reacted to her, and most importantly of all, why she mattered. -- Andrew Thorpe, author of
Parties at War: Political Organisation in Second World War BritainA highly accessible biography of a major figure of twentieth-century British political culture. Beers presents her case for Wilkinson as a political polymath with verve and a convincing narrative style, and reveals the multifarious roles in politics—both parliamentary and extra-parliamentary—that Wilkinson played. -- Susan Pennybacker, author of
From Scottsboro to Munich: Race and Political Culture in 1930s BritainBeers has produced a detailed account of an extraordinary life. -- Clare Griffiths * Times Higher Education *
In
Red Ellen, Laura Beers…draws a multifaceted portrait, capturing the woman herself as well as her remarkable political career. -- Martin Rubin * Wall Street Journal *
Gives readers a vivid insight into the life of one of the most important figures in the history of the British radical left. -- Katherine Williams * LSE Review of Books *
