Dear Mrs Bird

by A.J.Pearce

A Richard and Judy Book Club Pick and a Sunday Times Best Seller, 'Dear Mrs Bird' is at times both incredibly funny and desperately moving. It is a story of friendship, kindness and the incredible courage of ordinary people living through extraordinary times.

Set in London 1941, during the height of the Blitz, we are introduced to Emmeline Lake who dreams of becoming a Lady War Correspondent. On the bus home one night she finds what looks to be the perfect opportunity in the Situations Vacant of her paper, applies for the job and finds herself employed. It is not long before she realises that instead of becoming a War Correspondent, she has actually been employed as a typist for the formidable Mrs Henrietta Bird who writes the agony column in the magazine Women’s Friend! However, Mrs Bird has a rather unique response to most of her worried readers and is very much of the ‘buck up and get on with it’ brigade! Nor she will tolerate any form of unpleasantness. Any letters referring to the very long list given to Emmy are to be disposed of, in the bin, immediately, unread! The list given to Emmy is so long and detailed that she struggles to find suitable letters from the dwindling readership to pass on.

Alongside details of Emmy’s work at the magazine, we find out about her life as a volunteer telephone operator with the Auxiliary Fire Services, her friendship with Bunty and her budding romances. We experience the chaos and devastation caused by the continual bombing of London and live through the traumas of life for the ordinary person. Emmy and Bunty are young and spirited and determined to carry on with life as much as possible – Hitler won’t stop them from having fun!

As Emmy gets more involved in her job, she realises that there are many decent but desperate women who need help and a guiding hand to get through the difficult times. She is desperately sorry for them and wants to do her bit, but what can she do when Mrs Bird refuses to look at such letters? It is something Emmy cannot ignore and she secretly starts responding to some of the letters, even daring to publish some in the magazine, knowing that Mrs Bird doesn’t read the final edit. What harm could it do?

This is a fabulous book: heart-warming, funny and also sad at times, but the characters are believable and likeable and you quickly become invested in Emmy and Bunty and hoping that they will get through the difficult times they are living in. I liked the ‘jolly hockey sticks’ style of writing, finding it evocative of the period and feel it would make a great film. The sequel 'Yours Cheerfully' is out in paperback very soon and continues the story of Emmy at Women’s Friend – I can’t wait to add that one to my reading pile!