Lyn Macdonald was an absolute TITAN of WW1 history.
Indeed I can honestly say that I owe my passion for that period in part to her. Discovering her books as an undergrad opened my eyes to the complex narrative of WW1, beyond the myths. It was life-changing.
Indeed I can honestly say that I owe my passion for that period in part to her. Discovering her books as an undergrad opened my eyes to the complex narrative of WW1, beyond the myths. It was life-changing.
https://twitter.com/James1940/status/1366769914699210760
Beyond this, I will hold my hands up and say that reading her books chipped the first proper crack in my "war is boy history" brain.
I distinctly remember thinking: "Huh. Maybe Lyn is a man's name here?" and discovering it wasn't. All my profs were male. My reading now wasn't.
I distinctly remember thinking: "Huh. Maybe Lyn is a man's name here?" and discovering it wasn't. All my profs were male. My reading now wasn't.
Looking back, I now realise with hindsight how important having her books available to me, at that time, was.
Also her 1918 book utterly saved my arse during my thesis viva, when a prof who didn't like me tried to claim something I'd said I'd made up something about the German attack.
I remembered MacDonald had LITERALLY QUOTED A VETERAN saying it had happened. And pointed him to that.
I remembered MacDonald had LITERALLY QUOTED A VETERAN saying it had happened. And pointed him to that.
I do wonder how many undergrads her fierce dedication to recording interviews of veterans saved over the years.
She helped ensure we had access to their voices, long before a lot of other people cared.
She helped ensure we had access to their voices, long before a lot of other people cared.
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