Books For Brighter Blackouts

Episode

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Broadcast

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Publishing In Flames On Paternoster Row

20250505

As the BBC marks the 80th anniversary of VE Day, Professor Emma Smith uncovers five unexpected stories about how World War Two changed books, publishing and reading forever.

She begins on the night of 29th Dec 1940, when the Nazis dropped tens of thousands of incendiary bombs onto the historic quarter of London surrounding St Paul's Cathedral. The damage to Paternoster Row, the street which had been synonymous with British publishing for centuries, was particularly dramatic and over five million books were destroyed.

A policeman who was asked for directions on the following day by a passer-by eager to view the Blitz damage, simply replied ‘There ain't no Paternoster Row'.

But Emma tells the story of one unique manuscript which was saved by chance from the conflagration, and of another book which rose, phoenix-like, from the ashes to become a twentieth century classic.

With contributions from Andrew Pettegree, Liam Sims and Henry Gott.

Five surprising stories about books and reading during World War Two.

[LISTEN NOW]

A Brief Encounter With Reading On The Home Front

20250506

Emma sets off on both imaginary and real journeys to Milford, Nottingham, Cambridge and London to discover the truth about civilian wartime reading. Her plan is to discover which books Laura Jesson, the fictional heroine of that most iconic of 1940s British films, Brief Encounter, might have been been carrying in her basket as she returned from a wartime visit to Boots Book-Lovers' Library. Would it have been one of the cosy volumes recommended by Mrs Neville Chamberlain in The Brighter Blackout Book, or something altogether racier, such as Kathleen Winsor's 1944 historical romance Forever Amber?

With contributions from Judith Wright and Nicola Wilson.

Emma Smith reveals five surprising stories about books and reading during World War Two.

As the BBC marks the 80th anniversary of VE Day, Professor Emma Smith uncovers five unexpected stories about how World War Two changed books, publishing and reading forever.

On the 80th anniversary of VE Day, Emma Smith uncovers five unexpected stories about how World War Two changed books and reading forever.

[LISTEN NOW]

Paperbacks For Servicemen And Women

20250507

As the BBC marks the 80th anniversary of VE Day, Professor Emma Smith uncovers five unexpected stories about how World War Two changed books, publishing and reading forever.

What did British soldiers read? At the Imperial War Museum in London, Emma Smith is delighted to be given access to a rare collection of paperbacks which were specially produced for servicemen and women. Few of these survive because they were often passed from hand to hand and simply disintegrated. As the IWM begins to catalogue this newly acquired collection of over four hundred titles, Emma is introduced to The Flying Visit by Peter Fleming. Astonishingly, his satirical 1941 novel about Hitler landing by parachute in England after a plane crash - without money and unable to speak the language – pre-dated Rudolf Hess' actual flight to Britain later that year. What might the service personnel who read the edition of this book in the library of a naval base in Scotland particularly have enjoyed about it?

With contributions from Dominic Hewett.

Emma Smith uncovers five surprising stories about books and reading during World War Two

On the 80th anniversary of VE Day, Emma Smith uncovers five unexpected stories about how World War Two changed books and reading forever.

[LISTEN NOW]

Prisoners Of War: Escapism And Escape

20250508

The classic image of British prisoners-of-war during World War Two is of fearless and ingenious attempts at escape, but Emma learns that the vast majority of those kept in captivity found escapism in a less cinematic manner – through books and reading.

She visits the site of the New Bodleian's ambitious Educational Books Service in Oxford, where librarians worked tirelessly to send books to men who hoped to spend their enforced inactivity in self-improvement. But she also learns about popular reading, including James Hadley Chase's No Orchids for Miss Blandish, a novel which became infamous for its sado-erotic content and which has been described by one historian as the most popular book among servicemen in the entire war. Emma is surprised to discover the single work which never made it past the prisoner-of-war camp censors.

With contributions from Midge Gillies

Emma Smith uncovers five surprising stories about books and reading during World War Two.

As the BBC marks the 80th anniversary of VE Day, Professor Emma Smith uncovers five unexpected stories about how World War Two changed books, publishing and reading forever.

On the 80th anniversary of VE Day, Emma Smith uncovers five unexpected stories about how World War Two changed books and reading forever.

[LISTEN NOW]

Tasting Ration Book Recipes

20250509

As the BBC marks the 80th anniversary of VE Day, Professor Emma Smith uncovers five unexpected stories about how World War Two changed books, publishing and reading forever.

As the war progressed, readers often returned to old favourites but there was also a demand for books which specifically responded to or reflected wartime needs. With food security an increasing issue and the demands of rationing biting harder, cookery publishing grew and grew. Ambrose Heath published no fewer than 29 books, as well as appearing on the BBC's own daily broadcast, The Kitchen Front. Emma digs out a copy of Heath's Vegetables for Victory and wonders whether its many, many recipes for an alphabet of vegetables from artichokes to wild garlic, are still tasty today.

With contributions from Bee Wilson

Emma Smith uncovers five surprising stories about books and reading during World War Two

On the 80th anniversary of VE Day, Emma Smith uncovers five unexpected stories about how World War Two changed books and reading forever.

[LISTEN NOW]

Episodes

Episode	Title	First Broadcast	Comments
01	Publishing In Flames On Paternoster Row	20250505	As the BBC marks the 80th anniversary of VE Day, Professor Emma Smith uncovers five unexpected stories about how World War Two changed books, publishing and reading forever. She begins on the night of 29th Dec 1940, when the Nazis dropped tens of thousands of incendiary bombs onto the historic quarter of London surrounding St Paul's Cathedral. The damage to Paternoster Row, the street which had been synonymous with British publishing for centuries, was particularly dramatic and over five million books were destroyed. A policeman who was asked for directions on the following day by a passer-by eager to view the Blitz damage, simply replied ‘There ain't no Paternoster Row'. But Emma tells the story of one unique manuscript which was saved by chance from the conflagration, and of another book which rose, phoenix-like, from the ashes to become a twentieth century classic. With contributions from Andrew Pettegree, Liam Sims and Henry Gott. Five surprising stories about books and reading during World War Two. [LISTEN NOW]
02	A Brief Encounter With Reading On The Home Front	20250506	Emma sets off on both imaginary and real journeys to Milford, Nottingham, Cambridge and London to discover the truth about civilian wartime reading. Her plan is to discover which books Laura Jesson, the fictional heroine of that most iconic of 1940s British films, Brief Encounter, might have been been carrying in her basket as she returned from a wartime visit to Boots Book-Lovers' Library. Would it have been one of the cosy volumes recommended by Mrs Neville Chamberlain in The Brighter Blackout Book, or something altogether racier, such as Kathleen Winsor's 1944 historical romance Forever Amber? With contributions from Judith Wright and Nicola Wilson. Emma Smith reveals five surprising stories about books and reading during World War Two. As the BBC marks the 80th anniversary of VE Day, Professor Emma Smith uncovers five unexpected stories about how World War Two changed books, publishing and reading forever. On the 80th anniversary of VE Day, Emma Smith uncovers five unexpected stories about how World War Two changed books and reading forever. [LISTEN NOW]
03	Paperbacks For Servicemen And Women	20250507	As the BBC marks the 80th anniversary of VE Day, Professor Emma Smith uncovers five unexpected stories about how World War Two changed books, publishing and reading forever. What did British soldiers read? At the Imperial War Museum in London, Emma Smith is delighted to be given access to a rare collection of paperbacks which were specially produced for servicemen and women. Few of these survive because they were often passed from hand to hand and simply disintegrated. As the IWM begins to catalogue this newly acquired collection of over four hundred titles, Emma is introduced to The Flying Visit by Peter Fleming. Astonishingly, his satirical 1941 novel about Hitler landing by parachute in England after a plane crash - without money and unable to speak the language – pre-dated Rudolf Hess' actual flight to Britain later that year. What might the service personnel who read the edition of this book in the library of a naval base in Scotland particularly have enjoyed about it? With contributions from Dominic Hewett. Emma Smith uncovers five surprising stories about books and reading during World War Two On the 80th anniversary of VE Day, Emma Smith uncovers five unexpected stories about how World War Two changed books and reading forever. [LISTEN NOW]
04	Prisoners Of War: Escapism And Escape	20250508	The classic image of British prisoners-of-war during World War Two is of fearless and ingenious attempts at escape, but Emma learns that the vast majority of those kept in captivity found escapism in a less cinematic manner – through books and reading. She visits the site of the New Bodleian's ambitious Educational Books Service in Oxford, where librarians worked tirelessly to send books to men who hoped to spend their enforced inactivity in self-improvement. But she also learns about popular reading, including James Hadley Chase's No Orchids for Miss Blandish, a novel which became infamous for its sado-erotic content and which has been described by one historian as the most popular book among servicemen in the entire war. Emma is surprised to discover the single work which never made it past the prisoner-of-war camp censors. With contributions from Midge Gillies Emma Smith uncovers five surprising stories about books and reading during World War Two. As the BBC marks the 80th anniversary of VE Day, Professor Emma Smith uncovers five unexpected stories about how World War Two changed books, publishing and reading forever. On the 80th anniversary of VE Day, Emma Smith uncovers five unexpected stories about how World War Two changed books and reading forever. [LISTEN NOW]
05	Tasting Ration Book Recipes	20250509	As the BBC marks the 80th anniversary of VE Day, Professor Emma Smith uncovers five unexpected stories about how World War Two changed books, publishing and reading forever. As the war progressed, readers often returned to old favourites but there was also a demand for books which specifically responded to or reflected wartime needs. With food security an increasing issue and the demands of rationing biting harder, cookery publishing grew and grew. Ambrose Heath published no fewer than 29 books, as well as appearing on the BBC's own daily broadcast, The Kitchen Front. Emma digs out a copy of Heath's Vegetables for Victory and wonders whether its many, many recipes for an alphabet of vegetables from artichokes to wild garlic, are still tasty today. With contributions from Bee Wilson Emma Smith uncovers five surprising stories about books and reading during World War Two On the 80th anniversary of VE Day, Emma Smith uncovers five unexpected stories about how World War Two changed books and reading forever. [LISTEN NOW]