Record Number: 21779

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Reading Experience:

Evidence:

'A verse from Thomas Hardy's "In time of the Breaking of Nations" floated into my mind from the volume of his poems that Edward had sent me in Malta: "Only thin smoke without flame From the heaps of couch grass: Yet this will go onwards the same Though Dynasties pass."'

Century:

1900-1945

Date:

Between 1 Sep 1917 and 30 Sep 1917

Country:

France

Time

evening

Place:

city: Etaples
other location: 'deep in the woods'

Type of Experience
(Reader):
 

silent aloud unknown
solitary in company unknown
single serial unknown

Type of Experience
(Listener):
 

solitary in company unknown
single serial unknown

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Reader / Listener / Reading Group:

Reader:

Vera Brittain

Age:

Adult (18-100+)

Gender:

Female

Date of Birth:

29 Dec 1893

Socio-Economic Group:

Professional / academic / merchant / farmer

Occupation:

writer

Religion:

unknown

Country of Origin:

England

Country of Experience:

France

Listeners present if any:
e.g family, servants, friends

n/a

Additional Comments:

n/a

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Text Being Read:

Author:

Thomas Hardy

Title:

In Time of the Breaking of Nations

Genre:

Poetry

Form of Text:

Print: Book

Publication Details

n/a

Provenance

owned

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Source Information:

Record ID:

21779

Source:

Print

Author:

Vera Brittain

Editor:

n/a

Title:

Testament of Youth

Place of Publication:

Great Britain

Date of Publication:

1978

Vol:

n/a

Page:

382-383

Additional Comments:

n/a

Citation:

Vera Brittain, Testament of Youth, (Great Britain, 1978), p. 382-383, http://www.open.ac.uk/Arts/reading/UK/record_details.php?id=21779, accessed: 19 April 2024

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Additional Comments:

Vera Brittain was remembering this reading experience while she was out with a friend (Hope Milroy) when they were off duty while nursing in a French Hospital. Edward was her brother.