56 pages 1 hour read

Testament of Youth

Nonfiction | Autobiography / Memoir | Adult | Published in 1933

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Summary and Study Guide

Overview

In 1933, Vera Brittain’s honest and compelling account of her young adult experiences during World War I appeared in the form of an autobiography titled Testament of Youth. This important work of British literature became an immediate sensation upon publication in both England and the United States. Full of poetry and excerpts from personal letters, this deeply personal account of Brittain’s life from 1914 to 1925 documents the impact of World War I on Brittain and her family, her friends, and her colleagues. Brittain’s authentic rendering of both her emotional and her intellectual world continues to resonate with readers seeking to learn more about the catastrophic effect of the Great War on the younger generation of the early 20th century. Thanks to Brittain, the world is much more aware of the significant contribution of women to the war effort, a contribution previously dismissed in light of the sacrifices so many men made with their lives. 

The popularity of Testament of Youth waned somewhat after World War II, and even though the British Broadcast Company adapted the book into a documentary series on the 50th anniversary of the start of World War I, Brittain’s masterpiece fell to the wayside of popular culture.

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