This insightful new book offers a timely assessment of the complex relationship between women and leisure in England, drawing upon recent feminist theory. Departing from approaches which focus on particular activities or institutions, it places everyday experiences at its centre, presenting a wide-ranging and lively account of changing perceptions, representations and experiences of leisure across the period 1920-60.
Part one addresses the nature of leisure within womens lives, examining shifting understandings of the concept and identifying areas of definitional ambiguity such as the 'family' holiday, shopping and handicrafts.
Part two focuses upon experiences of leisure across the life cycle. It provides a detailed assessment of the particular forms of leisure enjoyed by women at distinct stages of their lives, including cinema-going, dancing, socialising and home-based pursuits. However, these and other forms of leisure are located within a series of overlapping contexts including those of close female friendships, relationships with boyfriends, spouses and children, considerations of personal space and the allocation of time and money. Crucially, the book demonstrates that experiences and perceptions of leisure were fundamentally structured along life cycle lines: leisure in youth was often characterised by freedom and independence whilst leisure in adulthood became a vehicle for service and duty to others.
This book will appeal to those with an interest in twentieth century social, cultural and women's/gender history. It also has a very strong cross disciplinary appeal and is likely to attract readers from the fields of sociology, cultural studies, women's studies and leisure studies.
