A Sisterhood of Suffering and Service

Book excerpt: As the body of First World War literature continues to grow, women’s experiences of this period remain largely obscure, particularly those of Canadian and Newfoundland women. A Sisterhood of Suffering and Service explores this obscurity and begins to redress it. This innovative collection discusses women’s activities in the workforce, overseas, within the domestic realm, and in literary representations to show that women were not bystanders who were quietly knitting for the duration; rather, they actively participated in wartime society, served their country in a variety of ways, made sacrifices, and were deeply affected by the vagaries of war. Incorporating the experiences of Newfoundland with those of Canada, and looking at girls as well as women, the volume enriches our knowledge of an important era in Canadian nation building and takes a step towards writing women into the historical narratives of the First World War.