Stranger in the House - Women’s Stories of Men Returning from the Second World War

Jul 30, 2026

Stranger in the House presents a collection of first-hand accounts exploring how women experienced the Second World War from within their homes, and how separation shaped everyday life. Across distinct voices—from mothers and widows to wives, daughters, and post-war children—the book traces the immediate aftermath, grief and endurance, communication and love under pressure, and the long shadow of return. The author’s note and supporting materials frame these narratives within a larger historical memory, emphasizing courage, honesty, and vivid lived detail.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryStory & Novel

FormatPDF

Pages396

Reading Time10 h 10 min

Author's Note

War Without End

An Iron Ration of Love: The Value of Communication

The Homecoming and the Immediate Aftermath

The Fog of War: The Mother’s Tale

In the Event of Death: The Widow’s Tale

That Distant Look: The Wife’s Tale

Love and Sex in Times of War

Stranger in the House: The Daughter’s Tale

Children of Bamboo: The FEPOW Children’s Tale

The Winds of War: The Post-War Children’s Tale

The Legacy of My Father

In Praise of Grandparents: The Granddaughter’s Tale

The Last Word

Notes

Bibliography

JULIE SUMMERSSTRANGERIN THE HOUSE 'It is in the courage,honesty and vividness of these first-hand accountsthat the power of these reminiscences lies'DAILY TELEGRAPH Praise for Stranger in the House 'A fascinating insight into this forgotten corner of our history’GoodBook Guide 'Striking,often heart-warming,but sometimes tragic...They arestories that touch us all,even today'Daily Mail ‘A poignant,lingering account of war without end'Juliet Gardiner,BBC History Magazine 'Engaging voices...bring that cold,dark world of post-war austerityto life ...Summers has deftly woven these varied stories into acohesive whole,while letting the characters speak for themselves.Itis a fine achievement'The Spectator T'm sure I will treasure all sorts of vivid everyday details from thisvolume'Lynne Truss,Sunday Times 'An extraordinary range of previously untapped voices andexperiences'Good Housekeeping 'It is in the courage,honesty and vividness of these first-hand accountsthat the power of these reminiscences lies'Daily Telegraph 'Stories of both heartbreak and courage give voice to the women whofought their own battles throughout the war,and went on fighting longafter peace had been declared'Justine Picardie,Mail on Sunday 'Summers'engaging book provides fascinating snapshots of people'slives as they struggled to cope with separation during the SecondWorld War and adjustment on returning home...The book makescompelling readina and ~~~~ ---familyhistory resealI War' BBC Who Do】 ALSO BY JULIE SUMMERS Henry Moore and the Sea The Caros:A Creative Partnership Fearless on Everest:The Quest for Sandy Irvine The Colonel of Tamarkan:Philip Tooseyand the Bridge on the River Kwai Remembered:A History of the CommonwealthWar Graves Commission # STRANGER INTHE HOUSE Women's Stories of Men Returningfrom the Second World War JULIE SUMMERS First published in Great Britain in 2008 by Simon&Schuster UK LtdThis edition published by Pocket Books,2009An imprint of Simon &Schuster UK LtdA CBS COMPANY Copyright C2008 by.Julie Summers This book is copyright under the Berne Convention.No reproduction without permission.All rights reserved. The right of Julie Summers to be identified as the author of thiswork has been asserted by her in accordance with sections 77 and 78of the Copyright,Designs and Patents Act,1988. I 3579108642 Simon &Schuster UK LtdIst Floor,222 Grays Inn Road,London WCrX8HB www.simonandschuster.co.uk Simon &Schuster AustraliaSydney A CIP catalogue for this book is availablefrom the British Library ISBN:978-I-41652-684-1 Typeset in Perpetua by M RulesPrinted by CPI Cox &Wyman,Reading,Berkshire RGr 8EX For my mother,Gillian CONTENTS ix Author's Note I War Without EndY2 An Iron Ration of Love:The Value ofCommunication213 The Homecoming and the Immediate Aftermath454 The Fog of War:The Mother's Tale7I5 In the Event of Death:The Widow's Tale896 That Distant Look:The Wife's TaleI I3)7 Love and Sex in Times of War1528 Stranger in the House:The Daughter's Tale1769 Children of Bamboo:The FEPOW Children's Tale 21I1o The Winds of War:The Post-War Children's Tale2401 The Legacy of My Father27012 In Praise of Grandparents:The Granddaughter'sTale307I3 The Last Word329 CONTENTS Notes BibliographyPicture CreditsAcknowledgementsIndex 333 340 343 344 346

FAQs

What is the central focus of Stranger in the House?

The book centers on women’s first-hand experiences of the Second World War, especially the impact of separation and the emotional reality of homecoming and adjustment after men return.

How is the book organized across perspectives?

It is structured through distinct narrative “tales” from different roles—mothers, widows, wives, daughters, and children—so each chapter highlights a different facet of wartime and post-war life.

What themes recur throughout the collection?

Key themes include courage and endurance, communication and relationships, grief and love during wartime, and the lasting legacy of war on families even after peace is declared.

Jul 30, 2026

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