Skillfully combining oral history and biography, Alistair Thomson tells the life stories of Phyllis, Gwen, Joan and Dorothy, illuminating the forgotten history of women's lives before the advent of feminism. As housewives, working mothers and adventurous travellers, these women recorded, described, compared and explained their everyday lives in Australia in the letters and photos they sent to their families in Britain. In writing about childcare and housework, friendship, family and married life, these women reveal much about Britain and Australia at the time, but as much about themselves.