A remarkable and personal account of life as a nursing Sister during WWII. Through her regular letters home over a five-year period, Vera Jones evokes the joys of new horizons, experiences and friends, whilst at the same time conveying the constant and deep-rooted anxiety of being separated from family and distanced from the war raging in Europe. Despite this however, the writer`s nursing is of paramount importance. There were sometimes difficult conditions; the need to adapt with available equipment and working in tents and huts converted into wards. The tropical diseases are especially described. Throughout the book there is shown a strong sense of the spirit of those days by patients and staff in so many ways. Hope in the future and support for one another was sustained at all times. Charting her progress from her home in Essex via the orange groves in Palestine to the hot and dusty plains of India, the letters reflect a deep sense of wonder and delight at all she is experiencing, written in a wonderfully descriptive and often witty style. The contrast with the realities of corresponding during such a dark period in world history is ever-present, highlighted by lengthy delays between deliveries of mail and the consequent worries for the well being of loved ones. This is a gentle book, an enchanting snapshot of family dialogue set against a bleak backdrop, which will capture the imagination and offer a new perspective on life during the war.