In February of 1969, I went to work in the Commercial Lines Department of a major Property Casualty Insurance Company in Chicago, as a file clerk. On my first day, my supervisor took me around to introduce me to my co-workers and the head of the department, who occupied a corner office in the Insurance Exchange. To this day I can remember his response to my meek inquiry about advancement: "There will never be a woman underwriter as long as I am in charge."
Three years later I sat in a hotel bar with a few friends, as upstairs in the banquet room, a dinner was being held to honor his retirement. I joined the Underwriting Department the following year. But only as a Property Underwriter. Because Casualty Underwriting required the ability to deal with abstract concepts, something women clearly could not do. Even worse, once a month we would become emotionally unstable. And anyway we were just looking for husbands to marry so we could quit working and raise children. And that is the way it was.
So yes, I think PD James did a good job of conveying the atmosphere of forty to fifty years ago.
Welcome to the Mystery Book Club, where we meet to talk about a mystery novel that we have all been reading together. Last week, in my absence (sorry about that), the first three chapters were to have been discussed. Tonight we can freely discuss the ending, with all of the spoilers that entails. So feel free to comment and reveal all in answering some of the questions listed below the fold.
"A detective story can give a much truer picture of the society in which it's written than a more prestigious literature," James suggests. "If we want to know what it was like – actually like – to work in an office between the wars, we should go to Murder Must Advertise. It's all there: the people and personalities; the inter-departmental rivalry; the great excitement of having a flutter on the Grand National; right down to how much things cost and attitudes to sex and class. I wanted my books to do the same; to be unambiguously set in the present day, so that they give a picture of the life we're living. And if I'm lucky enough to be read in 50 years' time, I hope people will be able to point to them and say: that's what it was like."
A life in writing: PD James
by Sarah Crown, The Guardian
In addition to the questions below, do you think that over 40 years later, we can point to
An Unsuitable Job for a Woman and say: "that's what it was like?"
From the first diary on this book:
Book Discussion Questions for An Unsuitable Job for a Woman by P.D. James
- What is a suitable job for a woman? Why is this not one in the 1970s? Is it one today? What is this novel saying about the place of women in society? How has the role of women in detective fiction changed since 1972?
- How is An Unsuitable Job old fashioned? How is it modern? How is it different from a book written by today’s mystery writers? What other books is this one similar to?
- This is one of James’ earlier novels. How did you like the writing style and organization of the book? Have you read others? How has her style changed?
- Did you figure out whodunit?
- James’ is described as a writer of cozies. Is this true? How does she transcend the subgenre’s confines?
- How is this story tied to its time and place? How would it be different set in another time or place?
- Were there too many or too few details? What did you still want to know after you closed the book?
- Who were your favorite characters? How did you not like? Do you relate to any of them? Did Cordelia Gray remind you of anyone?
- Family obligations is a big theme in this book. What do you think James is saying about the state of the British family?
- What is this novel saying about the education system in England?
- Was this novel believable? Why?
- Did you find this book uplifting or depressing?
- Was there any humor in this book?
- What are the book’s strengths? What about its weaknesses? What was your favorite part? What could you have done without?
- How did you feel about the novel’s ending? What will happen to Cordelia? Will she make it on her own?
Questions by Becky Spratford for the Berwyn (IL) Public Library 2/22/11
Used with permission