Human Voices, a novel by Penelope Fitzgerald (1916 – 2000), takes place in London, England during the early stages of World War II. A very interesting Introduction, written by Mark Damazer, beautifully sets the scene of the British Broadcasting Company (BBC) as it was during the early 1940s.

Anne Asra, the daughter of a widowed piano tuner, lands a job at the prestigious BBC working for Sam Brooks, the head of Recorded Programs. Anne is dedicated and honest, sometimes brutally so. For instance, at one point her boss asks her what she thinks of him. Her answer: “There’s two ways to be selfish: You can think too much about yourself, or you can think too little about others. You’re selfish both ways.” Yet she falls in love with him, a seemingly hopeless love.

I found this book fascinating. The BBC played a vital role during the wars years in its effort to keep people informed, but also entertained in the midst of chaos. There were nightly blackouts and the thunder of exploding enemy bombs going on all around them, yet they carried on. Most of the book takes place inside BBC’s walls. Sometimes when it was deemed unsafe to return home after work, it was necessary for employees to spend the night. The BBC’s concert hall was converted for this purpose which set the stage for interesting after-hours activity. What went on inside the BBC walls was sometimes hilarious, though typical of the British, understated.

The author of Human Voices, Penelope Fitzgerald worked at the BBC during the wars years, making the story authentic, believable, and above all, funny.

I have great respect for the BBC. When we served with the Peace Corps in The Gambia, Africa, we relied on them for our world news. We were fortunate enough to buy a combination AM/FM/Shortwave radio from an outgoing volunteer. It was particularly interesting to hear American news from a British viewpoint. In fact, it was on the BBC that we first heard about the Mount St. Helens volcanic eruption taking place in our own home state of Washington.

I very much enjoyed Human Voices. It’s a fun read but also emphasizes the dedication to truth and information the BBC has always stood for.