Anna Funder’s book ‘All That I Am’ was my book club’s choice for the month of March 2026, and I found it to be a demanding but deeply rewarding read.

I always enjoy an ‘easy-read’ but this historical novel offers a harrowing and intimate look at the German resistance through the eyes of Ernst, Dora, Ruth, and Hans.

While it required me to have significant focus and mental stamina, the emotional journey—from the heights of hope to the depths of exhaustion—is profoundly worthwhile.

It serves as a vital, timely warning of how easily history can repeat itself, making it essential reading for anyone looking to understand the human cost of the past. It’s a rich novel that, once you get through some of the first chapters, will stay with you long after you finish.

The book club I belong to (Third Thursday Book Club – Camden Library) is composed of all females and I am the only male so at first I thought this was going to be quite an experience for I thought the books would be mostly be ‘girly books’ but I was pleasantly surprised when I read what I thought to be ‘girly books’ as for example the month of September selection: ‘Wifedom’ by Anna Funder.

When I purchased the book, I knew it was about the wife of George Orwell who I read (and I am dating myself here) to in 1964-1968 in high school). I loved ‘animal farm’ and ‘1984’, so I wanted the nitty-gritty on George.

I will admit that I had a lot of trouble really getting into Wifedom. Many parts were fascinating, and I finished the book feeling that I knew more about the author as a man and his most interesting and depressed spouse.

about this famous writer and the role of his wife in his literary success.

Orwell’s wife was highly educated, and the newly found letters show how articulate she was. In Anna Funder’s book, she states biographers of Orwell downplay the wife’s influence in Orwell’s books or simply do not mention her much. Having not read any of the books mentioned, I will state that I cannot confirm this statement.

However, Ms Funder brought Orwell’s wife (Eileen) to this reader and to highlight all the other women whose contribution has disappeared from history.

In the end, the book’s story did not resonate with me as many other books have and grew tired of some of the repetitive themes.

As an avid reader of fiction, I can now remember why I never went into biographies or autobiographies, and I should continue exploring the giant world of fiction. However, I give this book three stars for the effort.