This volume investigates how the written accounts of Allied nurses during the First World War necessitate a revision of traditional historical narratives regarding the conflict. Editors Alison S. Fell and Christine E. Hallett, both established scholars in the fields of history and nursing studies, curate a collection of essays that analyze primary source texts—including diaries, memoirs, and letters—to uncover the gendered experiences and professional contributions of women in wartime. By examining these documents, the contributors argue that the nurse's perspective provides a critical lens through which to view the physical, emotional, and social legacies of the Great War.

Scholars and historians recognize this collection as a significant contribution to the historiography of the First World War, particularly for its focus on gendered perspectives. Readers frequently note the academic rigor of the essays, which provide a nuanced understanding of the intersection between medical history and personal narrative.