Allenandcatz asked Jacqueline Winspear:

I am interested in the role that meditation play has played throughout Maisie's life and Billy's practice of Pilates to rehabilitate from his war injuries. Although these are well known practices today I would imagine that they ere uncommon in the England of Maisie and Billy's era. How did you decide to include these? Are they interests of your own?

Jacqueline Winspear Regarding meditation - remember that Britain had a significant empire by the late 1800's, and the jewel in the crown was the Indian subcontinent. Among certain sectors of society (what we might today call the "chattering classes" there as much interest in eastern philosophy, yoga and meditation. I have books on the subject going back to the early years of the 20th century. Joseph Pilates was a German immigrant to Britain who was interned in a prisoner of war camp in WW1. He began developing his methods of exercise to keep other prisoners fit and healthy while in the camp, and it was noticed by the authorities that during the first flu epidemic of 1917, no one in the camp became ill. They realized that his exercises would be beneficial to soldiers recovering from war wounds, so he was brought out to work with those coming home from war, to help them regain use of limbs and return to health. They are aspects of history, and as such fit the stories very well. I have a hard time meditating - my mind wanders too much. And while I do Pilates to help me with a horseback riding injury - it bores me to tears!

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