Knitting Fashions of the 1940s by Jane Waller.  Part history, part retro-fashion show, this book is a lovely coffee table addition to any knitter's library.  Waller arranges the patterns by type - Troops, Home Front, Glamour, etc, and offers a short explanation of each section before presenting the patterns.  Each pattern has a photo of the original garment, and one made by modern knitters with available yarns.  The only drawback is that sizing may be an issue for smaller knitters.  Most of the patterns are presented with only one size, the average being a 38-42" bust.  Since these are almost all knit at a very small gauge (on US 2s or 3s), sizing up is going to be much easier than sizing down.  I usually take a 32" bust pattern, and there's next to nothing that I could make for myself that would fit comfortably, unless I went down to the sort of needle sizes that cause eyestrain.  Larger busted gals should find plenty of shapely knits, though.

Read October 2007