The House of Mitford
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List Price: $16.95 $11.53 $ 5.42 ( 32% ) Orion Publishing Jonathan Guinness ,Catherine Guinness
Binding: PaperbackDewey Decimal Number: 920EAN: 9780753818039ISBN: 0753818035Label: Orion PublishingManufacturer: Orion PublishingNumber Of Items: 1Number Of Pages: 624Publication Date: 2004-11-01Publisher: Orion PublishingStudio: Orion Publishing
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Editorial Reviews: The Mitfords were one of the 20th century’s most intriguing and controversial families—glamorous, romantic, and especially in politics, extreme. Among the six daughters and one son born to Lord and Lady Redesdale were Nancy, the novelist and historian; Diana, the wife of fascist leader Sir Oswald Mosley; Unity, friend of Hitler; Jessica, a communist-turned-investigative journalist; and Deborah, Duchess of Devonshire. Yet, as this intimate portrait shows, the violent disagreements and flamboyant contrasts that characterized the family obscured a powerful affection and a strong underlying unity. Journalist Jonathan Guinness is the elder son of Diana Mosley. Catherine Guinness, a former writer for Interview magazine, is his daughter.
Spotlight customer reviews: Customer Rating: Summary: TO THE MANOR BORNComment: Really a fascinating study on one of the British Upper Class's most contriversial families. It really is the limit though, how the author tries to excuse the support of some of the sister's for the Third Reich, granted this was the feeling of most of the Upper Class at the time, they loved the idea that some people, namely themselves, were naturally superior to the rable. You see this in such films as Gosford Park and Remains of the Day. Having said that, this book is very good, it really lets you in to the lives of the British Aristocracy of this era. These woman are to the manor born and never let anyone forget it. They chose different paths, but I really don't think deep down they are all that different, as an American this is all so foreign, but fascinating non the less, though it makes me appreciate the Revolution.Customer Rating: Summary: Flawed, but still essential reading for Mitfordians.Comment: Mr. and Ms. Guinness' massive biographical study of their family is tremendously interesting to any devoted reader of the Mitfords. However, their attempts to rehabilitate the legacy of unrepentant fascists Diana (Guinesses' mother--so it's an understandable lapse) and Unity are nearly comical in their reach. They go to great lengths to discredit those who've criticized Unity and Diana's reprehensible involvement in and enthusiasm for Hitler and his British minions, including of course Diana's husband, Mosley; rather than adequately contextualize Diana and Unit's fervor, these attempts serve only to make themselves appear as familial apologists.As scholars, the father-and-daughter biographers are lacking in appropriate perspective and historical context; however, the "insider" information they impart makes the book a veritable treasure chest of Mitfordiana.
