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England's Mistress: The Infamous Life of Emma Hamilton [Paperback]

Kate Williams (Author)
4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (24 customer reviews)
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Book Description

Publication Date: 7 Jun 2007

A dramatic, sparkling tale of sex, glamour, intrigue, romance and heartbreak, England's Mistress traces the rise and rise of the gorgeous Emma Hamilton.

Born into poverty, she clawed her way up through London's underworlds of sex for sale to become England's first media superstar. Nothing could stand in the way of her dreams- except her self-destructive desires.

Drawing on hundreds of previously undiscovered letters, and told with a novelist's flair, England's Mistress captures the relentless drive, innovative style and burning passion of a true heroine. In a world of tabloid fame and three-minute wonders, Emma's life is truly a tale for our time.

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England's Mistress: The Infamous Life of Emma Hamilton + Becoming Queen
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Product details

  • Paperback: 432 pages
  • Publisher: Arrow (7 Jun 2007)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 0099451832
  • ISBN-13: 978-0099451839
  • Product Dimensions: 12.8 x 2.5 x 19.7 cm
  • Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (24 customer reviews)
  • Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 130,193 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Kate Williams
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Product Description

Review

This rich and bouncy biography of a driven woman - mad for fashion, mad on passion - makes Posh look like a novice (Good Housekeeping )

Sparkling like Emma's pawned diamonds ... Finally makes us understand why Nelson needed to be prised out of Emma's embrace to fight Napoleon... (Daily Mail )

It is the thoroughness of the research and attention to detail that make Kate Williams' new biography of Emma Hamilton so interesting. The iconic Emma has been continuously reimagined since her lover Nelson's death, but Williams offers a new portrait (The Independent )

Kate Williams has done a wonderful job recreating the life of the woman she wants us to relate to...This is an immensely colourful, readable portrait that revels in Emma's resilience and her ability to surmount what look to us now to be unimaginable odds (Independent on Sunday )

Gallops along like a gripping novel, with an utterly believable and sympathetic character at its heart (Chesire Life )

Book Description

As a self-made celebrity, Emma Hamilton's rise from prostitute to consort of the most famous man in England has a very contemporary zing
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Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Index | Back Cover
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Customer Reviews

4.5 out of 5 stars
24 reviews
4.5 out of 5 stars
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
23 of 26 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars A great story! 29 Jun 2007
By SJ SMART
Format:Paperback
I loved this book, and I didnt really expect too because it looked too dry; a biograpy of Emma Hamilton! But I picked it up and just could not put it down. Its hard to believe this is the first book by the author, it feels like the well polished work of an aged academic. However it is evident that Kate Williams has done her research and reading.

This book is so well written that it reads like a novel but unlike one you are just absorbing so much history and gaining a real insight, not just in to Emma's life but in the 18th century. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys good history books in general and/or is interested in the Napoleonic period. The Nelson society give it a very good review as do I. Needs 10 stars really!
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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars social climbing 15 Nov 2011
By M. Baerends
Format:Paperback
Forget about newspaperboy to millionaire, that's just a boring American idea. Emma Hart, later to become Emma, Lady Hamilton made it all the way from hopeless child prostitute in late 18th century London to prestigious ambassador's wife in Naples, then switching to become mistress of the most admired admiral of the time and valued member of the jetset around the Prince of Wales.

This book really seems to have it all. I think it is good history, and an incredible story well told.

The story follows Emma making her way to London from her poor miners' village, still a child almost and predictably ending up in prostitution, then gradually upgrading to 'higher-up' clients and becoming a mistress to one of them. When discarded as mistress to this gentleman she is lucky to be passed on to Hamilton, the elderly British ambassador in Naples, earns her respectability there by marrying him and generally shining in society (even making friends with Queen Maria Carolina) and of course, eventually meets and cordially greets the heroic Nelson.
The tragic part really starts after his death, when Emma's rise is gradually reversed as she drowns in debt.

Again, Williams' writing is great, she really brings Emma as well as others (Nelson, Hamilton, various characters in the jetset of the day) alive. A compelling read!
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17 of 20 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars move over Nelson 29 Aug 2007
By Mrs. C. Hall
Format:Paperback
I bought this book for my husband who is a Nelson fan; I did not intend to read it at all, but once picked up I could not put it down. Emma is the most exciting real life heroine,she pulls herself up from the gutter yet remains true to herself.
I have not yet read the final chapters as I know she does not finish well, I am enjoying her glory while it lasts.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars Superb
I found this book wonderfully written; a real page turner about a fascinating woman. My information about the 18th century is rather basic- one more reason to enjoy this book,... Read more
Published 9 days ago by BFP
5.0 out of 5 stars What a story
Well written tale of a delightful if eccentric person. She came from nothing and ended with very little. In between she led a life that was to say the least entertaining
Published 2 months ago by Basil larkins
5.0 out of 5 stars I think this is a very good book about a very fascinating lady in...
Just started reading it, and hoping that one day a good movie will be made again ,because she deserves a good movie !
Published 2 months ago by Casper M TROUWBORST
5.0 out of 5 stars Astonishing depth of research!
I am now half way through this book and find it hard to put down. I marvel at the amount and depth of research that Kate Williams has accomplished in the writing of this biography... Read more
Published 2 months ago by esmeralda
4.0 out of 5 stars A Part of My History
This biography felt very personal to me. Brought up in Merton, our childhood war-wounds were tended at the Nelson hospital's A & E department (no longer there) and my local pub was... Read more
Published 4 months ago by Ms. J. E. Davis
1.0 out of 5 stars Judge a book by its cover.
According to the author, Emma Hamilton is the victim of Nelson's success. In all probability this writing is a step above the likes of Jackie Collins. Read more
Published 5 months ago by Nobby
4.0 out of 5 stars Would she be called a WAG today!
Being born in Portsmouth I grew up with Nelson's victories and stories of Emma, notably that she danced on the table at Uppark. Read more
Published 11 months ago by Riverside Reader
5.0 out of 5 stars An excellent read
I had this book for my birthday as I have become interested in the life of Nelson.
I had heard about Emma Hamilton of course but did not realise her life was so... Read more
Published 15 months ago by S. Elmokadem
5.0 out of 5 stars Better reading than a good novel
I really enjoyed this book - this is in part due to Emma Hamilton's fascinating life and partly due to the author's success in bringing it to life. I couldn't put it down. Read more
Published 22 months ago by Law student
1.0 out of 5 stars Judging by 21st century norms
Whoa. I admit to finding it a page turner but every 10 pages I was arrested by a large unsubstantiated assumption, by a gross ignorance especially in relation to hunting, or by... Read more
Published on 18 May 2011 by AFA
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