Georgiana, Duchess of Devonshire (Paperback)

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Amazon.co.uk Review
Georgiana Spencer was, in a sense, an 18th-century "It Girl". She came from one of England's richest and most landed families, and married into another. She was, beautiful, sensitive and extravagant. Acquainted fairly young with Charles James Fox, her move from parties to Parties led her to become the intimate of ministers and princes, and she canvassed assiduously for the Whig cause, most famously in the Westminster election of 1784. By turns she was caricatured and fawned on by the press, and she provided the inspiration for Lady Teazle in Sheridan's School For Scandal. But, luckily for her biographer, she also had weaknesses that were to taint her life. As gin gripped the masses, so gambling enthralled the aristocracy. By 1784 Georgiana owed "many, many, many thousands", and the creditors she acquired dogged her until her death, but the sterility of her marriage meant that she never came close to disclosing the magnitude of her debts. Amanda Foreman describes astutely the mess that was personal relationships for the aristocratic subculture (Georgiana and the Duke engaged for many years in a ménage à trois with Lady Elizabeth Fraser, who inveigled her way into his bed and her heart). She is, by her own admission, a little in love with her subject, which can lead to occasional lapses of perspective, but generally it adds zest to a narrative built on, rather than burdened by, scholarship, that is at once accessible and learned. An impressive debut, in every sense. --David Vincent

Review
'Mesmerizing' Antonia Fraser, Literary Review 'Well-written, extensively researched and highly readable... Gripping' Stella Tillyard, Mail on Sunday 'An outstanding debut by a young biographer fully in control of her sources, and with an easy and elegant writing style' Roy Strong, Sunday Times

On 8 May 1777 crowds of theatregoers could have been seen pouring into Drury Lane for the first night of R B Sheridan's new play, The School for Scandal. Among them was Georgiana Spencer, the first Earl of Spencer's 19-year-old daughter, who had married the rich Duke of Devonshire some three years before. 'When she appeared,' a French diplomat wrote of her, 'every eye was turned towards her; when absent, she was the subject of universal conversation.' She was also, in her own words, 'giddy and vain' and amusing, wildly extravagant and utterly captivating. She numbered among her close friends Sheridan, Charles James Fox, the Prince Regent, her husband's mistress Lady Elizabeth Foster, and the future prime minister, Charles Grey, by whom she had a daughter. An opponent of Pitt's administration, she canvassed vigorously on behalf of the Whigs. Yet even such a Tory as Samuel Johnson was captivated by Georgiana's charms and was more than content to have the Duchess 'hanging on his sentences and contending for the nearest place to his chair'. To this delightful woman Foreman does full justice in a highly enjoyable book - as entertaining as it is scholarly. Review by Christopher Hibbert Editor's note: Christopher Hibbert is a historian and author of Nelson: A Personal History, George IV, The Virgin Queen: The Personal History of Elizabeth I, The French Revolution and Africa Explored. (Kirkus UK)

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20 Reviews 5 star:  (7) 4 star:  (7) 3 star:    (0) 2 star:  (2) 1 star:  (4)           Average Customer Review 3.5 out of 5 stars (20 customer reviews)		Share your thoughts with other customers: Create your own review
Most Helpful Customer Reviews   17 of 17 people found the following review helpful: 5.0 out of 5 stars An exhaustively researched yet highly accessible book, 9 Jan 2005 By  "alexandratownsend" - See all my reviews I found this absolutely compelling; I simply couldn't put it down. I found the politcal angle paticularly absorbing; the extra juice was just an added bonus! I also loved how Foreman points the reader to the ironies which pepper Georgina's life.It's really got me hooked on 18thc social and political history. I'm lucky enough to have a history degree, but this book is so accessible you don't need one; Foreman just guides through giving you all extra info without sounding patronising. This has to be the best researched biography I've read... if only my academic reading was as fun. Comment Comment | Permalink | Was this review helpful to you? Yes No (Report this)   23 of 24 people found the following review helpful: 5.0 out of 5 stars A book that doesn't talk down to its readers, 28 Jan 2000 By A Customer I often feel that books aimed at the general reader, ie, someone like me who did not go to university, assume that we are all thickwits who can't tell the difference between good and bad writing. The one thing I loved about Georgiana is that the book has all the quality of academic history while at the same time being very entertaining. Although at times I had to concentrate really hard on a lot of unfamiliar information, I also felt I was getting the real thing. I loved this book and I am now looking for others just like it. I never had a chance to learn about history when I was younger but it seems to me that it's possible to make up for it when authors such as Amanda Foreman write books that are for everybody. Having read this book, I know that I can at least talk about women in the eighteenth century and not sound completely ignorant. Comment Comment | Permalink | Was this review helpful to you? Yes No (Report this)   19 of 20 people found the following review helpful: 4.0 out of 5 stars a well-crafted, sympathetic and vivid portrayal, 21 Dec 2001 By A Customer Clearly well-researched, this biography of one of the eighteenth century's most enigmatic figures conveys vividly the tumultous world of eighteenth century politics alongside that of Georgiana's private life. A pioneer in women's involvement in politics, her role as a campaigner and society hostess placed her in the centre of the Whig party throughout its years of opposition; prominent men instinctively sought her advice. As well as highlighting G's pivotal political role, Foreman succeeds in capturing the moral ambiguity of the age in the private dilemmas her heroine faces: a hopeless addiction to gaming, her husband's mistress being her best friend, forcing to choose between her lover and her children etc. Although from an age difficult to empathise with, Foreman never the less makes G and her world instantly accessible. An Interesting and insightful read. Comment Comment | Permalink | Was this review helpful to you? Yes No (Report this) Share your thoughts with other customers: Create your own review › See all 20 customer reviews...		Most Recent Customer Reviews 1.0 out of 5 stars Too many quotes... I was disappointed by this book. This boigraphy is not partial enough.On the other hand the book contains many quotes and would be good if you are intersted in the politics of the... Read more Published 2 months ago by F. J. M. Vallaeys 5.0 out of 5 stars georgina duchess of devonshire by amanda foreman having seen the film the duchess which is based on this book it was very interesting to read and see how close to the book the film was Published 2 months ago by Mr. D. G. Rose 1.0 out of 5 stars No analysis As an historian and avid reader of a wide variety of non-fiction subject matter, especially biography, I found this book to be tedious and dull, consisting as it does of a surfeit... Read more Published 4 months ago by C. Logan 1.0 out of 5 stars Georgiana, Duchess of Devonshire As someone who enjoys biographies, autobiographies and historical fact and fiction, I was keen to read this book that had been chosen for our reading group. Read more Published 4 months ago by J. Wilkinson 2.0 out of 5 stars A great disappointment Although 'Georgiana' is competently written and well-researched, I am frankly amazed that it has achieved such massive success and popularity since its first publication ten years... Read more Published 11 months ago by Martin S. Williams 5.0 out of 5 stars Engaging I have given this review 5 stars because I think the book is well researched and an engaging read. It easily moves through the early life of the duchess (who originates in the... Read more Published 14 months ago by rach fitz 4.0 out of 5 stars A brilliant read, but a bit over political I found this book absorbing from the minute I picked it up. Amanda Foreman managed to mix the political elaments with the more social side of her life, to keep it interesting and... Read more Published on 3 May 2007 by C. Taylor 2.0 out of 5 stars A must if your passion is 18th century by-elections The author had an agenda: to prove that aristocratic women were not just decorative brood-mares, but could also be powerful and influential. Read more Published on 25 Jan 2000 5.0 out of 5 stars A Brilliant Read I adored this book. It was so alive and compelling. Georgiana felt like a best friend to me and I was really sad to reach the end of the book. Read more Published on 18 Jan 2000 1.0 out of 5 stars Definitely over-hyped - a real disappointment Yes I know it won a big prize and I suppose that's why I bought it ( and suggested it for the book group I'm in) but after a very few pages I found that I was progressively losing... Read more Published on 16 Jan 2000 by lizswinden@btinternet.com Search Customer Reviews Only search this product's reviews › See all 20 customer reviews...

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