- Hardcover: 604 pages
- Publisher: Viking Pr (July 1985)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 0670482153
- ISBN-13: 978-0670482153
- Product Dimensions: 23.6 x 15.7 x 5.3 cm
- Average Customer Review: 2.4 out of 5 stars See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 954,006 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
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Product Description
Review
'Bigger, better and back on the shelves. Lord Moyne's lively account of the swishest society sextet has been updated. It's an oldie but it's a goodie'. (Camilla Long Tatler )
'This entertaining book continues to promote the Mitfords' historical interest' (The Times ) --This text refers to the Paperback edition.
'This entertaining book continues to promote the Mitfords' historical interest' (The Times ) --This text refers to the Paperback edition.
Book Description
The classic story of one of the twentieth century's most extraordinary families - an extensively updated new edition.
--This text refers to the
Paperback
edition.
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First Sentence
The story of the seven Mitfords begins in the 1890s with the acquaintanceship, and rather short-lived political collaboration, of two remarkable men: Algernon Bertram Mitford and Thomas Gibson Bowles. Read the first page
Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Index | Back Cover
The story of the seven Mitfords begins in the 1890s with the acquaintanceship, and rather short-lived political collaboration, of two remarkable men: Algernon Bertram Mitford and Thomas Gibson Bowles. Read the first page
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Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Index | Back Cover
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
26 of 29 people found the following review helpful
Format:Mass Market Paperback
Jonathan Guinness is Diana Mosley (neé Mitford)'s son, so he had access to all the inside information on the much written about Mitford girls. I found much more info in this book than in the Nancy Mitford biographies by Harold Acton or Selina Hastings, although I must say I enjoyed the latter very much. The girls' grandparents turn out to be very interesting people (especially the grandfathers). You get a deeper insight of a number of the members of the family (Farve and Muv, for example). The history of Unity M. in Germany seemed a bit long, and I got the impression Mr. Guinness tries too hard to explain Mr. and Mrs. Mosley's fascism. In all, I found this book very entertaining, and I recommend it to all Mitford fans.
3 of 4 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
The first part of the book spends a lot of time on the Mitford girls' grandfathers; rather too much time I felt. I was itching to get onto the Mitford family itself, but then when I did I realised the grandfathers' lives were actually far more interesting (although the portrayal was overly-positive, both men, Bertie in particular, were more or less portrayed to have no faults whatsoever).
Onto the main part of the book: some of the details of the Mitfords' childhood were interesting, and as a whole it's an interesting portratit of English landed gentry life in the early 20thC.
However, as I read on the book irritated me more and more.
The style is heavy-handed and disorganised. The relationships between the children and indeed between children and parents were badly drawn - that is, very little light was shed. But most annoying of all is the bias in this book. It is so obvious that Jonathan Guinness is trying to vindicate his mother, Diana Mitford (the Fascist). Despite his best attempts, Diana still comes across in a bad light (or at least did to me). You would have thought that, with all the writings the Mitfords left behind - reams of memoirs, letters and novels - as well as the personal insights one would assume the author has - this would be the definitive book on the Mitfords. Far from it.
My advice - give it a miss. There's far better material out there on this subject.
Onto the main part of the book: some of the details of the Mitfords' childhood were interesting, and as a whole it's an interesting portratit of English landed gentry life in the early 20thC.
However, as I read on the book irritated me more and more.
The style is heavy-handed and disorganised. The relationships between the children and indeed between children and parents were badly drawn - that is, very little light was shed. But most annoying of all is the bias in this book. It is so obvious that Jonathan Guinness is trying to vindicate his mother, Diana Mitford (the Fascist). Despite his best attempts, Diana still comes across in a bad light (or at least did to me). You would have thought that, with all the writings the Mitfords left behind - reams of memoirs, letters and novels - as well as the personal insights one would assume the author has - this would be the definitive book on the Mitfords. Far from it.
My advice - give it a miss. There's far better material out there on this subject.
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
I think this is a book that is best approached after you are more familiar with the individual stories of the Mitford sisters because it really puts their unique lives and behaviours into a proper and understandable context. How did David and Sydney manage to raise that incredibly diverse and entertaining brood? What was it about the Mitford inheritance that almost made their life choices inevitable?
All the answers are here in a densely packed format - not the sort of book you can dip in and out of but then its so well written you want to stay in it to the very last page.
All the answers are here in a densely packed format - not the sort of book you can dip in and out of but then its so well written you want to stay in it to the very last page.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
An apologia
The book is an interesting attempt to widen out interest in the family from just the famous sisters. Read more
Published on 30 Dec 2007 by Mr. C. E. Moreton
The House of Mitford
I was rather disappointed in this promisingly hefty looking tome, as I had anticipated facts, substantiated by research, and objective information about the eccentric Mitfords - in... Read more
Published on 15 Jan 2007 by Reader
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