Wellington: A Journey Through My Family (Hardcover)

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Review
"with enough material to furnish volumes, Wellesley has managed to concentrate the flotsam of six generations into an absolutely riveting whole, revealing how Arthur's descendants live for ever in the 'fierce light' of their ancestor's legendary fame." (VALERIE GROVE THE DAILY MAIL 14/11/08 )

"a fascinating, richly anecdotal family biography... An ideal Christmas read." (JAMES DELINGPOLE THE SPECTATOR 8 November )

"an extraordinary chain of history that she traces affectionately in a dynastic family saga which takes in not just Waterloo and Wellington boots, but also adultery, infertility and highly eccentric progeny." (CHRISTMAS BOOKS RECOMMENDATION DAILY MAIL - 28 November 08 )

"Wellesley writes reverently, lovingly and without sentimentality.... a most engaging book." (THE TIMES )

"illuminating..." (VOGUE )

"as this book proves, the Dukes of Wellington form a fascinating dynasty, proudly evocative of our two unique British characteristics - gallantry and eccentricity." (ROGER LEWIS THE DAILY EXPRESS )

"The author tells their story from a family point of view which works very successfully... a compelling and completely fascinating book". (HUGO VICKERS COUNTRY LIFE - 29 October 08 )

"a cast of illustrious characters.... one for those who like learning how the other half lived." (FAMILY HISTORY MONTHLY December 08 )

Product Description
Jane Wellesley is a member of one of Britain's most illustrious families. Her father, the 8th Duke of Wellington, was born in 1915, a hundred years after the first Duke's momentous victory over Napoleon at Waterloo, but only a little over sixty years after the death of his celebrated ancestor. When the 'Iron Duke' died Queen Victoria wept with the nation, mourning the loss of 'the greatest man England has known'. A million and a half people swarmed London's streets to watch his cortege pass on its way to St Paul's. Few facts can now be added about the public man, but Jane's family memoir animates the First Duke as husband and father, as brother and several degrees of grandfather. Her journey through this richly compelling family history begins and ends with the first Duke, visiting the battlefield of Waterloo with her father to set her fascinating tale in motion. Through her parents she reaches back to earlier generations, weaving together characters and places, establishing connections, and exploring in greater depth than usual the Wellington women, who are often reduced to footnotes in conventional histories. She unearths memories, visits places from her parents' past, and discovers much about the lives of her grandparents and the generations before them. Most of us view the First Duke of Wellington as an iconic figure, whose name has been claimed by pubs, squares, streets, and, of course, rubber boots. In this highly personal account, the public man gives way to the private, and Wellington's legacy is seen through the eyes of those who have followed in his footsteps. Jane Wellesley triumphantly succeeds in wresting the Duke from his lonely column to reclaim him for his family, and so for the reader.

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2 Reviews 5 star:    (0) 4 star:  (1) 3 star:    (0) 2 star:  (1) 1 star:    (0)           Average Customer Review 3.0 out of 5 stars (2 customer reviews)		Share your thoughts with other customers: Create your own review
Most Helpful Customer Reviews   5 of 5 people found the following review helpful: 4.0 out of 5 stars No dull history here!, 14 Feb 2009 By  John Hoerner (Hawling, Gloucestershire, UK) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)    I started this book thinking I would never finish it - what a surprise it turned out to be. Riviting stories about a remarkable family but not in any way a whitewash job - in fact brutually honest and forthcoming. Be prepared to switch back and forth between the family tree, the photographs and the text - you will end up feeling you knew them all. Comment Comment | Permalink | Was this review helpful to you? Yes No (Report this)   2.0 out of 5 stars Too close for comfort, 16 Jun 2009 By  D. White - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)    I think it is interesting that the author writes from a family perspective but at the same time find that she seems slightly overpowered by the enormous shadow cast by the Iron Duke. Great pride in his achievements is tempered with some timidity in her approach, quite understandable, but this does not lead to a completely balanced account. Perhaps it is right that it shouldn't.I miss any reference in the bibliography to Philip Guedalla's benchmark biography, to which Elizabeth Longford also paid tribute in her two volume account of Wellington's life, and which must surely be the starting point for anyone interested in the Duke. To write about this great man, one needs to be able to stand very tall in order to get the full view, I suspect. 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 2 customer reviews...		Ad feedback   Search Customer Reviews Only search this product's reviews

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