Almost as many books seem to have been written about the Mitfords
as about the Bloomsbury circle; and here is another, this time
about all six daughters of the eccentric Lord Redesdale. Lovell has
had the co-operation of the two surviving sisters, Debo (Duchess of
Devonshire) and Diana (widow of the British fascist Oswald Mosley)
- perhaps rather surprisingly given, since previous books about the
family have all too often led to disapproval and disassociation.
This is a very thorough piece of work, and although - because each
of the sisters deserves a biography of her own (and several have
had one) - it necessarily cuts a few corners, it offers a very
vivid picture of a really astonishing family. The two polar figures
of the family were Diana and Jessica (Decca) - the former and her
husband became hate-figures during World War II because of their
fascist sympathies, while Decca went off to fight against the
fascists in the Spanish Civil War, and was later thoroughly
persecuted in the USA for her communist beliefs. Of the other four,
Nancy became an exceptionally entertaining writer, Pamela was the
beauty of the family, Debo married the Duke of Devonshire, while
Unity (whose other forename was, prophetically, Valkyrie) became
fixated on Hitler (one of whose favourite women she was), shot
herself in the head when war was declared, and was lovingly
protected by the family until her death in 1948. Not all of the
sisters were perhaps sufficiently notable to merit a biography; but
the effect of them as a family remains astonishing and memorable.
Incidentally, the author does much to correct the picture of the
family given in Nancy's splendidly funny books - 'Farve', in
particular, is clearly a caricature of Lord Redesdale, and it is
good to have the scales properly balanced. (Kirkus UK)
THE MITFORD GIRLS tells the true story behind the gaiety and frivolity of the six Mitford daughters – and the facts are as sensational as any novel: Nancy, whose bright social existence masked an obsessional doomed love which soured her success; Pam, a countrywoman married to one of the best brains in Europe; Diana, an iconic beauty, who was already married when at 22 she fell in love with Oswald Moseley, the leader of the British fascists; Unity, who romantically in love with Hitler, became a member of his inner circle before shooting herself in the temple when WWII was declared; Jessica, the family rebel, who declared herself a communist in the schoolroom and the youngest sister, Debo, who became the Duchess of Devonshire.This is an extraordinary story of an extraordinary family, containing much new material, based on exclusive access to Mitford archives.
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