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From the outset, Caroline Lamb had a rebellious nature. From
childhood she grew increasingly troublesome, experimenting with
sedatives like laudanum, and she had a special governess to control
her. She also had a merciless wit and talent for mimicry. She spoke
French and German fluently, knew Greek and Latin, and sketched
impressive portraits. As the niece of Georgiana, Duchess of
Devonshire, she was already well connected, and her courtly skills
resulted in her marriage to the Hon. William Lamb (later Lord
Melbourne) at the age on nineteen. For a few years they enjoyed a
happy marriage, despite Lamb's siblings and mother-in-law detesting
her and referring to her as 'the little beast'. In 1812 Caroline
embarked on a well-publicised affair with the poet Lord Byron - he
was 24, she 26. Her phrase 'mad, bad and dangerous to know' became
his lasting epitaph. When he broke things off, Caroline made
increasingly public attempts to reunite. Her obsession came to
define much of her later life, as well as influencing her own
writing - most notably the Gothic novel Glenarvon - and Byron's.
Antonia Fraser's vividly compelling biography animates the life of
'a free spirit' who was far more than mad, bad and dangerous to
know.
'Utterly gripping and consistently witty' Damian Thompson, Literary
Review 'An absolutely splendid book' A. N. Wilson, The Spectator
The story of Catholic Emancipation begins with the violent
Anti-Catholic Gordon Riots in 1780, fuelled by the reduction in
Penal Laws against the Roman Catholics harking back to the
sixteenth century. Some fifty years later, the passing of the
Emancipation Bill was hailed as a 'bloodless revolution'. Had the
Irish Catholics been a 'millstone', as described by an English
aristocrat, or were they the prime movers? While the English
Catholic aristocracy and the Irish peasants and merchants
approached the Catholic Question in very different ways, they
manifestly shared the same objective. Antonia Fraser brings colour
and humour to the vivid drama with its huge cast of characters:
George III, who opposed Emancipation on the basis of the Coronation
Oath; his son, the indulgent Prince of Wales, who was enamoured
with the Catholic Maria Fitzherbert before the voluptuous Lady
Conyngham; Wellington and the 'born Tory' Peel vying for
leadership; 'roaring' Lord Winchilsea; the heroic Daniel O'Connell.
Expertly written and deftly argued, The King and Catholics is also
a distant mirror of our times, reflecting the political issues
arising from religious intolerance.
No Englishman has made more impact on the history of his nation
than Oliver Cromwell; few have been so persistently maligned in the
folklore of history. The central purpose of Antonia Fraser's book
is the recreation of his life and character, freed from the
distortions of myth and Royalist propaganda. Cromwell was a man of
contradictions and surprising charm. The ruthless Psalm-singing
General of the battlefields was also a country gentleman who, after
his victory at Worcester paused to hawk in the fields nearby; the
stern Puritan was also an exceptionally doting father; the most
decisive and ruthless of commanders was also the passionate
connoisseur of music; the strong man of England was prey to
exhausting prolonged bouts of irresolution and as Lord Protector
kept England on tenterhooks for a week while he wrestled with his
conscience whether to accept the Crown. Of Cromwell's fitness for
high office, both military and civil, this text leaves no doubt.
Under his rule English prestige abroad rose to a level unequalled
since Elizabeth I. Yet - as Antonia Fraser's assessment shows - his
campaign in Ireland has cast a shadow over his reputation. This
biography displays insight into t
'We don't want to hurt her. We must remember that. All of us. She
is after all innocent ... Well, isn't she?' As preparations for the
royal wedding advance, a secret organisation is formulating plans
that will have dangerous consequences. They need a gesture that
will call attention to the rights and wrongs of those who have no
voice of their own. And what better way than to target the royal
bride? Meanwhile, Jemima Shore is grappling with the royal wedding
in her own way - as a commentator. So she happens to be on hand
when things go badly wrong...
The inspiration for the annual Pleasure of Reading Prize A charming
and revealing collection of essays from some of our best-loved
writers about the pleasures of reading, with royalties donated to
the Give a Book charity In this delightful collection forty-three
acclaimed writers explain what first made them interested in
literature, what inspired them to read and what makes them continue
to do so. Original contributors include Margaret Atwood, J. G.
Ballard, Melvyn Bragg, A. S. Byatt, Carol Ann Duffy, Simon Gray,
Germaine Greer, Alan Hollinghurst, Doris Lessing, Candia McWilliam,
Edna O'Brien, Ruth Rendell, Tom Stoppard, Sue Townsend and Jeanette
Winterson, while this new edition includes essays from five new
writers, Emily Berry, Kamila Shamsie, Rory Stewart, Katie
Waldegrave and Tom Wells. Royalties generated from this project
will go to Give a Book, www.giveabook.org.uk, a charity set up in
2011 that seeks to get books to places where they will be of
particular benefit. Give a Book works in conjunction with Age UK,
Prison Reading Groups, Maggie's Centres, which help people affected
by cancer, and various schools and literacy projects, such as
Beanstalk, where many pupils have never had a book of their own in
their lives.
Christian Dior (1905-1957) rocketed to fame with his first
collection in 1947 when the "New Look" took the world by storm.
This charming and modest autobiography gives a fascinating and
detailed insight into the workings of a great fashion house, while
revealing the private man behind the high-profile establishment. It
is also a unique portrait of classic Paris haute couture of the
1950s and offers a rare glimpse behind the scenes. Dior details his
childhood in Granville, the family and friends closest to him, his
most difficult years and sudden success, as well as his sources of
inspiration and creative processes.
Following a youth of poverty and bitter exile after his father's
execution, the ousted king first challenged, then made his
magnificent escape from, Cromwell's troops before he was eventually
restored to his throne in triumph in 1660. Spanning his life both
before and after the Restoration, Antonia Fraser's lively and
fascinating biography captures all the vitality of the man and the
expansiveness of the age.
In May 1978 Harold Pinter and Antonia Fraser visited Israel at the
time of the 30th Anniversary of Independence. It was three years
after they first lived together; neither had set foot in Israel
before. Based in Jerusalem, they toured many of the country's
historic sites: from Bethlehem to the fortress of Masada,
encountering future Prime Minister Shimon Peres, Mayor of Jerusalem
Teddy Kollek, Jackie Kennedy and a long-lost cousin of Harold's on
a kibbutz. It was a trip during which Pinter's feelings about his
heritage emerged for the first time. As he said himself: 'For the
first time I feel Jewish'. This diary was kept daily by Antonia
Fraser: the vivid narrative and descriptions (Antonia swimming in
the Dead Sea while Harold had a beer) are leavened with humour,
occasionally wry where Harold's quirks were concerned, and always
tender. Above all, it is a unique picture of a time and place - and
a touching insight into fifteen days in the lives of two writers,
one Jewish, one Catholic, one a playwright and one a biographer,
who were also a devoted couple.
'Before biography was fashionable, Antonia Fraser made the past
popular' Guardian 'As a pure storyteller, Antonia Fraser has few
equals' Sunday Times CAROLINE NORTON, a nineteenth-century heroine
who wanted justice for women. Poet, pamphleteer and artist's muse,
Caroline Norton dazzled 19-century society with her vivacity and
intelligence. In 1836 Caroline underwent a dramatic trial when her
jealous husband sued the Prime Minister, Lord Melbourne, for
adultery. Provisions which are now taken for granted - such as the
right of a mother to have access to her children - owe much to
Caroline, who was determined to secure justice for women at all
levels of society. Award-winning historian Antonia Fraser
brilliantly portrays a woman who refused to be curbed by the
personal and political constraints of her time.
'Before biography was fashionable, Antonia Fraser made the past
popular' Guardian 'As a pure storyteller, Antonia Fraser has few
equals' Sunday Times CAROLINE NORTON, a nineteenth-century heroine
who wanted justice for women. Poet, pamphleteer and artist's muse,
Caroline Norton dazzled nineteenth-century society with her
vivacity and intelligence. After her marriage in 1828 to the MP
George Norton, she continued to attract friends and admirers to her
salon in Westminster, which included the young Disraeli. Most
prominent among her admirers was the widowed Prime Minister, Lord
Melbourne. Racked with jealousy, George Norton took the Prime
Minister to court, suing him for damages on account of his
'Criminal Conversation' (adultery) with Caroline. A dramatic trial
followed. Despite the unexpected and sensational result - acquittal
- Norton legally denied Caroline access to her three children under
seven. He also claimed her income as an author for himself, since
the copyrights of a married woman belonged to her husband. Yet
Caroline refused to despair. Beset by the personal cruelties
perpetrated by her husband and a society whose rules were set
against her, she chose to fight, not surrender. She channelled her
energies in an area of much-needed reform: the rights of a married
woman and specifically those of a mother. Over the next few years
she campaigned tirelessly, achieving her first landmark victory
with the Infant Custody Act of 1839. Provisions which are now taken
for granted, such as the right of a mother to have access to her
own children, owe much to Caroline, who was determined to secure
justice for women at all levels of society from the privileged to
the dispossessed. Award-winning historian Antonia Fraser
brilliantly portrays a woman, at once courageous and compassionate,
who refused to be curbed by the personal and political constraints
of her time.
France’s beleaguered queen, Marie Antoinette, wrongly accused of uttering the infamous “Let them eat cake,” was the subject of ridicule and curiosity even before her death; she has since been the object of debate and speculation and the fascination so often accorded tragic figures in history. Married in mere girlhood, this essentially lighthearted, privileged, but otherwise unremarkable child was thrust into an unparalleled time and place, and was commanded by circumstance to play a significant role in history. Antonia Fraser’s lavish and engaging portrait of Marie Antoinette, one of the most recognizable women in European history, excites compassion and regard for all aspects of her subject, immersing the reader not only in the coming-of-age of a graceful woman, but also in the unraveling of an era.
'The screams came again: by now they sounded quite blood-curdling
to the girl alone in the small room - or was it that they were
getting nearer?' From murders and ghostly visitors to devious plots
and family feuds, Antonia Fraser's first collection of short
stories is a feast of mingled delight and suspense. There are five
Jemima Shore stories including the first ever Jemima Shore mystery
in which the fifteen-year-old Jemima is confronted by
blood-curdling screams and miraculous moving statues in the dead of
night. Jemima is at her sparkling best as she solves the case of
the Parr children in a remote corner of the Scottish Highlands and
elegantly deals with a missing bride on a romantic Venetian
honeymoon.
'As he turned ... he had the extraordinary impression of a man in
full armour rearing up in front of him ... It was the last thing he
saw, before he hurtled downwards to a certain death' An untimely
death and the reappearance of a ghost lead television reporter
Jemima Shore into a mysterious case of sex, violence and the
supernatural. When the butler plummets from the battlements of
Lackland Court, it becomes clear that the ghost of the legendary
Civil War poet and soldier, Decimus Meredith, is not the only
suspect. Jemima must look to history and delve deep into the
ancient hall's past to solve yet another baffling mystery.
'Ground-breaking ... One of the greatest international bestsellers
of the post-war period' Andrew Roberts, Daily Telegraph 'Reads like
an engrossing novel' Sunday Times An infant queen. A teenage widow.
Beautiful, flamboyant Mary Queen of Scots had a formidable
intellect but her political sense - formed at the absolute court of
France - plunged her country into a maelstrom of intrigue, marriage
and murder. Upon fleeing to England she was held captive by her
cousin Elizabeth I. In this classic biography, reissued for the
fiftieth anniversary of its publication, acclaimed historian
Antonia Fraser relates the enthralling story of Mary's life and
untimely end.
An atmospheric and gripping mystery set in Oxford - perfect for
fans of MORSE and ENDEAVOUR Lord Saffron, one of the young bloods
at Oxford University, is heir to a considerable fortune. But while
making a documentary about the exotic lifestyles of the
university's over-privileged set, Jemima Shore discovers that this
handsome young man, with his lavish dances and sumptuous weekend
parties, is not quite what he seems. And when a student is murdered
and a series of attempts are made on Saffron's life, Jemima
realises that she has started a terrible chain of events...
An atmospheric and gripping mystery from Lady Antonia Fraser's
Jemima Shore series. How well do we ever know our friends? When
Jemima Shore offers to flat-sit for her friend Chloe, the last
thing she is expecting is threatening anonymous phone calls on her
very first night. A vicious assault by Chloe's ex-lover the next
morning forces Jemima to accept that she knows very little about
her friend's life. Fuming, she decides to confront her. But then
she realises that Chloe never reached her destination ... and
Jemima is not the only person trying to get in touch with her. It
seems she was playing a dangerous game - and Jemima has been left
with the aftermath. The only trouble is, Chloe was playing with
some of the most influential people in London - people who will
stop at nothing to keep their secrets hidden.
An atmospheric and gripping mystery from Lady Antonia Fraser's
Jemima Shore series. 'Was that what you thought - that you would
come back, come back here to beautiful Lark, and get away with it,
did you expect that? I can hardly believe it, even of you...' A
series of murders have shocked the sleepy, rural village of Lark.
The deaths all coincide with the reappearance of actress Christabel
Herriot - it is clear that someone has decided her return is not to
be tolerated. Amidst the gossip surrounding her reckless affair,
Christabel decides to resume her theatrical career, joining a
company performing at the Larminster Festival. Jemima Shore has
been asked to present a programme on the Festival, so when it
becomes clear that Christabel's life is in serious danger, Jemima
is on the case again.
Still a controversial figure, Marie Antoinette's dramatic
life-story continues to arouse mixed emotions. To many people, she
is still "la reine mechante", whose extravagance and frivolity
helped to bring down the French monarchy; her indifference to
popular suffering epitomised by the (apocryphal) words: "let them
eat cake". Others are equally passionate in her defence: to them,
she is a victim of misogyny. In this biography Antonia Fraser
examines her influence over the king, Louis XVI, the accusations
and sexual slurs made against her, her patronage of the arts which
enhanced French cultural life, her imprisonment, the death threats
made against her, rumours of lesbian affairs, her trial (during
which her young son was forced to testify to sexual abuse by his
mother) and her eventual execution by guillotine in 1793.
Antonia Fraser's bestselling biography of Henry VIII's six wives; a
subject of enduring fascination. The six wives of Henry VIII -
Catherine of Aragon, Anne Boleyn, Jane Seymour, Anna of Cleves,
Katherine Howard and Catherine Parr - have become defined in a
popular sense not so much by their lives as by the way these lives
ended. But, as Antonia Fraser conclusively proves, they were rich
and feisty characters. They may have been victims of Henry's
obsession with a male heir, but they were not willing victims. On
the contrary, they displayed considerable strength and intelligence
at a time when their sex supposedly possessed little of either.
Author of Marie Antoinette
She was the quintessential queen: statuesque, regal, dazzlingly
beautiful. Her royal birth gave her claim to the thrones of two
nations; her marriage to the young French dauphin promised to place
a third glorious crown on her noble head.
Instead, Mary Stuart became the victim of her own impulsive heart,
scandalizing her world with a foolish passion that would lead to
abduction, rape and even murder. Betrayed by those she most
trusted, she would be lured into a deadly game of power, only to
lose to her envious and unforgiving cousin, Elizabeth I.
Here is her story, a queen who lost a throne for love, a monarch
pampered and adored even as she was led to her beheading, the
unforgettable woman who became a legend for all time.
Remember, remember, the Fifth of November ... With a narrative that
grips the reader like a detective story, Antonia Fraser brings the
characters and events of the Gunpowder Plot to life. Dramatically
recreating the conditions and motives that surrounded the fateful
night of 5 November 1605, she unravels the tangled web of religion
and politics that spawned the plot. 'An excellent book which
unravels the whole story of the plot' Literary Review 'Told with
impressive scholarship and panache ... with a sense of pace and
tension worthy of a John le Carre novel' Sunday Telegraph
From treachery in the Caribbean to mischief in the Mediterranean,
from murderous drama to sleek black comedy, from a baffling number
of suspects to a single confrontation with a maniacal rapist, here
is a tantalising and varied excursion round motives and methods in
the realm of crime - a collection of wittily told and deftly turned
stories, with a twist.
Summoned by the wayward Lady Imogen Swain, Jemima is entrusted with
the diaries she kept in 1964, diaries which contain an account of
her passionate affair with Burgo Smyth MP; now Foreign Secretary
but then a rising young Conservative politician. With the
increasingly eccentric Lady Imogen threatening to reveal details
about the affair, and of the subsequent disappearance of a young
journalist, Jemima's meeting with Lady Imogen is the first step in
a sinister series of events which leads to political scandal,
blackmail and murder.
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Discovery Miles 3 300
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