Duchess of devonshire by amanda foreman, page 1 of 6. The three lived together and bess enjoyed a long affair with william cavendish, 5th duke of devonshire and georgianas husband. In 1950 her husband, andrew, the 11th duke of devonshire, inherited extensive estates in yorkshire and ireland as well as chatsworth, the family seat in derbyshire, and deborah became. The book has been awarded with whitbread award for biography 1998, and many others. Born in england at althrop house, the spencer family home, in an age when women were often ornamental pawns in family power plays, georgiana rose above what was expected of her and made history by following her heart and desires. This is a very high quality book containing beautiful photos and personable, informative, text. Georgianna cavendish, duchess of devonshire was one of the leading ladies of her time. Georgiana, duchess of devonshire, is the biography of a most unusual woman. Georgiana duchess of devonshire by amanda foreman, 9780375753831, available at book depository with free delivery worldwide. Beauty a natural compliment, the everyday book and table book. Elizabeth christiana cavendish, duchess of devonshire may 1758 30 march 1824 was an english novelist and aristocrat. Georgiana cavendish, duchess of devonshire 7 june 1757 30 march 1806, was a leading member of late georgian society, famous for her extrovert personality, her extravagant fashions and her championing of. The duchess of devonshire is the most envied woman of the day in the ton, the newspapers reported. Of noble birth from the spencer family, married into the cavendish family, she was the first wife of william cavendish, 5th duke of devonshire, and the mother of the 6th duke of.
The enjoyment of the book is enhanced by the fun, witty writing style of the duchess of devonshire. Watching it, i kept googling people and things to read up on. Georgiana cavendish, duchess of devonshire was an english socialite, political organizer. Some information in it for anyone suffering from mitfordmania, but all in all, not inspiring. The duke of devonshire was unimpressed by his wifes legendary charms, preferring instead those of her closest friend, a woman with whom georgiana herself was rumored to be on intimate terms. Deborah vivien cavendish, duchess of devonshire, dcvo born deborah vivien freemanmitford and latterly deborah, dowager duchess of devonshire. She was a close friend of marie antoinette and an ancestor of diana spencer. Duchess of devonshire, which was adapted for the screen as the duchess. The book is studded with the surviving letters by her and about her that foreman traveled throughout britain to research. The late deborah mitford duchess of devonshire wrote a lot of books this one was clearly for the money. She is best known as lady elizabeth foster, the close friend of georgiana cavendish, duchess of devonshire. I am very antihype, and this book had major, major hype built right in, so it was quite a shock to me when it eventually ended on my tbr pile. Amanda foreman does a good job of finding a balance between excessive praise of the duchess and berating her too harshly for her faults.
Georgiana, duchess of devonshire by amanda foreman amanda. Jonathan david gross is a professor and the director of the depaul university humanities center. Educated as an undergraduate at sarah lawrence college and with masters and doctorate degrees in history from oxford university, she is now married with five children and lives in new york. That movie was amazing, but it also made me very interested in the real duchess of devonshire. Georgiana, duchess of devonshire by amanda foreman. The duchess is the movie tie in version of amanda foremans excellent 1998 biography georgiana.
Lady georgiana spencer was the greatgreatgreatgreataunt of diana, princess of wales, and was nearly as famous in her day. The erotic liberal, and editor of byron s corbeau blanc. Although she is the first to admit that she herself. This is a stunning book about an astonishing woman. The duchess of devonshire was the most celebrated and influential woman of her time. The author was thought to have been sophia briscoe, a contemporary novelist, or fanny burney, author of evelina which was published at about the same time. Basically i will say that if textbooks were written like this, i would have paid way more attention in school. Georgiana cavendish, duchess of devonshire wikipedia.
Except for the cover depicting keira knightley as georgiana, duchess of devonshire, it is essentially the same book. The duchess of devonshires gossip guide to the 18th century. Henry howard was a wellknown portraitist and history painter in the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries, who unfortunately doesnt get as much notice nowadays. The duchess of devonshires chatsworth cookery book. She was politically active, a progressive thinker, had an atrocious gambling habit that kept her perpetually in debt and suffered from an unfortunate, sometimes unhappy, marriage. Eat like a duchess and get to know more about one of englands great houses and the family who live there.
The main characters of this history, biography story are george iv of the united kingdom, georgiana, duchess of devonshire. Georgiana cavendish, duchess of devonshire nee spencer. In 1774 georgiana achieved immediate celebrity by marrying william cavendish, fifth duke of devonshire, one of englands richest and. Buy a cheap copy of duchess of devonshire s chatsworth. The duchess of devonshire s chatsworth cookery book devonshire, dowager duchess of on. Luckily, his visit to the devonshire family around 1798 resulted in three portraits of georgianas three legitimate children, little g, harryo, and hart. Duchess of devonshire by amanda foreman 1999, hardcover at the best online prices at ebay. Georgiana duchess of devonshire houses with history. The scandalous affairs of elizabeth cavendish, duchess of. Duchess of devonshire from the worlds largest community of readers. Georgiana cavendish, duchess of devonshire 17571806. I have two copies of this book, which i bought thinking they were separate books that one of them was a historical fiction version while the other was a biography. A new york times notable book now a major motion picture lady georgiana spencer was the greatgreatgreatgreataunt of diana, princess of wales, and was nearly as famous in her day. The sylph georgiana duchess of devonshire, georgiana.
While the book contains a great deal if historic information, there is an equal amount of fun and entertainment, as a balance. Duchess of devonshire by amanda foreman online at alibris. There for, her novel, which contains many autobiographical plots, has been published anonymously. Amanda foreman is a visiting research fellow at queen mary, university of london. The duchess, starring keira knightley in the title role, tells the story of georgina spencer nee the duchess of devonshire, one of the eighteenth centurys most. In 1774 georgiana achieved immediate celebrity by marrying william cavendish, fifth duke of devonshire, one of englands richest and most influential aristocrats.
The duchess of devonshire s chatsworth cookery book. She was the youngest and last surviving of the six mitford sisters, who were prominent members of english society in the 1930s and 1940s. Elizabeth supplanted the duchess, gaining the affections of william cavendish, 5th duke of devonshire, and later marrying him. Sharing with schiff a deft hand at description, foreman brings 18thcentury britain to life as she traces the lush story of georgiana spencer. Written in epistolary format, the story follows julia from her idyllic country life to her marriage to a rich aristocrat.
Deborah cavendish, duchess of devonshire wikipedia. Sharing with schiff a deft hand at description, foreman brings 18thcentury britain to life. The book was published in multiple languages including english language, consists of 456 pages and is available in paperback format. Family correspondence of and relating to georgiana, duchess of devonshire. The sylph by georgiana duchess of devonshire staff 2007, paperback at the best online prices at ebay. A lot of people are intrigued to know the true story of georgiana, the flamboyant central character played by keira knightley in the film the duchess. Deborah vivien freemanmitford cavendish, dowager duchess of devonshire, who published under the name of deborah mitford, was brought up in oxfordshire, england. Georgiana, the duchess of devonshire, was a complicated lady. Georgiana, duchess of devonshire by amanda foreman 1998. Though, i must apologise for the notsogreat quality of the. Georgiana may not have been a great genius, but she was reasonably intelligent. The winner of britains prestigious whitbread prize and a bestseller t.
86 1206 1093 548 741 560 274 748 1004 1046 862 749 1500 110 1447 1254 104 694 496 1327 556 568 418 1455 225 803 422 1400 420 688 167 858 9 428 281 343