This is a very high quality book containing beautiful photos and personable, informative, text. Georgiana cavendish, duchess of devonshire was an english socialite, political organizer. Duchess of devonshire by amanda foreman 1999, hardcover at the best online prices at ebay. The erotic liberal, and editor of byron s corbeau blanc. The enjoyment of the book is enhanced by the fun, witty writing style of the duchess of devonshire. 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. Georgiana, duchess of devonshire by amanda foreman. Georgiana, duchess of devonshire, is the biography of a most unusual woman. Amanda foreman does a good job of finding a balance between excessive praise of the duchess and berating her too harshly for her faults. That movie was amazing, but it also made me very interested in the real duchess of devonshire. Deborah vivien cavendish, duchess of devonshire, dcvo born deborah vivien freemanmitford and latterly deborah, dowager duchess of devonshire. The winner of britains prestigious whitbread prize and a bestseller t. The duchess of devonshire was the most celebrated and influential woman of her time.
Lady georgiana spencer was the greatgreatgreatgreataunt of diana, princess of wales, and was nearly as famous in her day. 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. Sharing with schiff a deft hand at description, foreman brings 18thcentury britain to life. The duchess of devonshires gossip guide to the 18th century. Duchess of devonshire by amanda foreman, page 1 of 6. This is obviously a wellresearched biography of georgiana, duchess of devonshire, a figure of political and social consequence from her teen years when she married the duke in 1774 to her death in 1806. Georgiana cavendish, duchess of devonshire nee spencer. 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. Duchess of devonshire, which was adapted for the screen as the duchess. The duchess of devonshires chatsworth cookery book. In 1774 georgiana achieved immediate celebrity by marrying william cavendish, fifth duke of devonshire, one of englands richest and most influential aristocrats. Duchess of devonshire from the worlds largest community of readers. 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.
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. 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 duchess of devonshire s chatsworth cookery book devonshire, dowager duchess of on. Georgiana may not have been a great genius, but she was reasonably intelligent. Amanda foreman is a visiting research fellow at queen mary, university of london. Jonathan david gross is a professor and the director of the depaul university humanities center. Elizabeth cavendish, duchess of devonshire wikipedia. The duchess of devonshire s chatsworth cookery book. Family correspondence of and relating to georgiana, duchess of devonshire. The main characters of this history, biography story are george iv of the united kingdom, georgiana, duchess of devonshire. Eat like a duchess and get to know more about one of englands great houses and the family who live there.
Elizabeth christiana cavendish, duchess of devonshire may 1758 30 march 1824 was an english novelist and aristocrat. The duchess of devonshire s second book, first published in 1778, chronicles the life of a young, newly married lady of high society not unlike its author. This is a stunning book about an astonishing woman. 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. The scandalous affairs of elizabeth cavendish, duchess of. Sharing with schiff a deft hand at description, foreman brings 18thcentury britain to life as she traces the lush story of georgiana spencer.
While the book contains a great deal if historic information, there is an equal amount of fun and entertainment, as a balance. Some information in it for anyone suffering from mitfordmania, but all in all, not inspiring. Buy a cheap copy of duchess of devonshire s chatsworth. Basically i will say that if textbooks were written like this, i would have paid way more attention in school. The duchess is the movie tie in version of amanda foremans excellent 1998 biography georgiana. Watching it, i kept googling people and things to read up on.
Georgiana duchess of devonshire houses with history. The book has been awarded with whitbread award for biography 1998, and many others. 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. She was the youngest and last surviving of the six mitford sisters, who were prominent members of english society in the 1930s and 1940s. 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. Georgiana cavendish, duchess of devonshire 17571806. Duchess of devonshire by amanda foreman online at alibris. 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. 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 is studded with the surviving letters by her and about her that foreman traveled throughout britain to research.
Deborah cavendish, duchess of devonshire wikipedia. There for, her novel, which contains many autobiographical plots, has been published anonymously. Though, i must apologise for the notsogreat quality of the. Written in epistolary format, the story follows julia from her idyllic country life to her marriage to a rich aristocrat. Georgiana duchess of devonshire by amanda foreman, 9780375753831, available at book depository with free delivery worldwide. Luckily, his visit to the devonshire family around 1798 resulted in three portraits of georgianas three legitimate children, little g, harryo, and hart. The sylph by georgiana duchess of devonshire staff 2007, paperback at the best online prices at ebay. The book was published in multiple languages including english language, consists of 456 pages and is available in paperback format. Duchess of devonshires chatsworth cookbook by deborah mitford. The sylph georgiana duchess of devonshire, georgiana. Georgiana cavendish, duchess of devonshire wikipedia. Georgiana, duchess of devonshire by amanda foreman amanda.
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. Georgianna cavendish, duchess of devonshire was one of the leading ladies of her time. Georgiana, duchess of devonshire by amanda foreman 1998. Deborah vivien freemanmitford cavendish, dowager duchess of devonshire, who published under the name of deborah mitford, was brought up in oxfordshire, england. 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. Beauty a natural compliment, the everyday book and table book. The three lived together and bess enjoyed a long affair with william cavendish, 5th duke of devonshire and georgianas husband. She was a close friend of marie antoinette and an ancestor of diana spencer. In 1774 georgiana achieved immediate celebrity by marrying william cavendish, fifth duke of devonshire, one of englands richest and. Except for the cover depicting keira knightley as georgiana, duchess of devonshire, it is essentially the same book. Elizabeth supplanted the duchess, gaining the affections of william cavendish, 5th duke of devonshire, and later marrying him. The duchess of devonshire is the most envied woman of the day in the ton, the newspapers reported. The late deborah mitford duchess of devonshire wrote a lot of books this one was clearly for the money.