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Binding: Paperback
Dewey Decimal Number: 941.07092
EAN: 9780812979695
ISBN: 0812979699
Label: Random House Trade Paperbacks
Manufacturer: Random House Trade Paperbacks
Number Of Items: 1
Number Of Pages: 512
Publication Date: August 19, 2008
Publisher: Random House Trade Paperbacks
Release Date: August 19, 2008
Sales Rank: 5583
Studio: Random House Trade Paperbacks
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Product Description:
A NEW YORK TIMES NOTABLE BOOK
Now a major motion picture starring Keira Knightley and Ralph Fiennes
Lady Georgiana Spencer was the great-great-great-great-aunt of Diana, Princess of Wales, and was nearly as famous in her day. In 1774 Georgiana achieved immediate celebrity by marrying William Cavendish, fifth duke of Devonshire, one of England’s richest and most influential aristocrats. She became the queen of fashionable society and founder of the most important political salon of her time. But Georgiana’s public success concealed an unhappy marriage, a gambling addiction, drinking, drug-taking, and rampant love affairs with the leading politicians of the day. With penetrating insight, Amanda Foreman reveals a fascinating woman whose struggle against her own weaknesses, whose great beauty and flamboyance, and whose determination to play a part in the affairs of the world make her a vibrant, astonishingly contemporary figure.
Customer Reviews
Average Rating: 
Rating:  - Very informative
I am a big fan of historical fiction so I decided to order this one. First let me state, this is not an easy read. This is a biography so it lacks some of the flair of Dians Gabaldon or Philippa Gregory. However, it gives an interesting perspective of the politics of 18th century England. It also makes the movie much more intriguing.
Rating:  - Too Academic
For Amanda Foreman's dissertation she researched the controversial late eighteenth-century political hostess Lady Georgiana, Duchess of Devonshire, and the result is a 405-page tribute to Georgiana and her times.
The idea behind "The Duchess" is a publisher's dream. An ancestor of Princess Diana (both belonged to the fabled Spencer family, whose wealth and power preceded those of the current British monarchy) Georgiana was also intensely followed by the fledging British press, and she epitomized fashion. And like Diana Georgiana had marriage problems, and suffered from an eating disorder. Whereas Diana threw herself into humanitarian causes Georgiana threw herself into political issues as a political hostess and patron of the Whig party. Sexiest of all is how Georgiana became a lover and benefactor of her husband's mistress.
A publicist can have the easiest time conjuring one-liners to sell this book: "There were three people in her marriage" is what appears in the new paperback edition, and the new movie's line is something like "Before there was Diana there was the Duchess" or something equally mundane and hackneyed but for the legions of Diana fans out there absolutely eye-catching.
Unfortunately, while the idea is instant gold, the execution leaves much to be desired. Ms. Foreman, as a young and inexperienced writer, continually shifts from the macro of the volatile political times to the micro of Georgiana's affairs and gambling addiction without being ... Read More
Rating: - A Lesson on English Politics History
First, please be clear this is not a novel. It's a History text book.
If you want to learn everything about English political campaigns during the adult life of The Dutchess, this is the book for you. But if you want to enjoy a well-written story about the lady herself, look elsewhere.
This books is a chronological report, spliced together from public and private documents, letters and newspaper articles. There are 34 pages of footnotes, a bibliography, an index, a chronology and a family tree to keep track of sources, references and who's who.
It really is a shame that someone has not used this vast historic record to write a real novel about the fascinating Dss of D. This is not it.
If you decide to buy/read this, you will be asking yourself "Is there a quiz at the end?"
Rating: - Dutchess - History Book in Disguise
I love period pieces and readiing historical bios but this book's format is not initially what you may think. Be sure to browse through it before you buy because its more in a "history book format" rather than an entertaining read about a woman's life.
It does have much, much more detail than the movie, which only skimmed over what made the Dutchess a memorable woman in her day.
Its an okay book, but best to read before you go to bed to relax you as its slow and choppy pace the way its written.
Rating:  - Superb!
Georgina was a women beyond her time. She had an adventureous and emotionally sad go with relationships. The author brings her to life. Read the book before you see the movie. Much more vivid picture painted of her life by the author.
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