Review by Booklist Review
A literary genius with a strong dash of funny sarcasm, boundary issues, and family fragmentation that was Nancy Mitford (1904-73) in a nutshell. Thompson (The Six: The Lives of the Mitford Sisters, 2016) focuses here on the eldest daughter, writing eloquently and with deep understanding about the Mitford family dynamics, from sibling and parental relationships to the impacts into adulthood of Nancy's childhood surroundings, experiences, and trauma. Whether it was estrangement from her parents, conflicts with her sisters, or damaging romantic relationships, Thompson succeeds brilliantly in revealing how every aspect of Mitford's life was processed and dealt with in her writing. Thompson tracks Mitford's evolution from amateur writer to celebrated professional, composing autobiographical works, letters, journalism, comic novels, and popular biographies. Thompson employs witty humor and uses it seamlessly, as Mitford did when she wrote about fascism, the Nazis, sexual orientation, adulthood, and beliefs. Echoing Mitford's novel Love in a Cold Climate (1949) in her title, Thompson vividly portrays her fascinating subject as a cool-tempered, hilarious, and sharp-tongued observer and interpreter of her tempestuous times.--Jennifer Johnson Copyright 2019 Booklist
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
Literary biographer Thompson (The Last Landlady) evocatively depicts English writer Nancy Mitford (1904--1973) in this stylish account. The oldest of six famously glamorous sisters, Mitford was aristocratic, though not "so secure and rooted as one imagines." Thompson covers Mitford's upbringing, by genteel but often cash-strapped parents, first in London and then in a series of country manors, with mainly her sisters for company. She also recounts the novelist's fraught relationship with her mother, her disastrous early marriage to a handsome but feckless English aristocrat, and her long-lasting romance with French diplomat Gaston Palewski, for whom she moved to France after WWII. Immersing readers in Mitford's literary life as well as her personal life, Thompson describes the witty newspaper columns, historical biographies, and, most notably, autobiographical novels (such as The Pursuit of Love and Love in a Cold Climate) that made her reputation, along with the bond of friendship and mutual respect she enjoyed with Evelyn Waugh. Thompson is affectionate toward but candid about her subject, arguing that Mitford's wit and self-awareness overcame the snobbery of her background and enabled a "populist stance on her own elitism" that appealed to a wide audience. This sparkling and probing biography will please Mitford's many fans. Agent: Georgina Capel, Capel & Assoc. (Jan.)
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Review by Library Journal Review
With this latest work, Thompson (Agatha Christie: A Mysterious Life) paints a vivid picture of the ups and downs of prominent English novelist and biographer Nancy Mitford (1904--73). Drawing from Mitford's body of work, as well as a myriad of personal letters and the author's interviews with family and acquaintances, this work by Thompson demonstrates how closely Mitford's life mirrored her work, from her experiences as a member of the upper class to the relationships she held most dear. Thompson seamlessly blends the narrative of the Mitford family with the historical events of the time, highlighting the tremendous part Mitford and her family played in British history. The Mitford sisters have been covered widely in print, such as in Mary S. Lovell's The Mitford Girls; however, with this work, Thompson crafts an empathetic viewpoint as she breaks down public assumptions to help readers gain a better understanding of the woman behind the persona. VERDICT Highly recommended for fans of literary biographies, as well as those interested in British history and dramas. The combination of poetic prose and dedicated research makes this an accessible an delightful read.--Katie McGaha, LA County Lib. Agoura Hills
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