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Snowdon: The Biography

by: Anne De Courcy

June 04, 2008
I have just finished a book on Princess Margaret, and was told that accomplished author Anne de Courcy had written an authorized biography about Antony Armstrong-Jones,also known as Lord Snowdon.
The book was written with his approval and full support, and he asked his many friends and acquaintances to make themselves available to Ms deCourcy
should she wish to interview them.
And it is a detailed, warts and all account of Snowdons life and many loves.
Tony's mother was an English Jewess, his father a Welshman. They divorced when he was just a boy. His mother was vain, unreasonable, demanding and self centred. She reminded me very much of the actor Peter Lawford's mother.
His father, a barrister was not a constant ... Read More:

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The Viceroy's Daughters: The Lives of the Curzon Sisters (Women in History)

by: Anne De Courcy

July 05, 2001
I was fascinated by this as I had no idea of the life and antics of Oswald Moseley and his behaviour towards his family. Irene turns out to be the much maligned sister and Baba's relationship with her brother-in-law is still mysterious. I was left at the end feeling that there was a lot more about her, her relationship with Tom and about Viv, Nicky and Micky, Cimmie's children that I wanted to know more about.

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Debs at War: 1939-45

by: Anne De Courcy

May 04, 2006
I have found this to be an amazing book. It contains the lives of real women who went from living in unbelievable luxury (or not in the case of some - grand homes and titles did not automatically mean luxury) to how they played their parts in the war, often in menial, dirty, usually risky if not downright dangerous jobs. All because their fathers, brothers and all the young men they knew were doing their bit - so the girls were going to make damned sure they did their bit too. Diaries and interviews are quoted - this book goes from childhoods through to the Debs seasons, call up (more usually volunteering), the various jobs they did; all the while trying to keep in touch with their friends and boyfriends. Terribly innocent about sex, lesbianism, childbirth, cooking, ... Read More:

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Diana Mosley

by: Anne De Courcy

November 04, 2004
In this book, Anne de Courcy manages two remarkable feats. The first is that she found something new to say about the much-discussed Mitfords. The second is that she has given us a fresh and unbiased view of a controversial subject. The fact that Diana cooperated with her biographer deserves a mention; that in itself is remarkable.

The problem with Diana Mosley is that she was, as a person, highly intelligent, fascinating and attractive - but her political views were, and are, repellant. Anne de Courcy does not try to explain away Diana's views, sweep them under the carpet, or attempt to justify them. She simply presents the facts, with enough background information to put them in context.

This book is a gripping read - I read it at one sitting ... Read More:

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1939: The Last Season

by: Anne De Courcy

May 01, 2003
This is a wonderful book, full of fascinating snippets and beautifully written. Land prices, minimum wages, what people ate (and the cost of eating out), how they travelled, how and where they lived, the first weather forecast (no, not in the UK, but Paris!), why clubs for men and women were founded in London... If this sounds like a shopping list, it does the book a serious injustice. It is an enjoyable, leisurely read which weaves in facts and figures where relevant and paints a vivid picture of a time which will never come again.

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Society's Queen: The Life of Edith, Marchioness of Londonderry

by: Anne De Courcy

June 03, 2004
This is a wonderful book, full of fascinating snippets and beautifully written. Land prices, minimum wages, what people ate (and the cost of eating out), how they travelled, how and where they lived, the first weather forecast (no, not in the UK, but Paris!), why clubs for men and women were founded in London... If this sounds like a shopping list, it does the book a serious injustice. It is an enjoyable, leisurely read which weaves in facts and figures where relevant and paints a vivid picture of a time which will never come again.

Average Rating:

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The Viceroy's Daughters: The Lives of the Curzon Sisters (Women In History)

by: Anne De Courcy

August 01, 2002
I was fascinated by this as I had no idea of the life and antics of Oswald Moseley and his behaviour towards his family. Irene turns out to be the much maligned sister and Baba's relationship with her brother-in-law is still mysterious. I was left at the end feeling that there was a lot more about her, her relationship with Tom and about Viv, Nicky and Micky, Cimmie's children that I wanted to know more about.

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A Guide to Modern Manners

by: Anne De Courcy

October 14, 1985
I was fascinated by this as I had no idea of the life and antics of Oswald Moseley and his behaviour towards his family. Irene turns out to be the much maligned sister and Baba's relationship with her brother-in-law is still mysterious. I was left at the end feeling that there was a lot more about her, her relationship with Tom and about Viv, Nicky and Micky, Cimmie's children that I wanted to know more about.

Average Rating:

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The Viceroy's Daughters: The Lives of the Curzon Sisters

by: Anne De Courcy

October 02, 2000
I was fascinated by this as I had no idea of the life and antics of Oswald Moseley and his behaviour towards his family. Irene turns out to be the much maligned sister and Baba's relationship with her brother-in-law is still mysterious. I was left at the end feeling that there was a lot more about her, her relationship with Tom and about Viv, Nicky and Micky, Cimmie's children that I wanted to know more about.

Average Rating:

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Diana Mosley

by: Anne De Courcy

November 06, 2003
In this book, Anne de Courcy manages two remarkable feats. The first is that she found something new to say about the much-discussed Mitfords. The second is that she has given us a fresh and unbiased view of a controversial subject. The fact that Diana cooperated with her biographer deserves a mention; that in itself is remarkable.

The problem with Diana Mosley is that she was, as a person, highly intelligent, fascinating and attractive - but her political views were, and are, repellant. Anne de Courcy does not try to explain away Diana's views, sweep them under the carpet, or attempt to justify them. She simply presents the facts, with enough background information to put them in context.

This book is a gripping read - I read it at one sitting - and it is remarkable for the ... Read More: