Georgiana, Duchess of Devonshire: Duchess of Devonshire
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Description
The winner of Britain's prestigious Whitbread Prize and a bestseller there for months, this wonderfully readable biography offers a rich, rollicking picture of late-eighteenth-century British aristocracy and the intimate story of a woman who for a time was its undisputed leader.
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, at the age of seventeen, Georgiana achieved immediate celebrity by marrying one of England's richest and most influential aristocrats, the Duke of Devonshire. Launched into a world of wealth and power, she quickly became the queen of fashionable society, adored by the Prince of Wales, a dear friend of Marie-Antoinette, and leader of the most important salon of her time. Not content with the role of society hostess, she used her connections to enter politics, eventually becoming more influential than most of the men who held office.
Her good works and social exploits made her loved by the multitudes, but Georgiana's public success, like Diana's, concealed a personal life that was fraught with suffering. The Duke of Devonshire was unimpressed by his wife's legendary charms, preferring instead those of her closest friend, a woman with whom Georgiana herself was rumored to be on intimate terms. For over twenty years, the three lived together in a jealous and uneasy ménage à trois, during which time both women bore the Duke's children—as well as those of other men.
Foreman's descriptions of Georgiana's uncontrollable gambling, all- night drinking, drug taking, and love affairs with the leading politicians of the day give us fascinating insight into the lives of the British aristocracy in the era of the madness of King George III, the American and French revolutions, and the defeat of Napoleon.
A gifted young historian whom critics are already likening to Antonia Fraser, Amanda Foreman draws on a wealth of fresh research and writes colorfully and penetratingly about the fascinating Georgiana, 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.
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, at the age of seventeen, Georgiana achieved immediate celebrity by marrying one of England's richest and most influential aristocrats, the Duke of Devonshire. Launched into a world of wealth and power, she quickly became the queen of fashionable society, adored by the Prince of Wales, a dear friend of Marie-Antoinette, and leader of the most important salon of her time. Not content with the role of society hostess, she used her connections to enter politics, eventually becoming more influential than most of the men who held office.
Her good works and social exploits made her loved by the multitudes, but Georgiana's public success, like Diana's, concealed a personal life that was fraught with suffering. The Duke of Devonshire was unimpressed by his wife's legendary charms, preferring instead those of her closest friend, a woman with whom Georgiana herself was rumored to be on intimate terms. For over twenty years, the three lived together in a jealous and uneasy ménage à trois, during which time both women bore the Duke's children—as well as those of other men.
Foreman's descriptions of Georgiana's uncontrollable gambling, all- night drinking, drug taking, and love affairs with the leading politicians of the day give us fascinating insight into the lives of the British aristocracy in the era of the madness of King George III, the American and French revolutions, and the defeat of Napoleon.
A gifted young historian whom critics are already likening to Antonia Fraser, Amanda Foreman draws on a wealth of fresh research and writes colorfully and penetratingly about the fascinating Georgiana, 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.
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Subjects
Subjects
Biography & Autobiography
Cavendish, Georgiana Spencer
Cavendish, Georgiana Spencer, -- Duchess of Devonshire, -- 1757-1806
Great Britain -- Politics and government -- 1789-1820
Great Britain -- Social life and customs -- 18th century
History
Nobility
Nobility -- Great Britain -- Biography
Nonfiction
Politics and government
Social life and customs
Women politicians
Women politicians -- Great Britain -- Biography
Cavendish, Georgiana Spencer
Cavendish, Georgiana Spencer, -- Duchess of Devonshire, -- 1757-1806
Great Britain -- Politics and government -- 1789-1820
Great Britain -- Social life and customs -- 18th century
History
Nobility
Nobility -- Great Britain -- Biography
Nonfiction
Politics and government
Social life and customs
Women politicians
Women politicians -- Great Britain -- Biography
More Details
ISBN:
9780375502941
9780812993912
9780812993912
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Grouping Information
Grouped Work ID | 5b962a09-cd5b-6109-95c1-9e3df73179f6 |
---|---|
Grouping Title | georgiana duchess of devonshire |
Grouping Author | amanda foreman |
Grouping Category | book |
Grouping Language | English (eng) |
Last Grouping Update | 2022-05-15 03:19:52AM |
Last Indexed | 2022-05-15 04:06:29AM |
Novelist Primary ISBN | 9780375753831 |
Solr Details
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accelerated_reader_reading_level | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
author | Foreman, Amanda, 1968- | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
author_display | Foreman, Amanda | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
available_at_catalog | Carmichael Rancho Cordova | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
detailed_location_catalog | Carmichael Rancho Cordova | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
display_description | The winner of Britain's prestigious Whitbread Prize and a bestseller there for months, this wonderfully readable biography offers a rich, rollicking picture of late-eighteenth-century British aristocracy and the intimate story of a woman who for a time was its undisputed leader. 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, at the age of seventeen, Georgiana achieved immediate celebrity by marrying one of England's richest and most influential aristocrats, the Duke of Devonshire. Launched into a world of wealth and power, she quickly became the queen of fashionable society, adored by the Prince of Wales, a dear friend of Marie-Antoinette, and leader of the most important salon of her time. Not content with the role of society hostess, she used her connections to enter politics, eventually becoming more influential than most of the men who held office. Her good works and social exploits made her loved by the multitudes, but Georgiana's public success, like Diana's, concealed a personal life that was fraught with suffering. The Duke of Devonshire was unimpressed by his wife's legendary charms, preferring instead those of her closest friend, a woman with whom Georgiana herself was rumored to be on intimate terms. For over twenty years, the three lived together in a jealous and uneasy ménage à trois, during which time both women bore the Duke's children—as well as those of other men. Foreman's descriptions of Georgiana's uncontrollable gambling, all- night drinking, drug taking, and love affairs with the leading politicians of the day give us fascinating insight into the lives of the British aristocracy in the era of the madness of King George III, the American and French revolutions, and the defeat of Napoleon. A gifted young historian whom critics are already likening to Antonia Fraser, Amanda Foreman draws on a wealth of fresh research and writes colorfully and penetratingly about the fascinating Georgiana, 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. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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isbn | 9780375502941 9780812993912 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
item_details
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itype_catalog | Adult Book Non-Fiction | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
last_indexed | 2022-05-15T11:06:29.376Z | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
lexile_score | -1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
literary_form | Non Fiction | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
literary_form_full | Non Fiction | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
local_callnumber_catalog | BIOGRAPHY Cavendish, G. 1999 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
owning_library_catalog | Sacramento Public Library | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
owning_location_catalog | Carmichael Rancho Cordova | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
primary_isbn | 9780375502941 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
publishDate | 1999 2012 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
publisher | Random House Publishing Group Random House, | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
record_details
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recordtype | grouped_work | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
scoping_details_catalog
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subject_facet | Cavendish, Georgiana Spencer, -- Duchess of Devonshire, -- 1757-1806 Great Britain -- Politics and government -- 1789-1820 Great Britain -- Social life and customs -- 18th century Nobility -- Great Britain -- Biography Women politicians -- Great Britain -- Biography | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
title_display | Georgiana, Duchess of Devonshire | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
title_full | Georgiana Duchess of Devonshire Georgiana, Duchess of Devonshire / Amanda Foreman | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
title_short | Georgiana, Duchess of Devonshire | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
title_sub | Duchess of Devonshire | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
topic_facet | Biography & Autobiography Cavendish, Georgiana Spencer History Nobility Nonfiction Politics and government Social life and customs Women politicians |