Published by BLINK publishing, 2019, illustrated, index, 490 pages, condition; as new. The intimate story of a unique marriage spanning the heights of British glamour and power that descends into infidelity, manipulation, and disaster through the heart of the twentieth century. DICKIE MOUNTBATTEN: A major figure behind his nephew Philip's marriage to Queen Elizabeth II and instrumental in the royal family taking the Mountbatten name, he was Supreme Allied Commander of South East Asia during World War II and the last Viceroy of India. EDWINA MOUNTBATTEN: Once the richest woman in Britain--and a playgirl who enjoyed numerous affairs--she emerged from World War II as a magnetic and talented humanitarian worker who was loved throughout the- world. From British high society to the South of France, from the battlefields of Burma to the Viceroy's House, The Mountbattens is a rich and filmic story of a powerful partnership. Was Mountbatten one of the outstanding leaders of his generation, or a man over-promoted because of his royal birth, high-level connections, film-star looks, and ruthless self-promotion? What is the true story behind controversies such as the Dieppe Raid and Indian Partition, the love affair between Edwina and Nehru, and Mountbatten's assassination in 1979?
A brilliant biography of a marriage! A marriage which famously turned out paradoxically to be both highly dysfunctional and one of the most successful marital unions of the 20th Century. Very gratifying to have a book which filled in the gaps between all the commonly-known snippets (Dieppe, Indian Partition, promiscuity, the IRA bombing) to reveal two vibrant, dynamic and very flawed human beings who had such a massive impact on both British and international politics.
I devoured this book once I started. After an initial reluctance (Im wary of biographies; too many have bored me) I soon found myself keeping anti-social hours and neglecting responsibilities in order to binge-read. Not for long, however, as the books style is very fluent and well-paced, and I, typically a very slow and meticulous reader, was speeding through it. Thoroughly enjoyed it. I had previously flirted with buying the authors other book - Stalins Englishman - but had never made the commitment; now its the first on my shopping list. Looking forward to reviewing that one, too.
