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lauriestein's review against another edition
4.0
Historical models like "separate spheres," "private vs. public," etc., exist to be interrogated. Foreman does a wonderful job of that here, illuminating the intersection of the personal with the political. More than the 18th century "it" girl, Georgiana was a major mover and shaker in the Whig party - and I hope the film, which I have yet to see, makes that absolutely clear.
bailo2's review against another edition
3.0
This biography was great and insightful. For anyone who has seen the film The Duchess, this is the biography that the movie was based on. One section of the book spent too much time on the political demography within this time period. While some of the information was helpful, I feel that most of it could have been omitted so we could have resumed learning about the star of the novel. Georgiana was truly a star! She was a woman with amazing amounts of intellect, potential, and creativity, but dragged down by a bad marriage and social expectations, ultimately leading to her own gnawing insecurities and self-destructive behaviors. It’s tragic, really. I truly felt for Georgiana and her circumstances. As far as authorship goes, I loved that Foreman was able to admire her subject while putting her on a pedestal. She lays it all out there and goes with the evidence presented, giving us a look at the good and the bad side of Georgiana.
ilovestory's review against another edition
4.0
Great book about a woman who was a huge influence in national politics but so subtle and behind the scenes she has not gotten the recognition she has deserved.
lurdesabruscato's review against another edition
3.0
Georgiana Spencer, part of England's elite ton in the late 1700s, was a true paradox: beautiful but plagued with wrecked relationships; political and influential but unable to achieve real governmental change; popular, giving and trend-setting, but also a degenerate gambler, cheater and liar. Her life and efforts not only altered high society, she nearly single-handedly helped bring about a democratic two-party system. Despite its tantalizing subject matter, Foreman's book is written as a true biography, with a heavy reliance on letters and diaries, so it often can be too dry and too littered with the dozens of players of that period.
andreagraves5's review against another edition
3.0
This book took me a whole month to read. (I usually read books in a 2-7 days). I would rate it 3.5 stars if I could. It was very interesting to read of this remarkable woman in the 18th century. Her whole story facinated me, and her priorities interested me. I can't imagine devoting my whole life to politics and the purpose of gaining power, like she did, but it sure was an interesting read. Makes me want to see the movie on this. I enjoyed it.
emjbrawl88's review against another edition
3.0
3.5 stars. What a fascinating woman. She was definitely ahead of her times.
edressa's review against another edition
5.0
This is an amazing insight into Great Britain in the late 1700s - we see so many figures we may know from other media and it's fascinating to see how they mingled - George III, Queen Charlotte, the Prince Regent, Maria Fitzherbert, Lady Caroline Lamb (one of Lord Byron's many lovers who later went mad), Viscount Melbourne (yes, THAT Lord Melbourne).
Amanda Foreman is also careful to present the various subjects as multi-faceted figures. Georgiana was very much a woman of her time, all the while struggling to find her place in the world within the limits of her rank and gender. A victim, yes, but also a flawed person who made mistakes. And while the Duke wasn't as cruel as a certain film would lead us to think, it's fair to dislike him, but hating him would be taking it a step too far: he is self-absorbed and distant and their marriage is, long story short, a matter of incompatibility which leads to disaster, but it's also worth mentioning Georgiana had her own set of problems - I would be angry too if I found out my wife had a 6 million dollar debt in gambling, let's be real...
I also have to admit I'm not too fond of Bess Foster either - her manipulative streak towards Georgiana and the Duke is a little too evident, but it's also made clear in the book she was a woman stuck between a rock and a hard place who did what she could in order to survive.
All in all, this is a fair and balanced portrayal of not only Georgiana, but also how it was to be a female member of the peerage in the late 1700s. So... please read this book rather than watch the film, especially if you want to avoid a very black-and-white perspective laced with misery porn and gratuitous violence.
Amanda Foreman is also careful to present the various subjects as multi-faceted figures. Georgiana was very much a woman of her time, all the while struggling to find her place in the world within the limits of her rank and gender. A victim, yes, but also a flawed person who made mistakes. And while the Duke wasn't as cruel as a certain film would lead us to think, it's fair to dislike him, but hating him would be taking it a step too far: he is self-absorbed and distant and their marriage is, long story short, a matter of incompatibility which leads to disaster, but it's also worth mentioning Georgiana had her own set of problems - I would be angry too if I found out my wife had a 6 million dollar debt in gambling, let's be real...
I also have to admit I'm not too fond of Bess Foster either - her manipulative streak towards Georgiana and the Duke is a little too evident, but it's also made clear in the book she was a woman stuck between a rock and a hard place who did what she could in order to survive.
All in all, this is a fair and balanced portrayal of not only Georgiana, but also how it was to be a female member of the peerage in the late 1700s. So... please read this book rather than watch the film, especially if you want to avoid a very black-and-white perspective laced with misery porn and gratuitous violence.
kimdeitzler's review against another edition
4.0
A reminder that political corruption and celebrity scandal are nothing new.
holly_117's review against another edition
3.0
Georgiana was a very interesting lady - on one hand, she was terribly insecure in her personal relationships and spent ridiculous amounts of money on gambling, while on the other, she was a loyal friend and shrewd politician in an age where women didn't have much power. She managed to hold her own kind of political power for about 30 years, by supporting the Whig party.
If you're interested in the political culture of England around the time of the American and French Revolutions, this book gives a good account through the lens of Georgiana's life. If you're looking for something like a romance novel, this isn't the book for you.
If you're interested in the political culture of England around the time of the American and French Revolutions, this book gives a good account through the lens of Georgiana's life. If you're looking for something like a romance novel, this isn't the book for you.