The Baroness by Hannah Rothschild
A Rothschild by birth and a Baroness by marriage, beautiful, spirited Pannonica - known as Nica - seemed to have it all: children, a handsome husband and a trust fund. But in the early 1950s she heard a piece by the jazz legend Thelonious Monk. The music overtook her like a magic spell, and she abandoned her marriage to go and find him. Arriving in New York, Nica was shunned by society but accepted by the musicians. They gave her friendship; she gave them material and emotional support. Her convertible Bentley was a familiar sight outside the clubs and she drank whisky from a hip flask disguised as a Bible. Her notoriety was sealed when drug-addicted saxophonist Charlie Parker died in her apartment. But her real love was reserved for Monk, whom she cared for until his death in 1982. The Baroness traces Nica's extraordinary, thrilling journey - from England's stately homes to the battlefields of Africa, passing under the shadow of the Holocaust, and finally to the creative ferment of the New York jazz scene. Hannah Rothschild's search to solve the mystery of her rebellious great aunt draws on their long friendship and years of meticulous research and interviews. It is part musical odyssey, part dazzling love story.
'Startling.. Hannah Rothschild tells this story with care, balancing narrative tension with a desire to lay out all the facts so readers can make up their own minds ... Wholly gripping' -- Rachel Cooke Observer 'The story that Hannah Rothschild tells in her bright, clear prose is a mixture of things - nearly a biography of Nica, nearly a biography of Thelonious Monk, nearly a sketch of the 1950s New York jazz scene. At one level it's a version of The Hare with Amber Eyes ... [Nica's] story, with all its tall tales and theatrical paraphernalia, is full of interest and warmth ... She was ballsy and kind. There's something to be drawn out here - something given a particular emotional torque by the author's own consciousness of her place in this family - about belonging and escape: about what you can achieve, what you're doomed to endure, and all that jazz' -- Sam Leith Spectator Riveting, touching and insightful Daily Telegraph A well-researched biography. It is one third a history of the Rothschild family, one third a portrait of Nica, and one third a biography of Monk. Nica comes across as a remarkable woman, strong, feisty and rebellious Sunday Times Richly textured, elegantly told and often as surprising as its subject, Hannah Rothschild's biography of her great-aunt is a moving tribute to a fascinating and original woman Country Life
Hannah Rothschild is a freelance director and writer. Her feature documentaries, including the Jazz Baroness, have been shown on the BBC and HBO. She has written newspapers and magazines including Vanity Fair, Vogue, The Independent, The Spectator, Bazaar and House and Gardens. Vice President of the Hay Literary Festival, Trustee of the National Gallery and Waddesdon Manor, this is her first biography.
| SKU | Unavailable |
| ISBN 13 | 9781844086030 |
| ISBN 10 | 1844086038 |
| Title | The Baroness |
| Author | Hannah Rothschild |
| Condition | Unavailable |
| Binding Type | Hardback |
| Publisher | Little, Brown Book Group |
| Year published | 2012-05-03 |
| Number of pages | 320 |
| Cover note | Book picture is for illustrative purposes only, actual binding, cover or edition may vary. |
| Note | Unavailable |