Beneath a Waning Moon by James Lees-Milne
Those who know him already will be prepared for the unexpected, and they will not be disappointed. Those new to him may be surprised to find - along with his honesty and delicious perceptiveness - the almost surreal oddness of some of his anecdotes. The thoughts, pleasures and regrets of those who appear in these pages are similarly fascinating. The Prince of Wales feels that the mantle of John Betjeman has fallen on his own shoulders, Diana Mosley explains why Macmillan rather than Ribbentrop should have been hanged after the war, Mick Jagger displays an extensive knowledge of Shakespeare, and Alan Clark admits he is bored stiff by his life in politics. JLM unites a sensibility uniquely his own with inconsistencies and prejudices of a kind we all share. He combines wit, acerbity and compassion, and is as delightful a companion in print as in life.
'Bloch has done a magnificent job editing the diaries, providing excellent footnotes to guide us through this grand social ! They are a wonderful window into a dying realm of stately living, which also grants just a few glimpses of the modern world' -- Geordie Grieg, LITERARY REVIEW 20031001 'By turns hilarious, outrageous, acute and touching' -- James Ferguson, The Independent 20031001 'My favourite diarist of this century' -- Alan Clark 20031001 'Unquestionably one of the greatest English diarists, a rival of Pepys' -- David Watkin, Country Life 20031001 '[Lees-Milne is] as sharp-tongued, melancholy, jaundiced and reactionary a commentator as ever lived... he has the keenest of interests in life ... he is scathingly honest with and about himself' -- The Guardian 20040110 'Treasure chest of diary gossip ... brutally honest as ever' -- The Countryman 20040101 'The Diaries remain packed with delicious malice and snobbery' -- The Field 20040301 'A good diarist constructs a series of information time-bombs, set to detonate long after the events he describes have taken place. And, in a gentle sort of way, that is just what James Lees-Milne has done. There will definitely be a few intakes of breath in certain grandees' drawing rooms ! What distinguishes this diary is the cast. There is a good cross-section of people who had a particular social significance. James Lees-Milne was an inveterate socialiser. Never a day passes when he is not at Brooks's or some stately home or whizzing off to see somebody. The diaries are a wonderful window into a dying realm of stately living, which also grants just a few glimpses of the modern world' -- Geordie Grieg, Literary Review 20031001
James Lees-Milne died in 1997. Once Country Houses Secretary of the National Trust, he is now best known for his memoirs and diaries, described by Jeremy Lewis as second to none in their comicality, rueful self-knowledge and feline observations. Michael Bloch, his friend and literary executor, is now writing his life.
| SKU | Unavailable |
| ISBN 13 | 9780719562198 |
| ISBN 10 | 0719562198 |
| Title | Beneath a Waning Moon |
| Author | James Lees-Milne |
| Condition | Unavailable |
| Binding Type | Hardback |
| Publisher | John Murray Press |
| Year published | 2003-10-13 |
| Number of pages | 272 |
| Cover note | Book picture is for illustrative purposes only, actual binding, cover or edition may vary. |
| Note | Unavailable |