The Devonshires by Roy Hattersley
William Cavendish, the father of the first Earl, dissolved monasteries for Henry VIII. Bess, his second wife, was gaoler-companion to Mary Queen of Scots during her long imprisonment in England. Arbella Stuart, their granddaughter, was a heartbeat away from the throne of England and their grandson, Lord General of the North, fought to save the crown for Charles I. Fifty years later, the First Duke of Devonshire conspired to depose James II, and make William of Orange king. For the next two centuries the Devonshires were at the heart of fashionable society and the centre of political power. The Fourth Duke became prime minister and Georgiana, wife of the Fifth, scandalised even the Regency. Spencer Compton, the last of the great Devonshires, was three times offered the preimership, and three times refused it. Even the Devonshire servants made history. Joseph Paxton was their gardner and Thomas Hobbes was the family tutor. With the help of previously unpublished material from the Chatsworth archives, The Devonshires reveals how the dynasty made and lost fortunes, fought and fornicated, built great houses, patronised the arts and pioneered the railways, made great scientific discoveries, and, in the end, came to terms with changing times. It is popular history at its very best.
A vivid read, crowded with characters and colour -- Lucy Lethbridge * Observer *
Jostling with the eccentric and engaging characters from a grand family, Hattersley deftly tells a jaunty story about Britishness through the ages -- Kathryn Hughes * Mail on Sunday *
A seriously comfortable armchair, a magnificent old duffer of a book that deftly knits together a national story into the fabric of a family dramaIt does this with all the warmth and affection for history that mark out a former statesman and a first-class storyteller -- Ian Kelly * The Times *
A balanced look at a traditional tale of aristocratic power and prestige -- Hallie Rubenhold * BBC History Magazine *
This jaunty magnificent book tells the history of Britain just as much as it does of one family * Daily Express *
Jostling with the eccentric and engaging characters from a grand family, Hattersley deftly tells a jaunty story about Britishness through the ages -- Kathryn Hughes * Mail on Sunday *
A seriously comfortable armchair, a magnificent old duffer of a book that deftly knits together a national story into the fabric of a family dramaIt does this with all the warmth and affection for history that mark out a former statesman and a first-class storyteller -- Ian Kelly * The Times *
A balanced look at a traditional tale of aristocratic power and prestige -- Hallie Rubenhold * BBC History Magazine *
This jaunty magnificent book tells the history of Britain just as much as it does of one family * Daily Express *
Roy Hattersley was elected to Parliament in 1964. He served in Harold Wilson’s government and in Jim Callaghan’s Cabinet. In 1983 he became deputy leader of the Labour Party. As well as contributing to a host of national newspapers, he has written twenty-two books, including The Edwardians; Borrowed Time: the story of Britain between the wars; and In Search of England as well as much acclaimed biographies of John Wesley and, most recently, Lloyd George. Roy Hattersley has been Visiting Fellow of Harvard’s Institute of Politics and of Nuffield College, Oxford. In 2003 he was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature.
| SKU | Unavailable |
| ISBN 13 | 9780701186241 |
| ISBN 10 | 0701186240 |
| Title | The Devonshires |
| Author | Roy Hattersley |
| Condition | Unavailable |
| Binding Type | Hardback |
| Publisher | Vintage Publishing |
| Year published | 2013-05-09 |
| Number of pages | 496 |
| Cover note | Book picture is for illustrative purposes only, actual binding, cover or edition may vary. |
| Note | Unavailable |