The six Mitford girls were blessed with beauty, wit and talent, yet they led very distinct, cultural lives and not one sister, except for Diana and Unity, shared the same opinion or ideology. Nancy Mitford was the ultimate tease and her talent for mockery reformed the publishing industry in the 1930s and ‘40s. Indeed, the Mitford girls’ popularity provoked Jessica to label it ‘The Mitford Industry’. As individuals they exploited their attributes to the best of their abilities, and through difficult times they used laughter as their remedy.
Their life experiences, although sometimes maddening, are a lesson to us all. How would the Mitford girls cope with the pressures and turmoil of modern life? Whether it is Pamela’s guide to throwing a jubilee party, Nancy's guide to fashion or Diana’s tips on how to stay young, this quirky and fact-filled book draws on rare and unpublished interviews and information to answer that question.
When I finished reading Lyndsy Spence’s The Mitford Girls’ Guide to Life, I tried to compile a list of adjectives to describe these intriguing sisters. But the list became too long and unwieldy, since the Mitford girls were an interesting bunch with wildly varying personalities and views.
Lyndsy Spence does a good job of capturing the ebullient and rather wry tone prevalent amongst the “Bright Young Things” generation. Nancy Mitford is undeniably the sister best known for wit and irony and there are plenty of her laconic pronouncements scattered through the volume. We can also tune into the no-nonsense outlook of Deborah, which comes across even today when she is interviewed in the media as the Dowager Duchess of Devonshire. On scanning the contents page, chapters called “Keeping up Appearances”, “Looking the Part” and “The Trivialities of Life” steer the reader to believe that this is a book that looks mainly on the bright side. But what I took away from my reading was that underneath this family’s determinedly maintained veneer of light-heartedness lay many sad experiences and challenging circumstances. Some readers might consider that the Mitford girls, born into privilege, were fortunate. But what emerges from Spence’s book is that disappointment, embarrassment, heartbreak and trouble can occur in anyone’s life, privileged or otherwise.
So – plenty of human interest, but what the book also offers is a glimpse into social, economic and political history. Joseph Dumas, in his foreword to the book, recalls a sense in the media upon Jessica’s death in 1996 that “the twentieth century could be viewed through the prism of the Mitford family.” Spence’s miscellany illustrates the wildly polarised political views of Jessica and Unity, Diana’s controversial liaison with Oswald Mosley and the social and political ramifications of World War II. On a lighter note, the book also pays tribute to the lost art of letter-writing. The Mitford Guide to Writing letters advocates unusual ways of addressing the recipient – “Dear Squalor” and “Dear Cheerless”, for example.
Back to those adjectives. How would I describe the Mitford girls, having read their guide to life? The list might include words like: eccentric, stoical, opinionated, cynical, mischievous, impoverished, and scandalous. Above all, though, whether you like them or not, the Mitford girls are distinctive and unforgettable personalities – as you’ll discover if you read the book. Beautifully produced, with some evocative black and white photographs, this book would make a good gift.
Book: The Mitford Girls’ Guide to Life
Author: Lyndsy Spence
Review by Sue Creed
Sue Creed is an avid reader who is keen to promote books of all kinds. She has worked in education - at school and university level - for more than 25 years. When she's not reading, she's gardening.