Welcome to Litsy!

Biography of Idina Sackville written by her great-granddaughter. Idina scandalously married and divorced several times during the 1st half of the 20th century. She was one of the British ex-pats living it up in Happy Valley Kenya.

Her story is interesting but the author is too close to the subject and is not objective. She is rather judgy at times and also projects emotions onto Idina that she can't possibly know she felt.

I quite enjoyed this and now want to move to British East Africa and be awful. (I hope my sarcasm is obvious, seriously it is a really a good read!!)

Scandal upon scandal. For instance, Sackville was married five times between 1913 and 1945! Highly recommended read 👍

#MagicalMarch #ScandalousSaturday

Took all month to finish this book and it shouldn't have, as I really liked it. I blame busy work days that shorten lunches. ☹️#LitsyAtoZ #LetterO

April TBR Part 2!

An interesting read: was in tears at the end.
Not expertly written at the start, the tale of Idina Sackville's life is intriguing and beguiling.

What strikes me is how fickle these people are, not only in their affections with paramours but also between what seem firm friendships and siblings too.

I really felt sad for Idina toward the end of the book, and feel compelled to be a better friend and family-bod as a result.

Barbie is such a heartless cow.

My wonderful Great-Uncle was similarly kept in England doing short courses in Swahili at Oxford. He is too modest to admit that this was because he is very clever, and as such his card was marked, but I suspect that was the case.

This book is littered with unusual Christian names. Reminds me of chavvy names today. But perhaps I am just displaying how terribly middle class I am.

And Euan had abandoned them for a year too. Neither was an exemplar.

This is all about illness in a time before #antibiotics. I hold my breath, fearing the worst. But they survive. I'm also amazed that with all the bed-hopping there aren't more STDs.

I'm disappointed that Idina's sister let Euan go feral and didn't look out for her sister, especially when she was ill.

This quote has been mentioned already. I've found another point/quite being repeated unnecessarily and it's bugging me. P105

#Morphine has been mentioned a couple of times so far. Again, didn't realise there wasn't this #drug culture in #Edwardian #England.

There is so much detail in this book. It does make me wonder what her sources are.

"Ninety years on, electricity still fizzes from the portrait" I don't think I agree with this sentiment...

Didn't know this about Belgian refugees in 1914

The biography of Idina Sackwell, an heiress who ran away from her marriage to settle in Kenya's Happy Valley as part of British colonization. She was a true feminist running the farm on her own and having her own slew of famous friends and love interests. Loved it! So well written I want to visit.