Welcome to Litsy!

Another #nonfictionread and this one was terribly fascinating for me. These six sisters were so very different and it was interesting to see how each of their life choices and their shared home life shaped these women. Highly recommend this book.

This was a welcome break from all the addicted celebrity memoirs I‘ve been listening to! It‘s quite the exhaustive look at the Mitford family, it feels like I‘ve always known a little bit about them. I need to get my hands on some Nancy Mitford books now

While I liked this book — it‘s very readable — I had trouble dealing with what seems to be the author‘s fangirling over Diana. While both Unity and Diana were close to Hitler, Diana is excused for this because a lot of English aristocrats liked him. Unity was simply “mad.” Diana‘s arrest and imprisonment is presented as a wrong done to her. The author especially seems to dislike Jessica and Nancy. Pamela and Deborah get very little page time.

It‘s 2° C and there are some snow flurries, I‘m not sure the magnolia blooms are going to last

The Mitford sisters have always been way out in the periphery of my reading and knowledge. I feel like I‘m about to go down a rabbit hole

New audio book while I make breakfast

This is my #doublespin for August.Probably won‘t finish it this month, I‘ve been wanting to read it for years .I had a pretty heavy garden trimming session in heat & humidity, reading is about all I‘m up to! Poor me!🤭😉That & kitten snuggles.🐱

This day has been all about the Mitfords: it began with our great #NYRBBookClub discussion and now I‘m hanging with them all (and a Pinot Grigio 😆) in my backyard.

Thanks for the interesting chat, fellow members. 😘

Well, after finishing (and loving!) Hons and Rebels, I found that I wasn‘t quite ready to leave the Mitford world. I also needed to know more about ALL of their lives.

#CurrentlyReading

This book would've been interesting if I hadn't read it during a pandemic. The sisters are fascinating, and the author researched the subject well, but I was looking for an escape. A 600 page biography wasn't it for right now. I'll finish it at a later date.

6-In addition to the blatant biases, the lack of chronological and thematic coherence, the flowery language, the random quotes, the over-reliance on Nancy Mitford's fiction - presented by the author as the definitive source of the Mitford‘s history, all contribute to making this book nothing more than rambling and un-qualified personal views of a Diana Mitford hardcore fan girl, with no political or social insight.

#nonfiction #biography #history

5-Thompson excuses Diana‘s & Unity‘s politics, yet blames Jessica for USSR crimes even though she left the communist party in 1958, disillusioned following the revelations of Stalin crimes; something neither Diana nor Unity did (Diana insisted to her last days that the Holocaust was manufactured propaganda). When Nancy informs the authorities of Diana's insidious support to the Nazis, it's due to jealousy of Diana‘s happy marriage and fertility.

4-Thompson downplays Diana's role in introducing her sister Unity to fascism, Nazism and Hitler himself, insisting Unity's downfall was due to her unbridled passion and the Mitford sisters‘ rivalry. Further, while Diana stated that she was anti-Semitic, Thompson insists that did not mean anything since Diana had “Jewish friends.” Thus, uncoupling the individual, their political choices and activism from politics and its real-life consequences.

3- A more insidious problem is that despite focusing on the political views and activities of the Mitford sisters, Thomson insists on depoliticising the choices of her hero, Diana, wife and life-time supporter of Oswald Mosley, founder of the UK fascist movement. Thompson downplays the consequences of Diana political choices and views, and blames them on Mosley.

2- Why pan:
In addition to the main characters, the Mitford sisters, the author attempts to cover the lives and views of their parents, their brother, their spouses, and several of their friends. Yet, she opts to jump from one POV to the other and one character to the other without a clear chronological or thematic order, which makes it almost impossible to actually understand and appreciate the characters and their ideologies and choices.

1- This Book is a biography of the intriguing Mitford sisters, British socialites who were active participants in many social and political movements (including socialism, communis, fascism and Nazism) that shaped the UK, Europe and world.
This is a long review in Litsy standards, therefore, I am going to divide it over 6 posts.

#review #nonfiction #history #politics

If there are six girls in the family, parents will not have a quiet life! Six sisters — Nancy, Pamela, Diana, Jessica, Unity and Deborah, lived lifes brightly. Arrogant and at the same time amazingly open the Mitford sisters are a symbol of a crazy time between world wars and the standard of the English aristocracy. #Mitford sisters were a controversial personalitys. I confess, I don't like them, but reading about them was very interesting!

Just uploaded my lasted video about this book and the insane story of the Mitford Sisters! https://youtu.be/bSHUnDe82oc

I decided to do some library digging for an audiobook about The Mitford Sister. I only have a cursory understanding of their story but it is epic- how 6 sisters not only grew up to be so different, but also spanning the political climate of England/Europe in WW2. I‘ve heard great things about the book of their letters to each other, which I hope to get to soon after this. Are there any famous families that spark your curiosity and interest?

Just started #TheSix #Talullah seems to like it #FWIW

Learned so much about the Mitfords that I never knew. Laura Thompson has really done her research. While taking an honest appraisal of the awful Nazi/fascism thing and the often vicious family infighting, Thompson handles her subject matter with affection (and astonishment). The men! The politics! The baby, Debo, had no rebellious options left, so she became the Hon-est Hon. So “U” of her, really. #anglophilesoflitsy #mitfords

Having a nice time reading so far. Delves into the Mitford sisters‘ family and interrelationships and what makes them unique. Suited to readers who are already fans of the Mitfords and the whole Mitford legend.

The story of the #Mitford sisters is one of the most fascinating stories in the 20th century. Six sisters who knew the greatest characters of the century — Kennedy, Churchill, Hitler, Mick Jagger...A novelist, a fascist, a member of the American Communist Party, a Duchess...Such different sisters!

@Samplergal is having a challenge to read 6 books by the end of the day on June 6. I don't know if I will be able to do it but I am down for the challenge! #sixby6/6

Dang! I had a vague sense the Mitford sisters were interesting but I HAD NO IDEA!! This is my first foray into their world and it's fascinating!! WTF Unity?! (Although maybe with a name like Unity Valrykie you're destined to be a Nazi?)
The writer's tone annoying at times. (She is pretty elitist.) But still, am thoroughly enjoying this book.

My first thought for #siblings had to be the Mitfords. This family is fascinating to me. I haven't read the tagged book yet, but I have it ready to go. #readingresolutions @Jess7

#TBRtemptation post 2! The eldest was razor-sharp novelist. The second as loved by John Betjeman. The third was a fascist who married Oswald Mosley. The fourth idolized Hitler and shot herself. The fifth was a member of the American Communist Party. The sixth became Duchess of Devonshire. Their outlooks illustrated the disparities of the '30s and '40s. #blameLitsy #blameMrBook 😎

This has been on my TBR list for awhile. Anyone out there completely fascinated by the Mitford sisters? #six #novemberbythenumbers #6

Hope I have enough reading material for a long weekend with my mom. (Note: not shown—ebooks and audiobooks)

Currently reading about the Mitfords and it's totally fair to say I am OBSESSED 😍😍. Does anyone have recommendations for related reading besides the tagged book?

It's still unread, but after I had read The Sisters by Mary S. Lovell I'm fascinated with this family, and I want to read it this month.
The house with seven children definitely #smellsliketeenspirit and all of the six sisters were at some point in their lives #dramaqueen
Bonus point - my ebook #shelfie

#junetunz #characters2017 #riotgrams

Here are the Mitford sisters: Nancy the writer, Pamela the unknown, Diana the Fascist, Unity the Nazi, Jessica the Communist, and Deborah the duchess. For all this book's faults (and there are many), the pan was cinched when author Laura Thompson emerged as an apologist for Diana Mitford, a Fascist who refused to denounce Hitler. "But she was so beautiful" says Thompson again and again. Just ... no. Ugh.

This was my first bail of the year 😞. The Mitford sisters are an interesting subject but this book is wildly disorganized and all over the place. Life is too short

First sentence: "Take six girls, all of them rampant individuals, and let them loose upon one of the most politically explosive periods in history. That is the story of the Mitfords." Nice! #currentlyreading #dogsoflitsy #dottie

Interesting subject but the book is all over the place and not very well organized. Maybe it is just me, but I need my nonfiction to have more structure. Just an ok read.

I read a biography of the Mitford's years ago and remember being fascinated (and a little repelled) so I picked this up. When I'm having a less than stellar week, I find comfort reading biography.

I've never read anything about the Mitfords and I've always wanted to. This sounds great!

Starting this.

Even though it's an advance copy and I agreed to review, it's too disorganized to comprehend. Sorry, toots. Had to make tracks.

HELP ME, LITSY PEOPLE! I got this ARC because it sounded interesting. I know very little about the Mitfords (hardly anything at all). My apologies, but this book is so far a disorganized mess. Ive read 13%. I may need to give it more time, but it's a slog. DO I BAIL? Is that allowed?! Have any of you ever bailed on an ARC?