The Sisters: The Saga of the Mitford Family
This is the story of a close, loving family splintered by the violent ideologies of Europe between the world wars. Jessica was a Communist; Debo became the Duchess of Devonshire; Nancy was one of the best-selling novelists of her day; beautiful Dianamarried the Fascist leader Sir Oswald Mosley; and Unity, a close friend of Hitler, shot herself in the head when England and Germany declared war.
The Mitfords had style and presence and were extremely gifted. Above all, they were funny - hilariously and mercilessly so. In this wise, evenhanded, and generous book, Mary Lovell captures the vitality and drama of a family that took the twentieth century by storm and became, in some respects, its victims.
Review: I love family biographies, yet few other family sagas have captured my attention the way the Mitfords have in this book. The Sisters is primarily about David and Sydney Mitford's six daughters (although they also had one son, Tom). David and Sydney were part of the rather impoverished aristocracy of Great Britain at the turn of the century. When they married in 1904, they likely had no idea that their daughters were bring such name recognition to the family - "It seems such an ordinary story, this handsome but otherwise unremarkable young couple settling down to a quietly happy marriage.[...] There was absolutely no indication that their children - there would be seven in all - would be so extraordinary that they would make the family a household name" (18).
Their daughters - Nancy, Pam, Diana, Unity, Decca, and Debo - were extraordinarily gifted and all very beautiful and witty. Four of the girls - Nancy, Diana, Decca, and Debo - were published authors, and Nancy, in particular, was well-known for her novels including The Pursuit of Love and Love in a Cold Climate. Diana was considered a great beauty and married first the wealthy Bryan Guinness and later Sir Oswald Mosley, which led to Diana being the most hated woman in Britain due to her husband's political aspirations. Unity became an outspoken Nazi and a close friend of Hitler, before shooting herself in the head when England and Germany declared war on one another in 1939. Decca was a communist who eloped with a notorious cousin, Esmond, before immigrating to America and writing a series of illuminating non-fiction books, including her memoir Hons and Rebels. And Debo, the youngest, married Andrew Cavendish, 11th Duke of Devonshire and also wrote several well-known books. Only Pam, the domestic second daughter, and the only son Tom, who died in World War II, remained out of the limelight and led more quiet lives.
With such a large and spirited group of siblings, it is unsurprising that something not unlike a Mitford family culture arose. Several of the girls were even near fluent in their own invented language which they called "Boudeldidge." The girls' letters and accounts reveal much spirited teasing, humor, and floods of nicknames for each family member, such as "Woman," which is what the homebody sister Pam was frequently referred to. Although the family was very close, the girls' political involvement as adults led to considerable rifts. After Decca ran off and married without her family's permission, she never saw or spoke to her father again, even though he lived for another twenty years. Nancy informed on her sister Diana for her friendship with Hitler and involvement through her husband Mosley, leading to Diana's imprisonment for three years. Decca and Diana, a Communist and a Fascist, respectively, had virtually no relationship post-WWII. Decca remained bitter towards her mother for not allowing any of the girls to receive a formal education. Yet much of this is due to their strong personalities and convictions, which is also what made the girls shine and won worldwide attention.
I have not read any other of the many accounts about the various Mitfords, so its difficult for me to assess whether or not Lovell has any basis in her portrayal. However, I found her book an excellent read, and she did a great job juggling nine distinct personalities and condensing the material into a readable size book. I was quite sad to reach the end of this book, and to see an end of an era with all the sisters slowly dying. For anyone interested in the political factions arising in Britain between the two world wars or anyone interested in family histories, famous authors of the twentieth century, great families of Britain, or sibling relationships, this book is likely a good choice. After reading this, I am greatly interested in reading the works of the four published sisters.
Review: 4.5
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