The Viceroy's Daughters

DETAILS : 

• Author : Anne de Courcy
  
• Publisher ‏ : ‎ Orion Publishing
  
• Publication date ‏ : ‎ 5 July 2001
  
• Language ‏ : ‎ English
  
• Paperback ‏ : ‎ 464 pages
  
• ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 075381255X
  
• ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0753812556
  
• Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 400 g

ABOUT THE BOOK

The Viceroy's Daughters: The Lives of the Curzon Sisters is a captivating biographical study by Anne de Courcy that provides an intimate look into the lives of three extraordinary women: Mary, Cynthia, and Alexandra (nicknamed "Baba"). They were the daughters of Lord Curzon, the imperious Viceroy of India, and his beautiful American heiress wife, Mary Leiter.

Set against the backdrop of the declining British Empire, the roaring twenties, and the looming shadows of World War II, the book explores the tension between their glittering social status and their often turbulent private lives. De Courcy masterfully chronicles their complicated relationships with their cold, demanding father and their high-profile marriages—most notably Cynthia's marriage to the British fascist leader Sir Oswald Mosley. The narrative is a rich blend of social history and psychological drama, detailing a world of grand country houses, political scandals, and the emotional costs of being born into the pinnacle of the British aristocracy.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Anne de Courcy is a renowned British biographer and journalist, widely respected for her expertise in the social history of the 20th century. Her work often focuses on the lives of the British upper class, capturing the nuances of a vanishing world with both sharp wit and deep empathy.

De Courcy is a "master of the period piece," known for her meticulous research into private diaries, letters, and archives. Her ability to weave personal anecdotes into the broader historical tapestry has made her books, such as The Husband Hunters and Chanel’s Riviera, bestsellers. Before becoming a full-time biographer, she was a prominent journalist for the Evening Standard and the Daily Mail. She is celebrated for her elegant prose and her ability to bring historical figures to life as complex, relatable human beings.