The Mitford Girls' Guide to Life

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Nancy's guide to fashion or Diana's tips on how to stay young, this quirky and fact-filled book draws on rare and unpublished interviews and information to answer that question.

LYNDSY SPENCE is a bestselling author, historian and screenwriter who specializes in daring aristocratic women. She is the founder of The Mitford Society, an online community dedicated to the Mitford girls and is a freelance book reviewer for The Lady. Her books include The Mitford Girls' Guide to Life, The Grit in the Pearl: The Scandalous Life of Margaret, Duchess of Argyll, The Mistress of Mayfair: Men, Money and the Marriage of Doris Delevingne, and Cast a Diva: The Hidden Life of Maria Callas. Her book on Maria Callas is being adapted into a documentary by a double-Oscar nominated production company and she is producing a documentary on the Latin-American icon, Selena.