This week on the History, Books and Wine podcast, I'm pouring a glass of vino and diving into the Scandalous Mitford family! They were made up of socialites, debutantes, couple of fascists, a communist, socialists, a couple of Nazi sympathizers, WWII volunteers, a soldier, authors, a duchess... the list goes on and on... This wild family of seven siblings were constantly in the papers in the 1920s, 30s, 40s...and still TO THIS DAY!
Nancy's book The Pursuit of Love was just adapted into a short series by Netflix, starring Lily James. Diana even has a cameo on the show, Peaky Blinders, played by Amber Anderson.
There is something about the Mitfords that fascinates and continues to do so a hundred years later.
Take a listen to find out the fascinating history behind this scandalous and evergreen family. Here's a snippet to get your started.
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From USA Today bestselling author Eliza Knight: a brilliant dual-narrative story about Nancy Mitford—one of 1930s London’s hottest socialites, authors, and a member of the scandalous Mitford Sisters—and a modern American book curator desperate for change, connected through time by a little London bookshop.
1938: She was one of the six sparkling Mitford sisters, known for her stinging quips, stylish dress, and bright green eyes. But Nancy Mitford’s seemingly sparkling life was really one of turmoil: with a perpetually unfaithful and broke husband, two Nazi sympathizer sisters, and her hopes of motherhood dashed forever. With war imminent, Nancy finds respite by taking a job at the Heywood Hill Bookshop in Mayfair, hoping to make ends meet, and discovers a new life.
Present Day: When book curator Lucy St. Clair lands a gig working at Heywood Hill she can’t get on the plane fast enough. Not only can she start the healing process from the loss of her mother, it’s a dream come true to set foot in the legendary store. Doubly exciting: she brings with her a first edition of Nancy’s work, one with a somewhat mysterious inscription from the author. Soon, she discovers her life and Nancy’s are intertwined, and it all comes back to the little London bookshop—a place that changes the lives of two women from different eras in the most surprising ways.
