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With the same narrative panache and gift for good gossip that made White Mischief such fun, James Fox turns his attention here to the Langhorne sisters, Southern beauties who wielded a powerful influence in politics and culture during the tumultuous years from the turn of the 20th century through the Second World War. Lizzie (1867-1914) married a Virginian and stayed home, but her siblings conquered Yankee America and England. Irene (1873-1956) married Charles Dana Gibson and served as the model for that all-American icon, the Gibson girl. Baby sister Nora (1889-1955), dreamy and artistic, had a turbulent life scattered with lovers including, perhaps, F. Scott Fitzgerald. Nancy (1879-1964) entered English society through second husband Waldorf Astor and focused her formidable energies on politics as the first female member of Parliament and hostess to the notorious "Cliveden set." Sensitive, introspective Phyllis (1880-1937), the author's grandmother, survived a bad first marriage and an affair with a British officer to happily wed the brilliant English economist Bob Brand. Fox makes excellent use of thousands of the sisters' letters to reveal five dynamic personalities in their own words. His shrewd commentary provides context for a riveting tale of family ties, social commitments, and the complex interplay between them that shaped the Langhorne women's lives. --Wendy Smith
Book Description
The beautiful Langhorne sisters lived at the pinnacle of society from the end of the Civil War through the Second World War. Born in Virginia to a family impoverished by the Civil War, Lizzie, Irene, Nancy, Phyllis, and Nora eventually made their way across two continents, leaving rich husbands, fame, adoration, and scandal in their wake.
At the center of the story is Nancy, who married Waldorf Astor, one of the richest men in the world. Heroic, hilarious, magnetically charming, and a bully, Nancy became Britain's first female MP. The beautiful Irene married Charles Dana Gibson and was the model for the Gibson Girl. Phyllis, the author's grandmother, married a famous economist, one of the architects of modern Europe. Author James Fox draws on the sisters' unpublished correspondence to construct an intimate and sweeping account of five extraordinary women at the highest reaches of society.
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Lizzie, Irene, Nancy, Phyllis, and Nora were born in Virginia to a family impoverished by the Civil War. Their father recovered the wealth he'd lost by collaborating with the Yankees and building railroads, and the sisters became Southern belles and Northern debutantes. Fox draws on unpublished correspondence between the sisters and their husbands, lovers, and children, and the powerful and glamorous of their day. At the center is the most famous, Nancy, who married the richest man in England, Lord Waldorf Astor. Heroic, charming, and a bully, Lady Astor became the first woman M.P., championing women's rights and the poor. The beautiful Irene married Charles Dana Gibson and was the model for the Gibson Girl. The author's grandmother, Phyllis, married one of the architects of modern Europe. Fox has written an absorbing, spirited, gossipy, and sweeping account of extraordinary women at the highest reaches of society in a tumultuous century.
Customer Reviews:
Didn't make it past the first chapter.......2007-01-04
I didn't know that the author was related to the subjects of the biography until half-way through the first chapter. This relationship allows him access to many never-before studied historical documents, mostly letter between the sisters; however, it also provides him with an unfortunate bias. Within the first chapter, it seemed to me that he was stumbling over himself to extoll the virtues of his grandmother and her family. According to Fox, each of the sisters seems just about perfect in chapter 1, with the exception of Nancy, who is introduced as both needy and powerful and, honestly, sounds like the most (I almost want to say only) interesting sister in the bunch.
I might have read further to see if there was further character development, but I was completely put off by what I saw as the author's disregard of historical fact in order to agrandize his own family. For example, I would enjoy reading more about Nancy Astor, as long as it was free of attempts to surreptitiously convince me that the Langhorne family slaves were really part of the family and they loved their masters. While I'll agree that Nancy Astor reminds me of Scarlett O'Hara, I think it's important to remember that Mammy and Big Sam are ultimately literary conventions and that the image of southern gentility painted in novels like "Gone with the Wind" is just that - an image.
Additionally, while I'm sure it is admirable that his grandfather, Bob Brand, realized that forcing the Germans to pay reparations would breed economic and social instability, he was certainly not "almost a lone voice in trying to persuade the Allies." In fact, one of Brand's colleagues and an influencial economist of the day, John Maynard Keynes, not only recognized this, but also wrote an essay on the subject published in, I think, 1920 or 1921. In doing a Google search for "Bob Brand" and "The Wisest Man in the Empire," it appears that the only record on the Internet of this pseudonym is in this very book. While I'm sure that Mr. Brand was intelligent and influencial in his career, I found the author's idolization of his grandfather to be extremely self-serving.
If you're looking for a book about sisters or about women in history who had to juggle their national and familial obligations with their own desires, fears, and personal weaknesses, check out "Victoria's Daughters" by Jerrold M. Packard. It's set around the same time-period, and there are even five sisters. It's not perfect, but I felt the character development was much more carefully done and the book is not so historically fluffy.
Five Sisters: The Langhornesof Virginian.......2007-01-03
It was wonderful to reread an old favoritein such excellent condition. Many thanks for the quick delivery!
boring tale about flakey mean people.......2003-08-20
I had to quit reading this book approximately half way through because I had no interest whatsoever in continuing to read about these snobby, conceited and dull women. Don't waste your time.
As The World Turns - Langhorne Style.......2003-03-17
This excellent biography takes an in-depth look at the famous, turn-of-the-century five Langhorne sisters of Virginia. The author is the grandson of one of the sisters, which gave him unprecedented access to some never-before-published letters and journals. Lizzie, Irene, and Nora take a back seat to highly visible Nancy (Lady Astor, first woman to serve in Parliament) and Phyllis, the author's grandmother. The author weaves historical and political background around the sisters' stories, which gives the book a pleasurable informational heft and weight.
They started out poor, as most Virginians were after the calamity of the Civil War. Eldest sister Lizzie was born in 1867, only two years after the war. Father, Chillie Langhorne, hit it big about twenty years later by entering into business with some Yankee railroaders. Then he was able to purchase the fabled Mirador, a perfect setting for his daughters. Chillie and mother Nemoire could have been stand-ins for Scarlett O'Hara's father and mother. Chillie was a hard-drinking charmer and a complete autocrat while Nemoire was almost saintly in her beauty and patience. They had eleven children, eight who lived, five girls and three boys. Two of the boys died young of a combination of hard drinking and tuberculosis.
Eldest Lizzie, who grew up poor and was already married living in genteel poverty in Richmond when Chillie hit it big, resented her sister's success all her life---but thought monetary gifts were her due. Irene was a true phenom, a bona fide celebrity, the last true Southern Belle who took the entire East Coast by storm with her breathtaking beauty. She married Charles Dana Gibson and was the prototype of the Gibson Girl. Irene may not have been the sharpest knife in the drawer, but she was kind (a rare trait among the Langhorne girls) and supportive all her life. Volatile, incredible Nancy who married and divorced a Boston millionaire, then married one of the richest men in the world, Waldorf Astor, almost single-handedly tore her family apart with her extreme possessiveness of both her sisters and children. Nancy looked like a beautiful, frail Edwardian lady with marvelously intense sapphire-colored eyes. Looks deceive. She was actually fiery, cruelly witty, and indomnible. Phyllis followed Nancy's footsteps marrying and divorcing an East Coast millionaire and remarrying famed British economist Robert Brand. Phyllis was soulful, the best woman rider in the country, and was a born martyr. My favorite was baby sister Nora, scatter-brained, scandalous, with a complete disregard for the truth fell in and out of love all her life. Men could not resist her. Nora's sisters had to bail her out over and over again, while Nora sincerely said she had made a "fresh start" every time. But Nora was a loving, generous person and a wonderful caring mother (her daughter was the actress Joyce Grenfell), and her nieces and nephews adored her.
"Five Sisters" is a fascinating read, well researched with an excellent index and bibliography. I recommend it highly.
-sweetmolly-Amazon reviewer
I think some reviewers have missed the point.......2002-06-22
There are many reviews of this book posted and many emphasize the shallowness and unpleasantness of the sisters, especially Nancy. This is true; I think Mr. Fox presented these women honestly, warts and all, but I also think that many reviewers missed a very important point.
Lady Nancy Astor was the first woman to be elected to and sit in the House of Commons. She stood for the seat because her husband, Waldorf, having become a peer, could no longer sit in the House of Commons. She was not a good representative, having no real grasp of or even interest in the issues.
HOWEVER, and this is my point, each day she entered the House of Commons she performed an act of great courage. The male members (all the rest) viewed her presence in chambers as an aberrance of nature. This hostility was outright and overt and fell short only of physical violence. In one debate on venereal disease they used the most graphic pictures they could find in an attempt to drive her out of chambers.
Though she may have been motivated more by pride than by principle, she gave other women the courage to come after her. When Margaret Thatcher dedicated a placque in her honor some years ago she emphasized the courage it took Nancy (and still takes women today) to take a seat in the Commons.
Regardless of whatever else she was, she deserves the credit for her courage and the foundation she laid for the women that came after.
Book Description
This digital document is an article from Journal of Southern History, published by Southern Historical Association on November 1, 2001. The length of the article is 564 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.
Citation Details
Title: Five Sisters: The Langhornes of Virginia. (Book Reviews).(Review)
Author: Tammy Whitlock
Publication:
Journal of Southern History (Refereed)
Date: November 1, 2001
Publisher: Southern Historical Association
Volume: 67
Issue: 4
Page: 886(2)
Article Type: Book Review
Distributed by Thomson Gale
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James Fox Five Sisters: The Langhornes of Virginia.(Review) (book review): An article from: New Criterion
Lauren Weiner
Manufacturer: Foundation for Cultural Review
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ASIN: B0008H7TPE
Release Date: 2005-07-28 |
Book Description
This digital document is an article from New Criterion, published by Foundation for Cultural Review on April 1, 2000. The length of the article is 2084 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.
Citation Details
Title: James Fox Five Sisters: The Langhornes of Virginia.(Review) (book review)
Author: Lauren Weiner
Publication:
New Criterion (Magazine/Journal)
Date: April 1, 2000
Publisher: Foundation for Cultural Review
Volume: 18
Issue: 8
Page: 76
Article Type: Book Review
Distributed by Thomson Gale
Book Description
For the countless basketball fans who were spellbound by the Los Angeles Lakers' 2003- 2004 high-wire act, this book is a rare and phenomenal treat. In The Last Season, Lakers coach Phil Jackson draws on his trademark honesty and insight to tell the whole story of the season that proved to be the final ride of a truly great dynasty. From the signing of future Hall-of-Famers Karl Malone and Gary Payton to the Kobe Bryant rape case/media circus, this is a riveting tale of clashing egos, public feuds, contract disputes, and team meltdowns that only a coach, and a writer, of Jackson's candor, experience, and ability could tell. Full of tremendous human drama and offering lessons on coaching and on life, this is a book that no sports fan can possibly pass up.
Customer Reviews:
More than a penny for his thoughts.......2007-09-10
I have always perceived Phil Jackson to be a an introspective and intellectually curious individual. This book has further bolstered that opinion. A fairly easy read, the depth of Phi's candor is perhaps what is most striking. He unabashedly relays his thoughts on how Shaq could be a better overall basketball if he focused on playing defense, his admiration of Karl Malone and Gary Payton for taking on diminished roles yet working hard, and then there's kobe. When this book was publicised back in 2005 in it the media (shocker) gave the impression that Kobe was villified throughout the book. Needless to say that perception is inaccurate. Although this book is about the tumultous 2003-04 season,Kobe hover's heavily over much of Phil's rumination. Phil's thoughts of Kobe are conflicted. On one hand there is the criticism of Kobe ( the aspect o of the book which the media dwelt on)his headstrong, occassional combustible personality, his refulsal to adhere to the triangle, seeming indifference, even ingratitude to the Laker's organization for their support during his rape trial, and feuds with Shaq. Phil's criticism of Kobe is tempered by him deeply analyzing the context in which the various incidents play out, and his (phil) role in agitating or diffusing the situaition. Overall, Phil seems to have a reluctant reverence of Kobe Bryant. This is mostly conveyed by how much he compares Kobe to Michael Jordan. The interpretation of this book should be subject to understading the context in which it is written. Phil's thoughts seem jarringly raw until one realizes that they were entries made into his personal journal. At that point he may be forgiven a little.
Read about what a creep Kobe Bryant really is.......2007-08-31
I was curious to see just what exactly this book would be like. I mean, the "last season" was not really the kind of season that Phil Jackson was looking for when he decided to write this book. Although the Lakers did have some brewing turmoil going on inside the organization, with the additions of Gary Payton and Karl Malone, it was assumed that they were the ordained NBA Champions. Well, did not turn out that way. But the growing Shaq vs. Kobe feud provides some ammunition. I like Phil Jackson and think he is a good coach and all and I guess this book is pretty good. If you are an NBA junkie and if you are a Laker junkie, it is essential. But if you just consider yourself a casual fan, it might be a tad dry. One thing is clear, Kobe is the creep that you always thought he was and I find it so enjoyable that he is stuck on a Laker team going nowhere, while Shaq has moved on and won another championship.
Bad writing style........2007-08-21
The book is written in a disorderly manner. At times he jumps around so much that it's hard to follow. Entertaining and informative as far as showing life as a coach of Lakers, especially Kobe and Shaq, the two dominant players, and biggest "problem children" on the team. Two players who were just down-right childish at times (especially Kobe). Phil had an especially tough time with Kobe, the ever so narcisitic MJ wannabe.
disapointing lack of depth.......2007-07-24
As a casual NBA fan and admirer of all Phil Jackson has done, I bought this book hoping to find something which would provide insight into the happenings behind the scenes, how Jackson handled all the chaos, and insight into an interesting season. Unfortunately Jackson's book does not weave a single cohesive theme. It is presented as a series of disjointed diary entries which spend far too much time focusing on recapping the most recent basketball game. Although there are some interesting noted in the book, some of which are highlighted in other reviews (and some of which made the news), they are few and far between, and usually buried in piles of game analysis and box score review. I hope Phil Jackson keeps his day job.
A Dynasty Distracted to Death.......2007-07-15
This book describes coach Phil Jackson's experiences with the team during the 2003-2004 season. Not only the Shaq-Kobe conflict, but also the Shaq-Phil and Kobe-Phil interactions, as well as Kobe's sexual assault trial, took energy and concentration away from playing basketball.
The result: The Lakers lost, Shaq went off to Miami, and Phil found himself on the wrong end of his "it's either Kobe or me" ultimatum. And the Lakers haven't been the same since.
This book does a good job of presenting Phil's side of the story; I'd like to look for other materials to help balance it out.
Product Description
One of the most successful coaches in the history of basketball offers his personal account of a season like no other-the extraordinary ride of the 2003-2004 Los Angeles Lakers.
From the signing of the future Hall-of-Famers Karl Malone and Gary Payton, to the intricacies of managing difficult relationships and public feuds, facing Shaq's injuries, contract disputes, and team meltdowns, all in the shadow of the Kobe Bryant trial-slash-media circus, Phil Jackson somehow guided his team through to its fourth NBA Finals in his five years as its coach.
With explosive revelations and never-before-told insights, Jackson brings to life this amazing season coaching a team as talented, and as troubled as any he's ever known.
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- Hollywood is hidden, Lewis Finds it
- A look at studios v. autuers
- decent critique of an excellent topic
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Whom God Wishes to Destroy . . .: Francis Coppola and the New Hollywood
Jon Lewis
Manufacturer: Duke University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
Entertainers
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Book Description
In March 1980 Francis Coppola purchased the dilapidated Hollywood General Studios facility with the hope and dream of creating a radically new kind of studio, one that would revolutionize filmmaking, challenge the established studio machinery, and, most importantly, allow him to make movies as he wished. With this event at the center of Whom God Wishes to Destroy, Jon Lewis offers a behind-the-scenes view of Coppola’s struggle—that of the industry’s best-known auteur—against the changing realities of the New Hollywood of the 1980s. Presenting a Hollywood history steeped in the trade news, rumor, and gossip that propel the industry, Lewis unfolds a lesson about power, ownership, and the role of the auteur in the American cinema. From before the success of The Godfather to the eventual triumph of Apocalypse Now, through the critical upheaval of the 1980s with movies like Rumble Fish, Hammett, Peggy Sue Got Married, to the 1990s and the making of Bram Stoker’s Dracula and Kenneth Branagh’s Frankenstein, Francis Coppola’s career becomes the lens through which Lewis examines the nature of making movies and doing business in Hollywood today.
Customer Reviews:
Hollywood is hidden, Lewis Finds it.......2007-06-05
I read this book as part of research I was doing on movies and culture. Most of the books were dry as a desert mummy and required a lot of fortitude and tenacity to read. This book, however, was composed well. Before I knew it, I had read the first three chapters. It's well-researched, thrilling to read, insightful, and probably has the best portrayal of what it takes to put together a multi-million-dollar movie - a process that remains largely hidden from the public at large. Films are too influential in our culture; it's a healthy dose of realism to know that a writer who wrote about truth, honesty and love had his/her script picked up by people who didn't possess any of those things. It's hard to hold honor over several mil - but it makes for great storytelling!
A look at studios v. autuers.......1999-03-09
This is a true exposure of the battles that raged between studios and autuers in the 60's-70's. By using one of the most notable of the autuers of the time, Lewis, paints an indepth and at the same time entertaining look at the workings of film making.
decent critique of an excellent topic.......1998-10-23
The apparently antagonistic roles that the director and the financiers play in Hollywood is adeptly broken down by Lewis in this book. Lewis demonstrates how power, money and name interact in Hollywood and how Coppola, disregarding certain aspects of it, went up against an institution -- and failed.
Book Description
Schumann's famous song cycle Dichterliebe of 1840 is one of the most enigmatic works in the Western musical repertoire. This book employs Romantic poetics and recent critical thought to help explain the mysterious magnetism of this essentially fragmentary work. A musico-poetic analysis demonstrates the voice of the "Other" and presents Schumann as the "second poet of the poem" when setting Heine's famous Lyrisches Intermezzo. Methodologically, the analysis attempts to synthesize philosophical, literary-critical, music-analytical and psycho-analytical modes of thought.
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Schumann's famous song cycle Dichterliebe of 1840 is one of the most enigmatic works in the Western musical repertoire. This book employs Romantic poetics and recent critical thought to help explain the mysterious magnetism of this essentially fragmentary work. A musico-poetic analysis demonstrates the voice of the "Other" and presents Schumann as the "second poet of the poem" when setting Heine's famous Lyrisches Intermezzo. Methodologically, the analysis attempts to synthesize philosophical, literary-critical, music-analytical and psycho-analytical modes of thought.
Customer Reviews:
What a disappointment!.......2003-09-12
I had high hopes for this book, because the description sounded so intriguing. They're wonderful songs, and the combination of music analysis and critical theory is right up my alley. Well, the music analysis is incompetent -- not pedestrian, but positively amateurish. The critical theory is trite and superficial, feeling as if it had been cut and pasted from an introductory textbook. Cambridge has produced some great books, but this one is embarrassing.
Book Description
This book provides the most current, thorough, and contemporary account of the factors affecting the organizational design process, making important organization theories accessible and interesting. It addresses the many issues and problems that are involved in managing the process of organizational change and transformation, providing direct and clear managerial implications. Topics covered in this comprehensive book are the organization and its environment; organizational design; organizational change; and finally, interesting case studies that illustrate the concepts presented. A useful book that is appropriate for managers in any organization.
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- Footprints Of A Pilgrim
- Fortunes of Mitchell Kennerley, Bookman
- Gettyrama: Little known facts about J. Paul Getty and more
- God's Generals: Why They Succeeded and Why Some Failed
- Godfather of the Kremlin: the Life and Times of Boris Berezovsky
- Grandmère: A Personal History of Eleanor Roosevelt
- Hanging the Moon: The Rollins Rise to Riches (Cultural Studies of Delaware and the Eastern Shore)
- Heaven: Close Encounters of the God Kind
- Here I Stand: My Struggle for a Christianity of Integrity, Love, and Equality
- High Calling: The Courageous Life and Faith of Space Shuttle Columbia Commander Rick Husband
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