The Duchess

Written by Amanda Foreman

Narrated by Wanda McCaddon

Winner of Britain's prestigious Whitbread Prize, Amanda Foreman's bestselling work is a penetrating, marvelously written account of Lady Georgiana Spencer.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Tantor Audio
• Release date: Jun 15, 2009
• ISBN: 9781400111619

Amanda Foreman

Amanda Foreman was born in London in 1968. She is the daughter of the late Hollywood film maker Carl Foreman (High Noon, The Bridge on the River Kwai, Guns of Navarone). Her early years were spent shuttling between home in Los Angeles and school in Dorset. Her first book, ‘Georgiana Duchess of Devonshire’ won the 1998 Whitbread Biography of the year Award. A self-confessed Trekkie, when not at work she is either cooking, surfing the net, or catching up on the latest sci-fi.

Reviews for The Duchess

[picardyrose · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

The Duke was awful.

[ritaer_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Very detailed but sometimes hard to follow the names and dates. A remarkable women with crippling addiction to gambling, Details of Whig politics important but also a bit hard to follow if one is not familiar with the period. Author has interesting thesis, that our knowledge of how women were barred from politics during the Victorian era affects our ability to recognize the influence that women like Georgiana had in an earlier era. Of course those somewhat familiar with the transition know that there was a reaction, not just against participation in politics, but also against the flagrant sexual license of the late 18th century.

[kaylaraeintheway · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Amanda Foreman, using surviving correspondence from Georgiana and various other people in her life, provides a very detailed account of Georgiana's life, from her upbringing by her over-involved mother to her contributions to the Whig party and to politics in general in England. I did not really know anything about Georgiana before I started this book (I watched the movie with Keira Knightley when it first came out, and all I can remember from it is the "drunk scene"), so I was pleasantly surprised to find that she was an incredible and dynamic woman (though she did have her faults; namely gambling, her habit of not paying people back, and her dependence on Bess Foster, a scheming friend who was always jealous of Georgiana's life). While I admit that most of the political parts of the book bored me (I found it hard to keep track of who was who), I found it fascinating that she, as a woman in the 18th century, was able to get so involved in politics, and a lot of big players (the Prince of Wales, Fox, etc.) came to her for advice and to rally voters. I was also (not entirely) surprised to discover that practically everyone had several affairs and illegitimate children as a result (including Georgiana and her husband the Duke - with the aforementioned Bess). That was also kind of hard to keep track of - all of the affairs!I appreciate how Foreman did not shy away from Georgiana's faults and mistakes, especially when concerning Bess and her propensity to overly trust people.Overall, a very interesting look into the life of the Duchess, and the lives of 18th-century aristocracy in general. The Duchess film is available for streaming on Netflix, so I will watch that soon to see how it compares.

[wealhtheowwylfing · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Georgiana was a wealthy, titled lady who married into an even wealthier, better titled family* and spent the remainder of her days being a leader of fashion and politics. This was an excellent biography of a notable woman. Unlike ealier time periods, this was an era of paper. All of Georgiana's friends, relatives and enemies wrote daily; the correspondance about her would alone provide material enough for a book. In addition, she was daily featured in newspapers and cartoons, novels (including her own, [book: The Sylph]), at least one play (Sheridan's "School for Scandal") and diaries; there is a glut of information about the time and Georgiana. It is mind-bending to realize that almost every day of her life could be accounted for. I'm used to time periods in which whole years are mysteries, let alone birth dates, physical appearance, or handwriting. I recommend this biography to anyone interested in the Georgian or Regency periods; it provides an excellent, behind-the-scenes idea of the politics of the time, as well as a good understanding of how the upper-class lived.

Georgiana was an international celebrity; she was a dear friend of Marie Antoinette and George IV. She led fashion and society for decades, before retiring (like many of her contemporaries) due to overwhelming debts and a personal scandal. Like her sister Harriet (mother of the infamous Caroline Lamb, who is described in Georgiana's letters as a plump, spoiled girl), she bore an illegitimate child.

I think I would have quite liked the quick-witted, rather overwrought, highly dynamic Georgiana.




*The Cavendishes, descendants of that worthy Tudor woman [book: Bess of Hardwick].

[lisa.johnson.james · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This biography of an 18th century aristocrat was beautifully written, impeccably researched, & utterly fascinating. The gamut of emotions are experienced, from laughter at some of her exploits to sympathy at her illnesses & the lack of medical expertise. Some of the "cures" were worse than the illnesses themselves.Georgiana wasn't a perfect person by any stretch, this history outlines in staggering detail her gambling addictions, the sheer amounts of money she owed, & what it's equivalents on today's markets would be. It also outlines how important she was to the politics of her country, & that she became the "backbone" of her chosen party.Ultimately, she was indeed a woman to be admired. I encourage anyone who is interested in history, women's studies, etc to read this....

[yukon92 · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

Very "dry" read. Way too much politics in there for my liking.

[flyheatherfly · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

While I enjoyed the story, and love this genre, I found it a bit slow and plodding. One of the FEW books that I preferred the film version of. She was an immensely interesting lady, likened to the Princess Diana of her time in terms of notoriety and trend setting.

[setnahkt · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I’m used to thinking of celebrities with financial and moral imperfections as a recent phenomena. It was interesting to find that Georgiana, the Duchess of Devonshire, in the late 18th / early 19th century, managed to be linked to a number of lovers, including several of the leading politicians of the day, and have an illegitimate child by one; have a lesbian relationship with one of her husband’s mistresses; run up the equivalent of $7M in gambling debts; and become a laudanum addict. In her spare time she was the leading society hostess of the day; a devoted mother (including her husband’s illegitimate children); very active in Whig politics; the model for Lady Teazle in The School for Scandal; the foremost arbiter of women’s fashion; and an accomplished amateur chemist and mineralogist (receiving favorable notice in these area from both Joseph Banks and Henry Cavendish). She makes the exploits of Monica Lewinsky, Paris Hilton, and Madonna look pretty pathetic.

[pierthinker · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

With many historical figures the problem is to place the character in context for the life and time of the reader. Sometimes the smartphone internet cafe moccachino user just does not ‘get’ the medieval monk. With Georgiana, Duchess of Devonshire (1757-1806) we have no such problems. She is a woman as suited to the 21st century as she was (and was not) to the 18th century.With many historical figures the problem is to place the character in context for the life and time of the reader. Sometimes the smartphone internet cafe moccachino user just does not ‘get’ the medieval monk. With Georgiana, Duchess of Devonshire (1757-1806) we have no such problems. She is a woman as suited to the 21st century as she was (and was not) to the 18th century.Georgiana blasted her way to prominence through force of personality. No great beauty, she was adored by almost all who met her and dominated the London smart set, the ton, for most of her life. She all but ran the Whig party during the crucial years at the turn of the 19th century. She had everything that we would call desirable today: fame, adulation, power and money. Think of her as a sublime mix of Kim Kardashian, Beyonce, the Duchess of Cambridge and Hillary Clinton.There was also a dark side. She had a gambling addiction and never really understood the value of money. Her gambling and other debts almost bankrupted her husband, the Duke. She took lovers and her illegitimate child almost ruined her marriage; that it did not says much about the infidelity of the Duke and the mores of the time. She almost certainly had a long-term lesbian love affair with Lady Elizabeth Foster, ‘Bess’, who shared her home and her husband.Throughout this book, no matter how reprehensible, shocking or unacceptable (to our eyes) her actions, we cannot help but fall a little in love with Georgiana and root for her to succeed as we would any fictional heroine.Amanda Foreman has written a magnificent biography. Intimate, exciting and always driving forwards as we want to learn more about this woman and what she did next.

[lauriebrown54 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Georgiana Spencer, born in 1757, was not your typical court lady of the time. She was seventeen when she married the 5th Duke of Devonshire, twenty years her senior. Like many men of the time, he made no pretense of being faithful, but the Duke went further than usual. He fell in love with Georgiana’s best friend, Lady Elizabeth Foster, and moved her into the house. The three lived together for the next 25 years. Georgiana loved Bess as much as the Duke did, so it was not the horror story that some have made of it. Whether Georgiana and Bess were lovers is not known, but they seemed satisfied with sharing the Duke. Her living arrangements (and her own love affairs) have overshadowed the fact that Georgiana was very politically active. In a time when women could not vote, Georgiana held parties to sway political affiliations and lobbied hard for the Whig contingent and was very politically influential. Living in the turbulent time that King George III was slipping in and out of madness meant various political factions were jockeying for power, and Georgiana had the ability to create a spectacle to attract people. Georgiana was always in debt. She was a gambling addict and ran up tremendous IOUs; but she was also extremely generous with money to her friends and family. The Duke bailed her out many times and still, she died in debt. She was also an amateur scientist and a collector of mineral specimens. Her interests were far ranging. She was a fascinating woman and a lot of correspondence was left from, to, and about, her. This helped the author, along with a huge list of books, bring the Duchess to life. Parts of the book are fast reading; the parts about politics were, to me, slow going and frankly bored me, but necessary as so much of Georgiana’s life was about politics. Not the easiest read but well worth the effort.

[shojo_a · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

AKA the book that The Duchess starring Keira Knightly was based on. Georgiana lived during the late Georgian and early Regency periods, so having all that Heyer under my belt makes the book that much more interesting, because I recognize people and cultural references. It was really interesting as portrait of the excesses of the lives of the Quality back then, including how many lives were ruined by gambling addiction and debt, the emergence of the popular press relating glowing praise and scathing censure of glamorous figures who became caught up in the public imagination, the position of women, etc etc.

It was especially interesting as a look at a different model of marriage - the menage a trois maintained for over 15 years between Georgia, the Duke, and Bess, in that in many ways Bess became a mistress to both the Duke and Georgia.

I think I'll see the movie, but from what I've read it takes serious liberties with just about everything from events to people's character.

[kimmr_2 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I loved this book. I expected it to be well-written and informative, but it was so much engaging than I ever could have anticipated. It is easy to see why Amanda Formeman might have fallen a little in love with Georgiana; indeed, it is difficult to see how anyone could fail to do so. Here is a woman who was so intelligent, so vibrant and yet so flawed. What an amazing life she had. I was astonished to realise how far back the cult of celebrity actually extends - and how the cult of celebrity operated in a world without mass communication. Reading this biography has made me want to read Georgiana's own work, The Syph, as well as Fanny Burney's novels and diary and as much else as I can about the period.

[sly_wit · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

A fascinating study of a fascinating woman far ahead of her time. Loved how this wanna-be-academic ended up writing about Georgiana. Made me seriously consider writing about Diane de Poitiers.

[naimahaviland · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I enjoyed The Duchess, a biography of the 18th century Georgiana, Duchess of Devonshire, written by Amanda Foreman. This biography was thorough. It follows her life ranging from birth to death, including all the changes in culture, politics, the arts, and so on that influenced her and that SHE influenced. Georgiana was a fascinating person whose loves, addictions, bravado, and natural elan made news at times on a daily basis. She was an extremely visible political campaigner, a compulsive gambler, a fashion trendsetter, and most endearing in my eyes -- a stoic survivor. On the one hand, this book chronicles the politics of the day. On the other, it's a soap opera of love affairs, illegitimate babies, financial catastrophes, bloody revolution, and royal intrigues. What a romp! I read this book - and only this book - continually within about two weeks, which is unusual for me as I tend to graze among many books. If you've seen the movie starring Kiera Knightly, do yourself a favor and read the book. You'll be amazed at how much more complicated the players really were.

[lisamaria_c · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This is obviously a well-researched biography of Georgiana, Duchess of Devonshire, a figure of political and social consequence from her teen years when she married the duke in 1774 to her death in 1806. The book is studded with the surviving letters by her and about her that Foreman traveled throughout Britain to research. The Duchess was a confidante of the Prince of Wales, an intimate of Whig statesman Charles James Fox, a friend of Edward Gibbon (writer of Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire) and playwright Richard Sheridan (who modeled the lead in School for Scandal after her) a subject of a famous portrait by Gainsborough and acquainted with Frances Burney (a forerunner of Jane Austen.) Foreman confesses to the challenges of a biographer in the introduction--the incompleteness of the record eroded by time, the biases you find, and the dangers of "Stockholm Syndrome"--finding yourself held hostage by and falling in love with your subject--which I've certainly noted in just about every biographer and which Foreman isn't immune from. Foreman said that others have compared Georgiana to Marie Antoinette, with whom she was a close friend: Previous accounts portrayed her as charismatic but flighty woman; I see her as courageous and vulnerable. Reading Foreman's own biography I don't see her as courageous, although Foreman convinced me it's unfair to dismiss her as a mere party hostess and setter of fashion. In her introduction Foreman said she attempted to portray Georgiana's "life and times" and that for me is the fascination of the biography, although is also what some complain about. This has plenty about the social life, customs and mores of the day. It sometimes reads like a true life Georgette Heyer regency novel. Plenty of gossip, rumored menage a trois, secret pregnancies and hidden illegitimate children, ruinous gambling, suspected poisonings of abused wives. Austen claimed in Northanger Abbey that gothic plots were absurd--Foreman makes them sound common place. But this is also a political history, filled with lots of machinations of the Whigs and Tories. I haven't seen The Duchess, the film based on this book, but somehow I doubt that aspect made it in, but it's the linchpin to Foreman's biography and takes up a lot of its space. In her epilogue Foreman complains that: The propensity of women's historians to ignore high politics, and of political historians to ignore women, has resulted in a profound misunderstanding of one of the most sexually integrated periods of British history. Foreman tries to claim for Georgiana a key role here, and if politics bore you and you expect Foreman to provide only scandalous froth, you may find yourself disappointed. And where this book does lose a point for me is I don't think the personal side and the political side connect up--I found the evidence for Georgiana's political importance fairly scant. On the other hand, anyone purported to find the current American political scene uncivil or frivolous may be comforted. Truly, contemporary Democrats and Republicans have nothing on 18th century Tories and Whigs. I left this book feeling I better understood the era and for the most part vastly entertained.

[briandrewz · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Georgiana, Duchess of Devonshire, was one of the most famous women of her day. Her life was the subject of many a newspaper story or a scandalous article. This book draws together the different aspects of her life: daughter, wife, mother, friend, and master politician.The book is very heavy in dealing with Georgiana's political life. Indeed, I found myself at times completely bogged down by the events. Also, the subject of Georgiana's gambling debts surfaces again and again, becoming quite tedious and almost boring.I would only recommend this book to die-hard fans of the Duchess.

[diefledermaus · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This is a well-written and well-researched biography of a fascinating woman, Georgiana, Duchess of Devonshire. She was a tabloid celebrity in the late 18th century, the leader of the ton who set the fashions and partied and gambled excessively. She was also a strong supporter of politics and canvassed for Whig party candidates in a public fashion that inspired a backlash. Political meetings were regularly held in Devonshire House and she helped maintain the unity of the party, though she couldn’t prevent it from falling apart due to internal squabbles. Through family connections and friendships, she kept abreast of the events of the day – the French revolution and Irish rebellion – and tried to push policies that she supported through her favored politician, Charles Fox, and her brother, a member of William Pitt’s opposition cabinet. Georgiana had a wide variety of interests. She supported the arts and developed a passion for mineralogy - at her death, she had amassed a museum-quality collection. She wrote poetry and novels as well as musical compositions.Her personal life was often unhappy. Married to one of the richest men in the land, with a lofty title, she was never loved by the Duke, who took multiple mistresses. Her parents had had a loving marriage and she strove to be a good wife, but her husband was generally cold to her. Foreman provides a good explanation of his character – he never had an affectionate upbringing as his wife did, was naturally reserved and thought of marriage as more of a duty – his mistress was the one to who he showed affection. Georgiana also had massive debts and for years did not produce a male heir. The vicious reports of her behavior could not help. Georgiana sought love in other quarters. Various affairs were attributed to her – with Charles Fox, the politician she supported for years, and her close female friends. After meeting Lady Elizabeth Foster, Georgiana and her husband became close to her and she lived with them on-and-off until Georgiana’s death (Bess married the Duke soon after). Bess became the Duke’s mistress though speculations arose about her relationship with Georgiana. Whether the relationship was physical or not, Foreman notes, the more important part was Georgiana’s emotional dependence on her. Foreman delineates the motives of the characters skillfully and provides excerpts from letters and documents. The story reads like a good novel. She mentions in the intro that she grew attached to Georgiana and perhaps the one quibble would be in the way she writes Bess and, to a lesser extent, Georgiana’s sister-in-law, Lavinia, who disliked her. Foreman often describes negative feelings – jealousy, schadenfreude – for both women when it’s not clearly supported by evidence (though they could clearly be imagined). Bess is not a sympathetic woman but in a way, she was acting just like others in the ton – having affairs, stealing other women’s husbands, out for money. She did seem to care about her children (legitimate and illegitimate) but, for example, when she’s able to bring her illegitimate daughter to live with the Devonshires, Foreman notes how she must have felt triumph at spiting Georgiana’s mother, who had a longtime grudge against her.Georgiana’s documented affairs were with another member of the ton, the Duke of Dorset, and another Whig politician, Charles Grey. She gave birth to his daughter but had to give her up after her husband threatened to deny her access to their children. Foreman creates an excellent portrait of high society in the late 18th century. Everyone knew everyone and had affairs with each other, even wives. The only scandal came when a couple would run off together – then the ton would have to ostracize the woman. Of course a husband still controlled the marriage, leading to situations like Georgiana’s, where her husband’s illegitimate children were brought into their household, but he forced her to give up Grey’s daughter. Georgiana’s sister Harriet married Duncannon, a relative of the Duke’s. He was a much worse husband, cruel and abusive. When he found out that Harriet was cheating on him with the playwright and Whig politician Richard Brinsley Sheridan, he wanted to divorce her. That would create a public scandal so the Duke, acting for the family, prevented him from moving forward. Georgiana portrayed this society in The Sylph – probably the most interesting part of the book. High society is often glamorized in movies and pop culture, but Foreman accurately shows the unhappiness, loneliness and rigidity of that life. Georgiana was constantly under the eye of her family – her mother always advised or nagged her – and her in-laws, who disliked her and blamed her for the lack of a male heir. Even all the parties exhausted her and were prime reasons for her gambling and debt, her lifelong weakness. Foreman spends a lot of time on British politics. I found this to be very interesting, mostly due to my love of Anthony Trollope, but I could see that some might find this tedious. The author covers several important elections and the formation of opposition governments. Georgiana was usually in the background, holding meetings, suggesting strategies, keeping up morale and using her friendships with the leading Whigs to hold the party together. The Whig party was anti-Royalist, though they did have the Prince of Wales on their side. He was unstable and needy but a great friend of Georgiana’s and in several cases she was able to convince him to support the Whigs and keep things under control. Her public campaigning in 1784 helped the Whigs keep their seats (this was the period where the aristocrats had favored candidates though they couldn’t campaign themselves, so their wives would). It raised the censure of the opposition, who tried to portray Georgiana as trading favors for votes – though, as Foreman notes, Pitt’s party would go on to have their own aristocratic figurehead and campaigner, the Duchess of Gordon. Foreman includes a number of portraits of the various characters as well as political cartoons showing negative caricatures of Georgiana. She analyzes the tactics that were used – some of them being the same as today in that they were not as concerned with the truth as appearance and political scoring. Georgiana did understand the power of propaganda as she set fashions utilizing the Whig colors and held spectacular events in support of the party. She died the same year as Fox and Pitt, 1806, and during the 19th century, as politics became less about aristocrats wielding power and middle-class career politicians rose, women would be excluded from politics.I would highly recommend this biography – well-written and entertaining, it creates a fascinating portrait of society in the late 18th/early 19th century as well as one of a contradictory, tragic and influential woman.

[queencersei · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Georgiana Spencer grows up lavishly in London during the Regency period of George III. Married to the Duke of Devonshire, Georgiana becomes the most admired socialite of the day. Her style of hair, clothes and even manner of speaking become slavishly copied. A generous and feeling woman, Georgiana becomes deeply involved with the politics of her day, writing and poetry and eventually even becomes a student of science. However all is far from idyll for the Duchesse of Devonshire. Georgiana becomes addicted to gambling and is plagued throughout her life by ruinous debts. The one person not thoroughly charmed by her is unfortunately her husband. She suffers multiple miscarriages and various other health ailments and goes through several unfortunate love affairs.Of course the heart of the story becomes the manage-a-trios that develops between herself, her husband and best friend Elizabeth Foster (Bess). Georgiana endures having to have her husband's mistress live with her and eventually three of his illegitimate children be raised with her assistance. Most women would buckle under the strain of such an arrangement. However Georgiana manages to carry it off with the style and grace that become her trademark. The novel is engrossing and extensively researched. The main character undeniably fascinating. The constant repetition about Georgiana's debts does become tiring however, making the novel slow down somewhat at certain points. Still, given the subject it makes for an undeniably fascinating read.

[booketta · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

have not seen the film and I have no desire to although I enjoyed the book. The book is written as a very factual biography which I found extremely interesting. I had not realised just how powerful a voice women had in aristocracy with regard to political influence in those days. What a life Georgiana led! Of course, the marriage was not unusual as adultery was rife on both sides and still is in these classes today. A fashion icon in her own right and a very clever lady who designed clothes and hats, wrote stories and plays as well as advised on politics. A compulsive gambler, I do wonder how her husband managed to remain ignorant of the full disclosure of her losses for such a long time. A very competitive and insular world where all the leading ladies want to be top dog (as it were), and influence is power. I found the genealogy interesting, in particular the lineage to Diana, Princess of Wales. If you enjoy biographical history then it is worth a read, it is jam packed with information.

[drmarymccormack · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I read a lot of biographies,this was just so-so. I was hoping for more.

[bbellthom · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This book was interesting, at times I was lost with all the political maneuvering and keeping track of who everyone was. I think I have a general understanding of all the political happenings but couldn’t repeat them to anyone coherently. I enjoyed reading about Georgiana’s personal life more and found her to be an intriguing woman.

[susanbainbridge · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This was an interesting book that shed a lot of light on late 18th Century lifestyles and attitudes. The sections that delved into the details of parliament and politics were too long and dry, but most of the book was captivating.

[avhacker · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

if you thought this was like the other boylen girl you are wrong. this book is soooooooooooooooooo boring i ahd to stop 3/4s of the way through. but seriously nothing happens

[thehistorychic · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

As a huge history fan I was hoping I would like this book a lot more. It was not horrible but not a must-read

[elektrajn · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

The Duchess is a riveting tale of mixed emotions. Fear, suspense, sorrow, romance. It's all there! Once you pick up this book, it's impossible to put it down.

[amandacb_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I enjoyed reading about the intricacies of Georgiana's life and political life. I agree with previous posters that the book moved slowly at some points and seemed pedantic at times; ultimately, however, the fascinating subject matter was enough to keep me riveted. It's a shame the movie didn't do the book justice (as is so often the case!).

[kmv_7 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Georgiana is a fascinating character in this well written and very thorough biography. Besides being interesting in its own right, her story gives the reader a much more personal understanding of her time period. The book has a few slower spots when the author delves into some of the political details, but overall it flowed well and made me want to keep reading.

[thewatch_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

The life and times of a unique and fascinating woman. It's also an interesting look at 18th Century politics and the role women of the aristocracy played at the time. Her life covered some great moment in history like the French Revolution and she provides a perspective on people and events well worth reading.

[bitemeeric_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Georgiana was an eighteenth century fashion icon who influenced plays and used her celebraty status to influence public and political opinion. Her positon in society placed her in an ideal position to sway popular vote, becoming an offical political asset at a time when females' role was limited to the household. She lead several high profile campaigns and held intimate relations with several important people of the time including Fox, leader of the Whiggs and the Prince of Whales. Georgiana lived during a time when women were either quiet and submissive or were publicly known as actresses, courtesans, or women related to arts and fashion. In many ways, she was a head of her time, but she had an obligation to society being married to a Duke, only she revolutionized this role by using her powers of persuassion, her sexuality, and simply by being in the public eye. She was not only a leader and a follower, but also a stong and influential female with ideas of reform. Her life, of course was subject to scuitny, and as a result, lived in the public eye, albeit sometimes humiliated. Her personal life was in ruins: her husband did not appreciate her, she was addicted to gambling, alcohol, and used drugs. She quickly caught on that her sole responsibilty was to produce and heir, and was infused with guilt for being unsuccessful. To add insult to injury, the Duke took on a mistress and gave birth to two children. What makes this interesting is the fact that the Duchess considered his mistress a dear friend. The book is not a quick read, but well worth the time I invested. There was a lot of historical facts and incredibly a lot of detail.

[adonisguilfoyle · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

A re-read, to confirm that the fiction of the recent film with Keira Knightley bears little or no resemblance to the facts of Amanda Foreman's biography. Knightley's role portrays Georgiana as a victim of circumstance, cruelly treated by her husband and his mistress, when there was much more to her life than that. She did not resent Lady Elizabeth Foster, but valued her friendship, despite Bess' calculating insinuation into her social circle ('Racky', as she was known by Georgiana and the Duke, wanted the wealth and position that her friend enjoyed, more than she was after her husband!) Bess had two children with the Duke, and was able to maintain contact with both - whereas her husband kept both their sons in Ireland until they were much older (the film suggests she hooked up with the Duke for purely noble, maternal motives). Neither did Georgiana forsake a girlish romance with Charles Grey to marry into the peerage - he was her 'toyboy', and their affair began later in life. The film also glibly skips over Georgiana's influential role in the complicated politics of the day, supporting Charles Fox and the Whigs by actively campaigning on the party's behalf and by cajoling the fickle Prince of Wales. She was far more powerful than a mere mascot dressed in party colours. The incredible personal debts she amassed (over £50, 000) - mostly from gambling, but also a misplaced generosity with friends - are strangely absent from her big screen adaptation. In watering down the film to explain history to Hollywood, Georgiana's exceptional story has been cruelly diluted; this book is a must for anyone interested in a true representation of her character.That said, the necessary but laborious exposition in Amanda Foreman's biography can sometimes act as a drag on the narrative, particularly towards the latter years of Georgiana's life, when she was bravely struggling to form and hold together a coalition of the famous Whig names of the day - Fox, Grenville, Grey and Pitt. The background to the French Revolution is rather surplus to requirements, when a personal perspective - Georgiana was good friends with Marie Antoinette and the 'Little Po' - would have sufficed. The best summary of this amazing woman is as follows: 'an acknowleged beauty yet unwanted by her husband, a popular leader of the ton who saw through its hypocrisy, and a woman whom people loved who was yet so insecure in her ability to command love that she became dependent on the suspect devotion of Lady Elizabeth Foster. [...] a generous contributor to charitable causes who nevertheless stole from her friends, [...] a politician without a vote and a skilled tactician a generation before the development of professional party politics.'Georgiana's Victorian descendents censored her copious correspondence and personal diaries to project an acceptable public reputation for a complex character; nearly all references to her domestic life with Bess, her affairs and her illegitimate daughter with Grey were erased. Sadly, 'The Duchess' seems to have been written with the same intention, despite Amanda Foreman's advisory role on set.