The Duff Cooper Diaries: 1915-1951

Review Fascinating for two things: their testament to an exhilarating century and their witness to a vanished age of power and privilege ... What a man ― OBSERVER This is a fabulous, jaw-dropping read ― SUNDAY TIMES Well-balanced, honest and admirably edited...this is a dazzling self-portrait of a man who lived life to the full, relished it enormously, and gave much joy to others in so doing ― SPECTATOR These diaries are a revelation ...riveting ...As a candid record of an extraordinary marriage, this book is gripping ― LITERARY REVIEW It's the combination of the public with the personal that makes these diaries riveting ― DAILY MAIL Duff Cooper was as close to the action as anyone during the dramatic events of the mid-20th century. He was also comically priapic, committing enough sexual indiscretions to fill a dozen diaries ― SUNDAY TELEGRAPH He discusses serious things intelligently, and casts and glittering and laconic light on a lost world of luxury and highly strung affairs, many of them his own ― SUNDAY TIMES Who but he could offer an insider's view, not only of the Munich crisis, the general strike and life among the Free French in Algeria, but of Edward VIII in the feverish days before his abdication? -- Miranda Seymour ― SUNDAY TIMES His proximity to power, such as his involvement in the abdication crisis as a close friend of Edward VIII's and his resignation as a cabinet minister in protest at Neville Chamberlain's appeasement policy, gives his diaries a certain energy, as does the busy whirl of upper class socialising and philandering that seemed to take up so much of his time ― FINANCIAL TIMES A portrait of an equable, intelligent man, by profession a diplomat and politician, in private a dedicated hedonist, a reckless gambler and bon viveur, with a profound love of literature and an insatiable appetite for beautiful women ... good diaries, candid and courageous ― SUNDAY TELEGRAPH Highly readable ... The pages on the Abdication are riveting -- A N Wilson ― COUNTRY LIFE His diaries are a scream, with a cast including Wallis Simpson, Evelyn Waugh and Laurence Olivier. Gorge yourself on his son's finely tuned edition -- Sebastian Shakespeare ― TATLER fascinating for two things: their testament to an exhilarating century and their witness to a vanished age of power and privilege... What a man. ― THE OBSERVER - PAPERBACK OF THE WEEK Cooper offers a view on some of the political issues which dominated the first half of the 20th century... as well as an insight into his extravagant social life. This is a fabulous, jaw-dropping read. -- Robbie Hudson ― SUNDAY TIMES compelling ― DAILY TELEGRAPH Duff Cooper was as close to the action as anyone during the dramatic events of the mid-20th century. He was also comically priapic, commiting enough sexual indiscretions to fill a dozen diaries. ― SUNDAY TELEGRAPH He discusses serious things intelligently, and casts and glittering and laconic light on a lost world of luxury and highly strung affairs, many of them his own. ― SUNDAY TIMES it's the combination of the public with the personal that makes these diaries riveting. ― MAIL ON SUNDAY Product Description The long awaited and highly revealing diaries of the politician, diplomat, and socialite (married to Lady Diana Cooper) 'This is a fabulous, jaw-dropping read' SUNDAY TIMES 'Duff Cooper was as close to the action as anyone during the dramatic events of the mid-20th century. He was also comically priapic, committing enough sexual indiscretions to fill a dozen diaries' SUNDAY TELEGRAPH 'Fascinating for two things: their testament to an exhilarating century and their witness to a vanished age of power and privilege ... What a man' OBSERVER Duff Cooper was a first-rate witness of just about every significant event from 1914 to 1950. His diary includes some magnificent set pieces - as a young soldier at the end of WWI, as a politician during the General Strike of 1926, as King Edward VIII's friend at the time