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Love in a Cold Climate & The Pursuit of Love

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( 6,054 ratings, 551 reviews)
Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Summary
Love in a Cold Climate & The Pursuit of Love by Nancy Mitford follows the lives of aristocratic families in pre- and post-war England, focusing on the unconventional Radlett family. The narrative paints a vivid picture of high society, romance, and the quest for personal fulfillment against the backdrop of changing social norms. Mitford's witty and satirical prose delves into themes of love, marriage, and the complexities of familial relationships.
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Format: Hardback
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Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

You might enjoy this delightful exploration of aristocratic life in England if you're drawn to witty, satirical storytelling and the complexities of love and family dynamics. Its rich characterisation and sharp humour offer a charming escape into a bygone era. Perfect for fans of historical fiction that combines elegance with a touch of mischief.

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The snobbery and false values of the English country nobility are satirized in these two love stories involving the well-established Radlett and Hampton families.

Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

Love in a Cold Climate & The Pursuit of Love by Nancy Mitford explores themes of love, family, and politics within the highly entertaining world of the British aristocracy between the two World Wars. These are two comic masterpieces from the eldest of the endlessly fascinating Mitford sisters, recently brought to life on television.

Nancy Mitford drew inspiration from her own unconventional (and, at the time of writing, notorious) family for the characters in these beloved novels. Through the eyes of their cousin Fanny, known as 'the Bolter’s girl,' readers are introduced to the Radletts during one of her frequent visits to their country estate. The family includes Uncle Matthew, the blustering patriarch who famously owns a bloodied entrenching tool above the fireplace and hunts his children with bloodhounds; the vague Aunt Sadie; and six children who are recklessly eager to grow up.

The Pursuit of Love tells the story of Linda, the most beautiful and wayward of the Radlett daughters. Her romantic adventures lead her from a stuffy Tory politician to an ardent Communist, whom she follows to the Spanish Civil War, and finally to a very wicked and irresistibly charming French duke.

Love in a Cold Climate, again recounted by Fanny, focuses on Polly Hampton. Polly has been long groomed for the perfect marriage by her fearsome mother, Lady Montdore, yet she is secretly determined to pursue her own path.

Series: Everyman’s Library Contemporary Classics

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Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?

Love in a Cold Climate & The Pursuit of Love by Nancy Mitford is celebrated for its witty and satirical examination of the British upper class in the early 20th century. Critics appreciate Mitford's sharp humour and her ability to craft strong, memorable characters. The interplay of romance, societal norms, and family dynamics within these stories continues to captivate readers.

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Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9781841594040

Publisher: Everyman

Format: Hardback

Date Published: 21 April 2022

Country: United Kingdom

Imprint: Everyman's Library

Contributors:

  • Introduction by Laura Thompson

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 30.0mm

Width: 135.0mm

Height: 210.0mm

Weight: 607g

Pages: 488

About the Author

Nancy Mitford was born in London on November 28 1904, daughter of the second Baron Redesdale, and the eldest of six girls. Her sisters included Lady Diana Mosley; Deborah, Duchess of Devonshire and Jessica, who immortalised the Mitford family in her autobiography Hons and Rebels. The Mitford sisters came of age during the Roaring Twenties and wartime in London, and were well known for their beauty, upper-class bohemianism or political allegiances. Nancy contributed columns to The Lady and the Sunday Times, as well as writing a series of popular novels including The Pursuit of Love and Love in a Cold Climate, which detailed the high-society affairs of the six Radlett sisters. While working in London during the Blitz, Nancy met and fell in love with Gaston Palewski, General de Gaulle's chief of staff, and eventually moved to Paris to be near him. In the 1950s she began writing historical biographies - her life of Louis XIV, The Sun King, became an international bestseller. Nancy completed her last book, Frederick the Great, before she died of Hodgkin's disease on 30 June 1973.

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