By Anne De Courcy
Weidenfeld & Nicolson, 2008, 404 pages, ISBN 0297844873, 9780297844877
Apart from his photographs, there's not much about the Earl of Snowdon that is intrinsically interesting except for his sex life or, more specifically, the microscopic portion of it which he shared with his wives.
After decades of discretion on the subject of Princess Margaret's sexual promiscuity and alcohol abuse, Anne de Courcy has blown the lid and the greatest burst of steam comes from none other than Lord Snowdon himself. He details not only his late wife's infidelities and addictions but also his own.
He is probably much less kind to himself than he is to his former wife, but the point remains that in co-operating with this book he displays his egocentricity more than his compassion. As a result, reading the biography is an intense experience, involving hour after hour of voyeurism as the dirty linen of London's high society and the Royal Family is washed, scoured, scrubbed and dried in plain sight (of all who wish to watch, that is).
It’s impossible to imagine that H.M. The Queen, hitherto Lord Snowdon’s good friend, will have been greatly pleased by this book, but she has forgiven the Earl’s rakishness before and so she might again.
Somewhere along the line Anne de Courcy fell in love with Lord Snowdon. This works well for the book as her feelings intensify rather than compromise her desire to tell all. In fact, her fascination with the Earl seems to cause her to draw more attention to his less appealing actions and qualities than to any others.
This does not reflect favourably on her subject, and it is disgusting for the reader who is nevertheless well - entertained.
Weidenfeld & Nicolson, 2008, 404 pages, ISBN 0297844873, 9780297844877
After decades of discretion on the subject of Princess Margaret's sexual promiscuity and alcohol abuse, Anne de Courcy has blown the lid and the greatest burst of steam comes from none other than Lord Snowdon himself. He details not only his late wife's infidelities and addictions but also his own.
He is probably much less kind to himself than he is to his former wife, but the point remains that in co-operating with this book he displays his egocentricity more than his compassion. As a result, reading the biography is an intense experience, involving hour after hour of voyeurism as the dirty linen of London's high society and the Royal Family is washed, scoured, scrubbed and dried in plain sight (of all who wish to watch, that is).
It’s impossible to imagine that H.M. The Queen, hitherto Lord Snowdon’s good friend, will have been greatly pleased by this book, but she has forgiven the Earl’s rakishness before and so she might again.
Somewhere along the line Anne de Courcy fell in love with Lord Snowdon. This works well for the book as her feelings intensify rather than compromise her desire to tell all. In fact, her fascination with the Earl seems to cause her to draw more attention to his less appealing actions and qualities than to any others.
This does not reflect favourably on her subject, and it is disgusting for the reader who is nevertheless well - entertained.
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