LOVE FROM NANCY:
The Letters of Nancy Mitford,
edited by Charlotte Mosley
Date of First Publication: 1993
CRITIQUE QUOTES:
‘This enormous, rich selection of Nancy Mitford’s letters shows that the vitality and peculiarity of this comic genius bubbled up in all her relationships. The letters are a trove of perfect one liners, of fantastical stories confected to entertain the recipient (and the writer), of wincingly accurate assessments. She knew that her letters were probably her best work, and this book makes us think she was right.’
Independent on Sunday
‘My Communist sister may be here – Eton crop, pince-nez & men's trousers. She is in London with husband & child. Child has been told that Debo [Nancy’s sister, the Duchess of Devonshire]'s money comes from selling slaves. Debo says Goodness if we had any slaves we wouldn't sell them.’
‘My mother dined with the Colonel, picked all the truffles out of her omelette & left them. The Col delighted – “Most people pick out the truffles & leave the rest, very patrician of her.”’
‘Well I had my luncheon with Monty [Field Marshal Montgomery]. He is terribly like my Dad – watch in hand when I arrived (the first, luckily) only drinks water, has to have the 9 o'clock news & be in bed by 10, washes his own shirts, rice pudding his favourite food. All my books by his bed & when he gets to a daring passage he washes it down with Deuteronomy. But Oh the glamour!’