I have just finished reading Amanda Foreman's 1998 biography of Georgianna, Duchess of Devonshire. I'm not a historian, so I can't evaluate it on that count, but it was a good read overall. There were some threads that could have been clearer, but I was very interested in Georgianna's life (drama!) and the machinations of late c18 politics.
But what amazes me most is that this book--which was a NYT bestseller and which was turned into a movie with Keira Knightley and Ralph Fiennes--was the product of Foreman's PhD thesis at Oxford. Yowza. Wouldn't that be great? To have your PhD work go Hollywood blockbuster?
And now, she has a new book that was included in this Year's NYT Top 10 list! It's a nearly-1000 page account of Britain's role in the US Civil War, and It has been optioned by the BBC.
And you know the real kicker? She has five kids. Five kids. FIVE. And she has a recent, bestselling history book of ~1000 pages.
Clearly, I should legally change my name to "Such A. Slacker."
In keeping with that new moniker, it's on to P. D. James.
7 comments:
Did you check if she had a live in nanny, house-husband, cleaner, cook & personal shopper? If she did then that's Ok, if not then - I want some of her energy & concentration!
umm I believe she is quite wealthy, but I too had the same envious reaction whilst reading review in NYT and heck she STILL wrote the books herself, so I admire no matter what her home life is like.
Heck, don't let this stop you " I'm not a historian, so I can't evaluate it on that count" We feel totes free to engage in lit analysis
Her father was a screenwriter (with credits including "The Bridge Over the River Kwai"), so I'm sure she inherited both brilliance and money. Still! Very impressive. I doubt she's watching a whole lotta HHI (House Hunters International). Then again, she probably owns a few houses and doesn't need that kind of fantasy.
Thanks, feMOMhist! Totes.
She surely does not have a full time teaching job.
Just having the five kids herself is impressive to me. I love that she's getting people to read such long history books. Looking forward to reading again soon.
Yes, that would be amazing, to write a dissertation and watch it go to Hollywood.
I'm starting James, too! Yay!
Well, that just makes me sick (I spent the day in my annual it's-a-new-year-and-I'm-still-not-fabulous-or-tenured-or-anything funk).
That is all.
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