First published 2023
Anne Glenconner reflects on her remarkable journey from the grand halls of Holkham to a jungle tent on Mustique. She served Princess Margaret as lady in waiting, managed an unpredictable marriage to Lord Glenconner, and endured devastating personal tragedies including losing two sons and nursing a third back from a coma. Now in her nineties, she offers practical wisdom gained through decades of navigating royal circles, hosting elaborate parties, and maintaining diplomatic relationships. She reveals strategies for keeping peace in difficult marriages, including when she chose to take a lover. Her experiences as hostess taught her to manage magnificent homes and create memorable gatherings. The toughest lessons came through motherhood and loss, showing her the crucial role of friendship, family, and humor in surviving life's worst moments while celebrating its best. Glenconner transforms personal hardships into accessible guidance, proving that remaining open to new adventures creates a life worth living. This collection of hard earned insights demonstrates how one woman turned privilege, tragedy, and unexpected turns into wisdom that illuminates the path forward.
Genres: family-life, historical, 20th-century, autobiography, biography-memoir, 21st-century
Vibes: emotional-atmospheric, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: found-family, resilience
Setting: Holkham, Mustique
Period: 20th-century, 21st-century
288 pages · Hardcover · Grand Central Publishing
Content warnings: death