The Duchess by Amanda Foreman

Alma kept telling me this book was historical porn any time I tried to talk to him about it. It was fascinating- but really has there ever been people with fewer morals. Georgianna Cavendish was a troubled woman who was thrown into a completely amoral environment at a very young age. Seeing her struggle with all she lived through was heartbreaking. Hello- she lived most of her adult life with her best friend/husband's mistress living in her home! Not to mention all of their children. (just not her children born from her affairs).

The really interesting part of the book to me was how involved she was in the politics of her time. This was a very interesting time in politics- and she was an intimate of Grey, Fox, and Prinny. She was not only one of the first women very actively involved in politics, she was one of the first people to realize the importance of a party system and a party identity. She was the great organizer of the Whig party during a time when the leadership was torn apart by jealousies and inadequacy. She rallied the troops, she spread the message, she orchestrated group stands. She also brought the great thinkers together and helped them formulate a cohesive party platform. She was also a great public relations expert. She knew with out the king on their side they needed the people and developed some of the first publicity campaigns around a central idea and with simple symbol all could recognize. A very interesting read, well researched and well written. But- I have no desire to see the movie based on the book. Partly because I am sure it will not dwell on her political work- just the salacious little bits (okay major bits) of her life.