Black Diamonds: The Downfall of an Aristocratic Dynasty and the Fifty Years That Changed England, (Paperback)

from lexieconyngham

I still don't like this writer's style, but I preferred this to the second one, The Secret Rooms, which I expected to enjoy more. She still dots about a good bit and puts in far, far too much detail (I honestly don't think I need to know the colour of the ink on the map used by the German navigat...

from GeoffSC

An absorbing read. An excellent account of the life of the rich in contrast with the poor set in Yorkshire centered on the wealthy Fitzwilliam family. Starting before the first World War it traces the family history, it's ups and downs, good and bad. Black diamonds refers to coal which is the sou...

from pierthinker

History often reflects the sweep of great events in the tiniest of details. The study of historical niches can reveal lives and events in all their great absurd and weird glory. Catherine Bailey's book shines a light on one of the strangest, richest and, at its most kindly, unfortunate families i...

from canalrat

Fascinating insight into the end of an era

from KeithJenner

A few miles from where I like is the small village of Wentworth and the little known (outside this area) building called Wentworth Woodhouse. The house should be well known, as it's the largest non royal residence in Britain (I believe), and one of the largest in the world. The east front is the ...