Book called the Mitford sisters ?

Question

I had a book brought me for christmas called the Mitford sisters Letters between the six sisters ,and it is signed ,When i opened it and said oh thankyou so much it really is a lovely book ,Iwill find it so interesting ,The friend who brought me the book said i knew you would like it ,And know all about the sisters .Not to appear silly oh yes they are really good and interesting But sorry i have never heard of them ,please can anyone out there enlighten me to who they are , Ihave had a quick loook at the book but soory i am no nearer

Answer 1

Mitford Sisters

In the 20th century the family achieved contemporary notoriety for their controversial and stylish lives as young people, and later for their very public political divisions between communist and fascist. The six daughters of the family were known collectively as the Mitford sisters. Nancy and Jessica became well-known writers and Deborah managed one of the most successful stately homes in England. Jessica and Deborah both married nephews of prime ministers, Winston Churchill and Harold Macmillan respectively. In addition, Deborah and Diana also married wealthy aristocrats. Unity was well known during World War II for being close to Adolf Hitler

They were the children of David Bertram Ogilvy Freeman-Mitford, 2nd Baron Redesdale (March 13, 1878 – March 17, 1958), known as "Farve", or "The Poor Old Male", second son of Lord Redesdale. Their mother was Sydney (d. 25 May 1963), "Muv", the daughter of Tommy Bowles whom he married on February 6, 1904. The family homes changed from Batsford House to Asthall Manor beside the River Windrush in Oxfordshire ( [show location on an interactive map] 51°48′2.11″N, 1°35′13.60″W), and then Swinbrook Cottage nearby, with a house at Rutland Gate in London. The Mitford sisters (and their one brother) grew up in an aristocratic country house set-up not unusual for its time, with emotionally distant parents, a large household with four servants, and a disregard for formal education. Girls were expected to marry young and well. The parents were described as "nature's fascists"; at least two of their daughters followed in their footsteps, while one turned her back on her inherited privileges and ran away to become a Communist, a result of the excitements of European politics in the 1930s. Following on from the biographical sketches of many of the family characters in Nancy's books, Jessica's memoir Hons and Rebels describes their upbringing. The children had a private language called "Boudledidge", and each had a different nickname for the others.

On the outbreak of the Second World War, their political views came into sharper relief. "Farve" remained a conservative but "Muv" usually supported her fascist daughters and they separated in the late 1940s. Nancy, a moderate socialist, worked in London during The Blitz. Pamela married and remained non-political. Tom, a fascist, refused to fight Germany but volunteered to fight against Imperial Japan. He was killed in combat a short time after arriving in Asia. Diana, a fascist, was interned in London for three years. Unity Mitford, distraught over the war declaration against Hitler, tried to commit suicide and suffered brain damage until her early death. Jessica, a communist supporter, had moved to the U.S., but her husband Esmond volunteered for the RAF and was killed during an air raid. The political rivalry between Jessica and Diana lasted until their deaths, with the other sisters in frequent contact.

The sisters are noted as prolific letter-writers. A substantial body of correspondence still exists, principally letters between the sisters.[1]

Answer 2

The Mitford Sisters Book

Answer 3

The Mitford sisters were the daughters of an English aristocrat with strong connections with the royal family and the UK government. They happened to come of age in the 30s at a turbulent time in history and found themselves in the thick of it at a time when rich people mattered to an extent they don't today (yet). One became a confirmed communist whilst two others became rampant fascists - Diana married the leader of the British fascists, Oswald Moseley, and went to gaol with him during the war. Unity fell in love with Hitler and shot herself when the war broke out, although she did not die from her wound for several years. The behaviour of these sisters was big news in a world where aristos were considered so much more newsworthy than the rest of us (shades of Paris Hilton...) and their stupid behaviour probably helped rectify that fact. Nevertheless, Nancy Mitford was a talented writer and gave a moving account of her sisters and her upbringing in a book called Love In A Cold Climate which has been televised twice in the UK and which helped keep the Mitford sisters in the public eye.
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Answer 4

Try these two links

Wikipedia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mitford_sisters

Times Online
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/columnists/ben_macintyre/article2641492.ece