Queen Bees: Six Brilliant and Extraordinary Society Hostesses Between the Wars A Spectacle of Celebrity, Talent, and Burning Ambition

Sian Evans

5 Reviews

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20th century, Biography: historical, political & military, Prose: non-fiction, 20th century history: c 1900 to c 2000, Social & cultural history, First World War, Second World War

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Two Roads
- Paperback Jun 13, 2017 | 9781473618053 | RRP $24.99 Buy Now
- Trade Paperback Sep 13, 2016 | 9781473618039 | RRP $36.99 Buy Now
- e-Book Sep 8, 2016 | 9781473618046 | RRP $11.99 Buy Now
- Audiobook Sep 8, 2016 | 9781473631434 | RRP $46.99 Buy Now
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Imprint

Two Roads
- Paperback Jun 13, 2017 | 9781473618053 | RRP $24.99 Buy Now
- Trade Paperback Sep 13, 2016 | 9781473618039 | RRP $36.99 Buy Now
- e-Book Sep 8, 2016 | 9781473618046 | RRP $11.99 Buy Now
- Audiobook Sep 8, 2016 | 9781473631434 | RRP $46.99 Buy Now
Play Sample
0:00
Imprint

Two Roads
- Paperback Jun 13, 2017 | 9781473618053 | RRP $24.99 Buy Now
- Trade Paperback Sep 13, 2016 | 9781473618039 | RRP $36.99 Buy Now
- e-Book Sep 8, 2016 | 9781473618046 | RRP $11.99 Buy Now
- Audiobook Sep 8, 2016 | 9781473631434 | RRP $46.99 Buy Now
Play Sample
0:00
Imprint

Two Roads
- Paperback Jun 13, 2017 | 9781473618053 | RRP $24.99 Buy Now
- Trade Paperback Sep 13, 2016 | 9781473618039 | RRP $36.99 Buy Now
- e-Book Sep 8, 2016 | 9781473618046 | RRP $11.99 Buy Now
- Audiobook Sep 8, 2016 | 9781473631434 | RRP $46.99 Buy Now
Play Sample
0:00

The story of the six extraordinary hostesses who shaped British society in the inter-war years: Lady Astor, Lady Colefax, Lady Londonderry, Lady Cunard, Laura Corrigan and Mrs Ronnie Greville.

QUEEN BEES looks at the lives of six remarkable women who made careers out of being society hostesses, including Lady Astor, who went on to become the first female MP, and Mrs Greville, who cultivated relationships with Edward VII, as well as Lady Londonderry, Lady Cunard, Laura Corrigan and Lady Colefax. Written with wit, verve and heart, QUEEN BEES is the story of a form of societal revolution, and the extraordinary women who helped it happen.

In the aftermath of the First World War, the previously strict hierarchies of the British class system were weakened. For a number of ambitious, spirited women, this was the chance they needed to slip through the cracks and take their place at the top of society as the great hostesses of the time. In an age when the place of women was uncertain, becoming a hostess was not a chore, but a career choice, and though some of the hostesses' backgrounds were surprisingly humble, their aspirations were anything but. During the inter-war years these extraordinary women ruled over London society from their dining tables and salons - entertaining everyone from the Mosleys to the Mitfords, from millionaires to maharajahs, from film stars to royalty - and their influence can still be felt today.

Praise for Queen Bees: Six Brilliant and Extraordinary Society Hostesses Between the Wars A Spectacle of Celebrity, Talent, and Burning Ambition

The book, like their parties, is often "enormous fun" - Guardian
Delightful... Crammed with fascinating anecdotes - Independent
Rich in anecdote... a fascinating account... Group biography is a difficult trick to pull off, but Evans is deft with her interweaving of narrative and history... - The Sunday Times
An exciting read, Evans has painted a compelling portrait of six inspiring women. - The Mitford Society
Evans makes a good case for her hostesses' importance as purveyors of soft power: the artistic, cultural and political reach of their address books, she argues had a profound impact on modern British society. All were marvellously quotable, as spiteful as they were ambitious, mistresses of the apparently throwaway remark designed to draw blood, but their success was due as much to their status and fortunes as to their brilliance. One of the pleasures of books like these is that you close them with a feeling of overwhelming gratitude for your own mundane life - Literary Review