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Chargement... Them and Us: The American Invasion of British High Societypar Charles Jennings
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In 1936, Henry 'Chips' Channon gave a lavish dinner for King Edward VIII and Wallis Simpson at his house in Belgrave Square. Feasting on blinis, caviare, sole and beef, served by the ruthlessly-drilled precision of Chips' staff, it was a vivid demonstration of just how far the Americans had percolated high society. The British aristocracy, impoverished by death duties, agricultural collapse and higher taxation, as well as morally shattered by the First World War, could only look on. It was as if the world had been turned upside down. As Lady Londonderry observed, it seemed as if London was 'being run by an American syndicate'. What had happened to bring about this change? How had the Americans become so powerful, so rich, so over here? Them and Us is a story of social upheaval, of the transformation which took place when British high society - that bastion against the forces of the New - gave in to America. Aucune description trouvée dans une bibliothèque |
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Google Books — Chargement... GenresClassification décimale de Melvil (CDD)305.52208913041Social sciences Social Sciences; Sociology and anthropology Groups of people Class Upper ClassClassification de la Bibliothèque du CongrèsÉvaluationMoyenne:
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Jennings' characterization of pre-Duchess of Marlborough Consuelo Vanderbilt is misguided. He basically goes to say that her life before marriage was just one bed of roses. I can assure you, it was not. Her mother locked her away until she decided she would marry the man chosen for her. Her letters were intercepted and she was never without someone reporting on her every move. None of that is even touched on in the book.
Also, he is scathing in his opinion of William Randolph Hearst, who bought a castle in Wales (hence his inclusion in the book). Jennings accuses Hearst of thieving the art collections of Europe to enhance his own homes. He doesn't mention that Hearst purchased these treasures from homes/estates that were already destroyed and saved quite a number of things worthy of any museum. He calls his American home at San Simeon a "grotesque micro-city". I wonder if the author even bothered to visit. Not one person I know who has been there has anything but wonderful things to say about it.
I came away from this book wondering why the author had such a beef with his subjects and why write a book about people you obviously hate. With the possible exception of May Goelet, Duchess of Roxburghe, not one person mentioned in the book comes off with any sort of good character. One wonders of which Jennings was more jealous: that he wasn't born a wealthy American or that he wasn't born a British aristocrat.
Not worth your time. Move on if you want an unbiased view of Americans among British society. ( )