Elizabeth and Georgiana: the Duke of Devonshire and His Two Duchesses - Tapa dura

"...As a companion piece, Chapman's look at Bess is occasionally enlightening." (Publishers Weekly, December 23, 2002)

A revealing new look at the women portrayed in the bestselling Georgiana: Duchess of DevonshireLady Elizabeth Foster, known as Bess, was, at the same time, the best friend of Georgiana, Duchess of Devonshire, and the mistress of the Duke of Devonshire. Based on original sources from the Dormer Archive, which contains Bess's countless letters and sparkling journals, Elizabeth and Georgiana sheds new light on Bess's character - presenting her as a devoted and beloved friend of the Duke and Duchess, rather than the false, scheming mistress previous accounts have made her out to be. A remarkable woman in her own right, Bess was widely admired and a close friend of Madame de Stael and Edward Gibbon. Her dramatic and colorful life, which was driven by crises both personal and political, makes for fascinating reading. Drawing the reader into Bess's world, Elizabeth and Georgiana illuminates the Regency crises, the French Revolution, and the Napoleonic wars while offering a new perspective on Bess's position as "the other woman." Caroline Chapman (UK) was a picture researcher for twenty years, then an editor and writer. Before writing this biography, she coedited Lady Elizabeth Foster's journals. Jane Dormer (UK) is the great-great-granddaughter of Elizabeth's second child by the Duke of Devonshire. She is the owner of the Dormer Archives and has helped both transcribe and coedit Lady Elizabeth Foster's journals.