The Mistresses of Cliveden

Praise

“Theatrical festivities, political jockeying and court intrigues are deftly described with a verve and attention to domestic comforts that show the author at her best. . . . [Natalie Livingstone’s] portraits of strenuous and assertive women who resisted subjection, sometimes deploying their sexual allure to succeed, on other occasions drawing on their husband’s wealth, are astute, spirited, and empathetic.”—The Wall Street Journal
 
“Missing Downton Abbey already? This tome promises ‘three centuries of scandal, power, and intrigue’ and Natalie Livingstone definitely delivers.”—Good Housekeeping
 
“Natalie Livingstone’s lively chronology of one storied manse and its canny chatelaines . . . shows that even when they stayed put, majestic properties like Cliveden continually shapeshifted. . . . The current chatelaine—the author herself—deserves no small credit for keeping the house’s legend alive. . . . Any of her action-filled chapters would merit a mini-series.”—The New York Times Book Review
 
“Though the personal tales and tidbits are fascinating, and the sensational details of these women’s lives will intrigue Downton Abbey devotees, the real star of the story is Cliveden and the manner in which the evolution of the estate reflects the last three centuries of English history.”—Booklist
 
“As the current ‘mistress of Cliveden,’ the author’s passion for the subject comes through in her extensive research, providing a thorough look at the drama involving these figures. The book not only delves into their varying roles in English society but uses their stories to craft the estate’s history as well. . . . Lovers of modern English history and the scandals that infiltrated upper-crust society will find much to enjoy in this work.”—Library Journal
 
“This lively, accessible work from English writer Livingstone follows five mistresses of Cliveden from the time of late-seventeenth-century Restoration-era rakes to the swinging 1960s. . . . Packed with details about architecture, gardens, clothing, and manners, Livingstone’s debut is an entertaining, anecdotal popular history.”—Publishers Weekly
 
“In her debut book, Livingstone ably avoids tabloid-like gossip to profile five remarkable women. . . . Readers who enjoy English history will be happy to have this in their libraries.”—Kirkus Reviews

“An utterly fascinating and completely beguiling account of three centuries of high living, high politics, and high drama at one of Britain’s most famous stately homes. A page-turner from start to finish, The Mistresses of Cliveden perfectly illustrates why social history rules the shelves; it’s history with all the good stuff left in.”—Amanda Foreman, author of A World on Fire
 
“A wonderful voyage through the fascinating history of Cliveden—this is a brilliant book full of gripping personalities and beautiful detail.”—Kate Williams, author of Ambition and Desire
 
“Well-researched, well-written and narratively enthralling . . . Romance, sex, scandal and political intrigue have been central to the history of the house for more than three centuries and Mrs. Livingstone . . . has chronicled it all with scholarship, readability, wit and a fine eye for telling detail.”—Evening Standard
 
“[A] wide-ranging and deliciously enjoyable biography of one of England’s grandest country houses . . . Livingstone interweaves the huge panorama of three centuries of British history. . . . But at the heart of the book, the seductive power of the house itself affects each generation of women.”—The Telegraph
 
“Her scholarship is considerable and yet she wears it lightly, producing a book which is always lively, entertaining and immensely readable.”—Daily Express