The Perfect Summer: Dancing into Shadow in 1911

There are two periods in English history that romance writers like to write about. The Regency and the Edwardian period. And this is odd for both periods were rather nasty. But there it is, they write, we read.
This is the best book for romance readers about the Edwardian period I have read (OK, so it is a year late). It details the going ons in the carefree upper crust, but also the conditions in the working classes with the emphasis on the London dock strike in 1911.
Other useful books for romance readers:
Barbara W. Tuchman: The Proud Tower
Peter Stansky and George Dangerfield: The Strange Death of Liberal England
Robert K. Massie: Dreadnought

A beautiful read (20/21 people found this helpful)

This is a fascinating, highly readable and wonderfully written book which takes you back to the year 1911 through the lives of some of the most prominent and interesting characters of the time. They range from Lady Diana Manners "the most beautiful young woman in England in 1911" to Lord Curzon, ex viceroy of England; from feisty union leader Mary Macarthur to cynical butler Eric Horne. The book truly succeeds in recreating the atmosphere of the time without indulging in futile nostalgia (in fact, it delves quite deeply into the social turmoil of the period) and it offers the same fast pace and intensity of a good novel while being based on "real" people and events.

When I read it, I was unaware that Juliet Nicolson was the granddaughter of Vita Sackville-West and was therefore completely unbiased in my appreciation of the work. I kept, however, noticing a certain intimate feeling affecting the narration, as if the author had had a first-hand, personal experience of the times. In retrospect, her family heritage might have helped her in powerfully recreating the mood of the time. The book also appears to be in some form of dialogue with Sackville-West's The Ewardians, a novel which ends in 1911with the coronation of George V, precisely when Nicolson begins her Perfect Summer (which, incidentally, appears to be everything but perfect). It would be a good idea to read the two novels together.
If I had to find a fault, I would probably say that, at times, the huge amount of citations (which are, of course, also valuable and necessary) seem to "smother" the narration a bit. Nicolson should certainly have believed more in her own voice.
In spite of this, it is a great read.

I would highly recommend this book to anybody who is interested in Edwardian and Georgian history or literature, who loves impeccable prose (Nicolson's writing is actually more polished than her grandmother's) and is in search of something intellectually engaging without being overwhelming.

Beautiful but flawed (26/27 people found this helpful)

I've long been captivated by the glamour and elegance of the all-too-brief Edwardian Era and have often felt that the freakishly hot summer of 1911 would make a wonderful subject for a writer or film-maker - quite apart from the extreme heat, this was also a time of extraordinary social, political and cultural ferment. So I approached this book with a larger than average degree of interest - which was not, at the conclusion, completely satisfied.

Whilst the story of those sun-drenched months could never make for boring reading, and although I generally approve of Nicolson's method of focussing her tale through the eyes of certain key individuals, I feel that she tries a little too hard to cover a vast and unwieldy terrain - the result is an essentially light-weight book, plagued by sloppy editing and glaring inaccuracies. The note of doom (the Great War was only three years away) is sounded rather too often, with the author frequently using hindsight to interpret the actions of her protagonists. Although I myself could cope with this continual intrusion, some readers might find it grating.

The main value and interest of the book lies in Nicolson's provision of delightful, idiosyncratic details of parties and amusements (not just for 'Society' but for all classes) garnered from the contemporary press and gossip columns. On this level, I'd say that 'The Perfect Summer' is a wonderful companion for hours on the beach or in a sunny garden. 'Serious' historians are probably better advised to steer clear.

The Perfect Summer: Dancing into Shadow in 1911

Juliet Nicolson

Reader Reviews:

It was a perfect summer for some (6/8 people found this helpful)

A beautiful read (20/21 people found this helpful)

Beautiful but flawed (26/27 people found this helpful)

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