The Mammoth Book of Private Lives

by Jon E. Lewis (Editor)

From classical antiquity to the present day, more than three hundred unforgettable private moments in the lives of emperors, scoundrels, celebrities, courtiers, paramours, presidents, and movie stars appear in this engaging collection of personal writings and intimate thoughts from their diaries, letters, missives, and journals. Among this revelatory volume's fascinating selections are an account of Queen Elizabeth I discussing "lewd behavior" with King James of Scotland, a passionately rendered confession of love from Napoleon to Josephine, and a totally unveiled threat from a hot-headed President Truman to the music critic who failed to appreciate his daughter, Margaret's concert performance. Monica Lewinsky meanwhile laments her faltering relationship with another American president, and Elvis Presley offers his services as an FBI agent to Richard Nixon. In these often surprising pages, too, Groucho Marx considers investor relations, whereas Karl Marx ponders marital relations, and you can almost hear Cicero's sigh of relief after an edgy dinner with Julius Caesar. Candidly, and sometimes astonishingly, with romance and tragedy, triumph and disaster, artistic endeavor and spiritual awakening, gossip and scandal, in this volume the people who made history make it again.

Genres: Biography, Nonfiction

512 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1999

About the author

Jon E. Lewis is a historian and writer, whose books on history and military history are sold worldwide. He is also editor of many The Mammoth Book of anthologies, including the bestselling On the Edge and Endurance and Adventure.

He holds graduate and postgraduate degrees in history. His work has appeared in New Statesman, the Independent, Time Out and the Guardian. He lives in Herefordshire with his partner and children.

From: Constable & Robinson

Reviews

[Nikhilesh · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fun read - light and interesting.

[Richard Spring · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliant

[Eugenia · Rating 3 out of 5]

this proved to be far less interesting than I anticipated.