King Edward VIII-An Intimate Biography.
Bolitho, Hector.
Place Published: New York:
Publisher: The Literary Guild of America, Inc.,
Date Published: 1937.
Description: Dust jacket reads: One of the frankest biographies ever published, here-at long last- is the story of the Duke of Windsor, who abandoned his rule over half the world for the love of an American woman. Hector Bolitho had long been engaged on this biography, for which he was granted exceptional facilities, and nearly completed work on it before the Simpson affair had become public knowledge. After the abdication he was forced to rewrite, revise and add a great deal of new material to his manuscript. The result is a candid and intensely moving biography of the late King, from his early boyhood to the day of his abdication. Mr. Bolitho had the privilege of being attached to the Duke of Windsor when the Duke made his tour of New Zealand as Prince of Wales. During his life in England he had many opportunities of gaining fresh impressions and of hearing, at first hand, recollections of the late King's boyhood and early manhood. The author has, in a sense, grown up with his subject, and this along differentiates the book from other biographies of this king. Further, Hector Bolitho is not only one of the most brilliant of the younger generation of historical biographers, but he is recognized as the leading authority on the history of the Royal Family. Mr. Bolitho begins his story with a memorable sketch of the aged Queen Victoria. Later, when he tells of the young Prince's visit to Germany before the war, Bolitho goes still further back, to the days of Prince Albert and his forefathers. In these chapters, Bolitho presents a number of interesting glimpses into what seems an almost legendary past, with stories of Queen Victoria, of King Edward VI, the Kaiser and Lord Roberts. The author goes on to the story of the King's boyhood and education, and, as the King's character is more and more clearly revealed, the increasing resemblance between King Edward VIII and his grandfather is made apparent. It was during the war, when he met the Australian troops for the first time, that the King made his first acquaintance with his Dominions. These meetings, Mr. Bolitho feels, had a profound influence on the young man's outlook. For the men with whom he was now coming in contact were of a widely different stamp from those who had previously surrounded him, and he was instantly attracted to them. During the later years of the war, the Prince made the acquaintance of representatives from other Dominions, and when he went on his famous tour of the Empire, it turned out to be not so much of a voyage of exploration as a renewal of old friendships. The chapters which describe the tour through Australia and New Zealand are among the most interesting in the book. India, South Africa and South America follow, leading up to the most forceful chapters in the book. Mr. Bolitho has made a patient and revealing study of the late King's work and character when, finally, he gave up land travel and seafaring, and took his place in English life. The cry, "Sympathy is not enough," rings through these chapters, in which we see the growth of the late King's compassion and understanding, and also of a certain impatience of formalities which hinted at the possibility of a tragic ending to his story. Mr. Bolitho present King Edward VIII, in the few months of his reign, with convincing detachment. He brings out the differences between the three monarchs: King Edward VII, who always spoke of his "subjects", King George V, who spoke of his "people", and King Edward VIII, who spoke of his "fellow-men." It is this deeply human side which gives force to the book. From the beginning Mr. Bolitho has sensed in the late King a quality of almost reckless sincerity which, as Mr. Winston Churchill said, "might have made his reign glorious," but, as things resolved themselves, led rather to the events of the winter of 1936, and to the close of the shortest reign in the history of Great Britain. 328 pages with 33 pages of black and white photos. A SECOND IMPRESSION PRINTING. The book is in good condition and the dust jacket is in good condition with some chipping and breaking on the spine and and edges. The inside jacket flaps show some use. A must-have for a Duke and Duchess of Windsor collector JMVintage specializes in books, magazines and other treasures related to the Duke and Duchess of Windsor...and other curious people.
Binding: Hard CoverCondition: Good in Good dj
Book Id: 806
Price: $13.00
