Iris Origo : Marchesa of Val D'Orcia - Softcover

Caroline-moorehead

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0719565138 ISBN 13: 9780719565137

Publisher: John Murray Publishers Ltd, 2003

Synopsis

Iris Origo was one of the twentieth century's most attractive and intriguing women, a brilliantly perceptive historian and biographer whose works remains widely admired. Iris grew up in Italy with her Irish mother after the death of her wealthy American father. They settled in the Villa Medici in Florence, where they became part of the colourful and privileged Anglo-Florentine set that included Edith Wharton, Harold Acton and the Berensons.When Iris married Antonio Origo, they bought and revived La Foce, a derelict stretch of the beautiful Val d'Orcia valley in Tuscany and created an estate that thrives to this day. During World War II they sided firmly with the Allies, taking considerable risks in protecting children and sheltering partisans and Iris's diary from that time, War in Val d'Orcia, is now considered a modern classic. Caroline Moorehead has drawn on many previously unpublished letters, diaries, and papers to write the definitive biography of a very remarkable woman.

About this title

About the Author

Caroline Moorehead is a biographer, writer and reviewer who has worked in broadcasting and is a specialist on human rights. She grew up in Italy in Florence and Rome and now lives in London.

Review

'Caroline Moorehead has written something much more interesting to the general reader than a mere biography of a biographer. This book is not simply the life story of an admirable but formidable grande dame who published a dozen well-reviewed but now almost forgotten volumes of biography or history. It is a history of her world ! A lucid, informative and interesting biography' -- Tamsin Dean, Literary Review 20001001 'A good writer, a good woman, a good life: Caroline Moorehead does justice to all three. This is an excellent biography' -- Allan Massie, Daily Telegraph 20001125 'Caroline Moorehead controls a large cast of characters with considerable skill. Her book is the story, as complete as she could make it, of a brave, intelligent, detached but purposeful human being' -- John Joliffe, Country Life 20001123 'No one would have appreciated better than Origo herself the delicacy, precision and tact with which [this book] restores her life, faded and melancholy as a pressed flower, to its original pure colour, firm fresh shape and exceedingly sophisticated scent' -- Hilary Spurling, Daily Telegraph Books of the Year 20001111 'Caroline Moorehead's biography brings the images to life and sheds light on the shadows ! A fascinating portrait, and one which matches the high standards of its subject ! An admirably perceptive, well-written and entertaining biography' -- Isabel Colegate, The Spectator 20001007 'This biography, which has all the merits of Iris's own histories -- the ability to pull the focus back and forth between the subject and her interesting times -- with the bonus of the total honesty missing from her memoirs, is so valuable ! A compelling story, splendidly told' -- Aileen Reid, Sunday Telegraph 20001015 'Caroline Moorehead brings to her biography of the author and enlightened noblewoman, Iris Origo, her own established combination of grip and perceptive empathy' -- Candia McWilliam, Evening Standard 20001009

Edition details

• Publisher: John Murray Publishers Ltd
• Publication date: 2003
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0719565138
• ISBN 13: 9780719565137
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 320