"Snowdon: the biography" by Anne de Courcy

[CourtSprite]

The late Princess Margaret's ex-husband, Anthony Armstrong-Jones, Lord Snowden, has apparently given approval for a new bio on his marriage to Margaret.

Anne de Courcy is writing the book and "reportedly had his full cooperation, was allowed access to his letters and papers and was given permission to interview family and friends."

I can't decide if this would be an interesting read or not. A lot of water has passed under the bridge since he and Margaret split in 1976. Times have changed, as the saying goes.

[Elspeth]

I think any biography that's authorised by at least some of the subjects, and for which original documentation is made available, is likely to be interesting - if only to see how much of the unauthorised biograhies was made up!

[Warren]

A review of this book appeared in today's Sydney Morning Herald, sourced from the Telegraph, London.
Excerpts from the review:

"At the outset, Anne de Courcy declares that the twin motors of Tony Snowdon's life were "work and sex".
His world was one in which both long relationships and casual encounters co-existed.
The marriage with Princess Margaret was an impossibility but a brilliant one, and a passionate love affair too.
Though this is the authorised biography, and he [Snowdon] has granted free access to much, he sticks to his vow of silence on the central relationship. But everyone else is given the green light and it's painful reading.
The honeymoon period lasted two years, the break-up 16 more, with drugs and alcohol throughout. Everyone from Peter Sellers to the Aga Khan passes through.
Most people, including the royal family, took his side. De Courcy puts the record straight and Margaret comes out of it well.
Snowdon...doesn't read books. Margaret did read and he secretly slipped lists into the pages for her to suddenly find, of "things I hate about you".
He said to a friend "I wish to hell she'd take a lover and leave me in peace." and when she did, he was furious. The lover, Robin Douglas-Home, is shown the door and later kills himself, while Snowdon continues his own multiple bonkings. When mild Roddy Llewellyn eventually came along, Snowdon played the outraged husband and this prompted the divorce.
He had the gift of intimacy and, furthermore, there was his shyness which masked the ruthless vanity. He was terrified, for example, of public speaking.
This book is an onslaught of revelation, a dizzying switchback-ride of mixed emotions, pomp and sleaze, and finally it's impossible to pass judgement on anyone."

[Menarue]

That sounds like an interesting read. He authorised this? From the review that seems strange, but as it said he doesn´t read books, perhaps he won´t read this. I must read it as perhaps it is nothing like the excerpt from the review promises.

[attaininggrace]

I am very interested in reading this. Unfortunately there are almost 30 holds on it at the library so I may have a long wait!

[attaininggrace]

I've started reading this. I didn't think that I liked Anne de Courcy's writing but this particular book is well-written.

She states that Snowdon did indeed authorise this (!) and she regards him with affection. He's certainly very complicated. de Courcy blames his bad relationships on his upbringing. His parents were divorced and his mother was rather cold and preferred the sons of her second marriage to the children from the first. It all sounds incredibly old-fashioned and difficult. The children were not allowed in certain rooms, for example.

When Snowdon became a photographer he was looked down on by many in 'society'. He was even beaten up a few times! After one instance he dressed himself up and turned up again at events as if nothing had happened.

He's courageous and charming, but not especially likeable so far!

[Menarue]

Unfortunately no library with English books so I will have to buy it but that doesn´t worry me I love books, I have some on the way and then I am going to get this one, it will be interesting to see his side of the story, but then we don´t really know Princess Margaret´s side of it and probably never will.

[ysbel]

God, he sounds like such a hedonist. I don't think I could read this book. The biography of Princess Margaret was excessively hedonistic and was rather depressing to read.

I don't think I could take another book like that.

[Elspeth]

I'm waiting for a second-hand copy to show up somewhere at a reasonable price. It does look interesting, and I'd like to see how the story from his point of view fits with the Margaret biographies.

[qui mal y pense]

Funny how this book has come out now that Margaret is dead. I have her authorised biography, which of course makes for tame reading compared to what this book promises. Interesting though how his own biography doesn't seem to be any kinder to him than hers was.

[attaininggrace]

The biography of Princess Margaret was excessively hedonistic and was rather depressing to read.
I don't think I could take another book like that.

I agree with you about Lord Snowdon to some extent, but he did work very hard! I don't agree that Princess Margaret was that much of a hedonist. She was quite religious.