Aged only 12, Emma Hamilton set off for London as a domestic servant, and, within a very short space of time, this indomitable woman became the mistress of an aristocrat. Based on many letters, this a story of high drama and glittering society, and of one woman's overwhelming determination to be a star.
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Aged only 12, Emma Hamilton set off for London as a domestic servant, and, within a very short space of time, this indomitable woman became the mistress of an aristocrat. Based on many letters, this a story of high drama and glittering society, and of one woman's overwhelming determination to be a star.
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I knew absolutely nothing about Lady Hamilton before I picked this book up. I didn't even know Nelson had a mistress, or that she was such a complex and fascinating woman. This biography chronicles what is basically a 'rags-to-riches' story. Emma Hamilton is born a poor girl on the Welsh Borderlands, becomes a maid, then a prostitute, then an actress/model. She then becomes mistress to several important men, including Lord Nelson. Lady Hamilton is not a gold-digging socialite, but a nuanced and vibrant woman. Kate Williams creates a work of biography that is accessible to non-academics, but still has enough footnotes to make any historian happy. It's very rare that I read biographies at all, much less attack one voraciously. This writing is clear and concise. The story is wonderful. The scenes and characters are vividly described. The inclusion of art from the period was delightful, and really helped me to envision the period. Emma Hamilton is an incredible woman. She is painted so clearly and with such love in this book, that I wish I could have met her. This is not a book about Lord Nelson. This is Emma's story, and it is a great one. If you enjoyed PASSIONATE MINDS, the biography of Voltaire and his mistress Emilie du Chatelet, then you will love this book.
