Nancy Mitford was the eldest in an extraordinary aristocratic family whose lives trace political and social events in 20th-century history. She is best known for her 1945 novel The Pursuit of Love (most recently adapted for the BBC), which drew heavily on her own family’s stories. However she was also a critically-acclaimed biographer, and author of a controversial article on etiquette and class. This course will take a closer look at Nancy Mitford’s novels, from her early works like Highland Fling, through the peak of her popularity with The Pursuit of Love, and on to her later novels set in France including Don’t Tell Alfred.
Course aim
An introduction to the novels of Nancy Mitford.
Do I need any particular skills or experience?
- This course is for beginners and improvers
By the end of the course I should be able to:
- Know about Nancy Mitford’s novels
- Discover more about Mitford’s own life
- Read and discuss excerpts from the novels
- Consider the extent to which Mitford draws on her own life in her fiction writing
What else do I need to know?
No previous knowledge is assumed. You will get more from the course if you read the whole book discussed each week, but short extracts will be downloadable from Canvas. Links to further reading will be provided for those who wish to extend their learning. A pen & paper may be handy for notes.
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