Five Sisters: The Langhornes of Virginia

Tiresome

This book reads really slow. Unless you just love myth, gossip and fokelore of famous people, this book is boring. Written in a difficult, long-winded, english style makes the book almost read like a textbook. Using, primarily, personal letters regarding family matters as the basis for this thesis, gives the sisters (and others) one-sided and comical personalities in a cruel, self absorbed way. The author never seems to be able to grasp the "whole" person.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Wonderful!

This is an outstanding book! James Fox has written a biography with all the drama of a great novel. The book details the extrodinary lives of the famous Langhorne sisters; from Irene the last of the Belles to Nancy who married Waldorf Astor (one of the worlds richest men) and became the first woman MP in England. Not only does James Fox give us fascinating character studies, but also a rich historical context of the social and political environment of the period.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Highly recommended

A very good read. The characters were brought to life by the author, who happens to be related to the family and had some first hand experience. I found the story to accurately depict the lives of old Virginia at a turning point in the new century, to WWI, a period of peace and through WWII. Includes social morays of the time as well as how a family faced divorce, extramarital affairs, alcohol abuse and finally crossing over "the pond" and establishing new lives and families in England. Being from a family of six girls myself, I loved how the author related the personalities of each sister and how they interacted with their parents and siblings all while challenging the old century ideas.