Wait for Me!

Deborah Mitford, Duchess of Devonshire, is the youngest of the famously witty brood of six daughters and one son that included the writers Jessica and Nancy, who wrote, when Deborah was born, "How disgusting of the poor darling to go and be a girl." Deborah's effervescent memoir "Wait for Me! "chronicles her remarkable life, from an eccentric but happy childhood roaming the Oxfordshire countryside, to tea with Adolf Hitler and her sister Unity in 1937, to her marriage to Andrew Cavendish, the second son of the Duke of Devonshire. Her life changed utterly with his unexpected inheritance of the title and vast estates after the wartime death of his brother, who had married "Kick" Kennedy, the beloved sister of John F. Kennedy. Her friendship with that family would last through triumph and tragedy. In 1959, the Duchess and her family took up residence in Chatsworth, the four-hundred-year-old family seat, with its incomparable collections of paintings, tapestry, and sculpture the combined accumulations of generations of tastemakers. Neglected due to the economies of two world wars and punitive inheritance taxes, the great house soon came to life again under the careful attention of the Duchess. It is regarded as one of England's most loved and popular historic houses. "Wait for Me! "is written with intense warmth, charm, and perception. A unique portrait of an age of tumult, splendor, and change, it is also an unprecedented look at the rhythms of life inside one of the great aristocratic families of England. With its razor-sharp portraits of the Duchess's many friends and cohorts politicians, writers, artists, sportsmen it is truly irresistible reading, and will join the shelf of Mitford classics to delight readers for years to come."

About the Author :
Deborah Vivien Freeman-Mitford Cavendish, Duchess of Devonshire, was brought up in Oxfordshire, England. In 1950 her husband, Andrew, the 11th Duke of Devonshire, inherited extensive estates in Yorkshire and Ireland as well as Chatsworth, the family seat in Derbyshire, and Deborah became chatelaine of one of England's great houses. She is the author of "Counting My Chickens" and "Home to Roost," among other books, and her letters have been collected in The "Mitfords: Letters Between Six Sisters" and "In Tearing Haste: The Correspondence of the Duchess of Devonshire and Patrick Leigh Fermor." Following her husband's death in 2004, she moved to a village on the Chatsworth estate.

Review :
"Wait for Me!" . . . teem[s] with memories of love, war, betrayal, heartbreak, housekeeping, and frolic . . . tantalizing . . . riveting.--Liesl Schillinger "The New York Times Book Review " [Debo] is in possession of what I can only describe as a uniquely Mitford-esque sensibility: loving but unsentimental . . . able to find the ridiculous in almost anything.--Rachel Cooke "The Observer (London) " A national treasure.--Sarah Lyall "The New York Times " Admirably done, cannily blending disclosure and reticence in a charming book that kept me riveted.--Miranda Seymour "The Guardian (London) " Beguiling . . . Hugely enjoyable . . . What these letters so wonderfully demonstrate is an unfailing appetite for life.--Anne Chisholm on IN TEARING HASTE "The Spectator " Behind the wit and quips, there is something else stronger and more rigorous. She goes to the ballet at Covent Garden with the Queen Mother and notices that throughout the entire performance, the Queen Mother's back 'never once touched the chair.' That is how the Duchess is too--never a slouch, never a saggy moment, even in grief alert, attentive, observant.--Adam Nicolson on HOME TO ROOST "The Spectator " Funny, loving, sparkly, snarky, heartbreaking, chilling, gossipy, wise.--Amanda Lovell on THE MITFORDS "O, The Oprah Magazine " More entertaining than anything I could say about it.--P. J. Kavanagh on COUNTING MY CHICKENS... "The Spectator " Nobody with an interest in the past century could fail to be interested in the gossip, which extends to just about everyone of interest.--Matthew Bell on HOME TO ROOST "The Independent on Sunday " One of the great twentieth-century correspondences . . . Bursting with wit and conviviality.--James Purdon on IN TEARING HASTE "The Observer (London) " "Praise for "Home to Roost "Praise for "In Tearing Haste "Praise for "T""he Mitfords Praise for "Counting My Chickens . . . Charming, captivating, and at times wickedly funny. Wait for Me!' was the refrain of young Debo', the baby of the family. Now ninety, she has caught up beautifully. "Time" A national treasure. Sarah Lyall, "The New York Times" "Wait for Me!" . . . teem[s] with memories of love, war, betrayal, heartbreak, housekeeping, and frolic . . . tantalizing . . . riveting. Liesl Schillinger, "The New York Times Book Review" Admirably done, cannily blending disclosure and reticence in a charming book that kept me riveted. Miranda Seymour, "The Guardian (London)" [Debo] is in possession of what I can only describe as a uniquely Mitford-esque sensibility: loving but unsentimental . . . able to find the ridiculous in almost anything. Rachel Cooke, "The Observer (London)" More entertaining than anything I could say about it. P. J. Kavanagh on COUNTING MY CHICKENS..., "The Spectator" Nobody with an interest in the past century could fail to be interested in the gossip, which extends to just about everyone of interest. Matthew Bell on HOME TO ROOST, "The Independent on Sunday" Behind the wit and quips, there is something else stronger and more rigorous. She goes to the ballet at Covent Garden with the Queen Mother and notices that throughout the entire performance, the Queen Mother's back never once touched the chair.' That is how the Duchess is too--never a slouch, never a saggy moment, even in grief alert, attentive, observant. Adam Nicolson on HOME TO ROOST, "The Spectator" One of the great twentieth-century correspondences . . . Bursting with wit and conviviality. James Purdon on IN TEARING HASTE, "The Observer (London)" Beguiling . . . Hugely enjoyable . . . What these letters so wonderfully demonstrate is an unfailing appetite for life. Anne Chisholm on IN TEARING HASTE, "The Spectator" Funny, loving, sparkly, snarky, heartbreaking, chilling, gossipy, wise. Amanda Lovell on THE MITFORDS, "O, The Oprah Magazine"" "Charming, captivating, and at times wickedly funny. 'Wait for Me!' was the refrain of young 'Debo', the baby of the family. Now ninety, she has caught up beautifully." --"Time ""A national treasure." --Sarah Lyall, "The New York Times """Wait for Me!" . . . teem[s] with memories of love, war, betrayal, heartbreak, housekeeping, and frolic . . . tantalizing . . . riveting." --Liesl Schillinger, "The New York Times Book Review ""Admirably done, cannily blending disclosure and reticence in a charming book that kept me riveted." --Miranda Seymour, "The Guardian" (London) "[Debo] is in possession of what I can only describe as a uniquely Mitford-esque sensibility: loving but unsentimental . . . able to find the ridiculous in almost anything." --Rachel Cooke, " The Observer" (London) Praise for "Counting My Chickens . . . ""More entertaining than anything I could say about it." --P. J. Kavanagh, "The Spectator "Praise for "Home to Roost ""Nobody with an interest in the past century could fail to be interested in the gossip, which extends to just about everyone of interest." --Matthew Bell, "The Independent on Sunday ""Behind the wit and quips, there is something else stronger and more rigorous. She goes to the ballet at Covent Garden with the Queen Mother and notices that throughout the entire performance, the Queen Mother's back 'never once touched the chair.' That is how the Duchess is too--never a slouch, never a saggy moment, even in grief alert, attentive, observant." --Adam Nicolson, "The Spectator "Praise for "In Tearing Haste ""One of the great twentieth-century correspondences . . . Bursting with wit and conviviality." --James Purdon, "The Observer "(London) "Beguiling . . . Hugely enjoyable . . . What these letters so wonderfully demonstrate is an unfailing appetite for life." --Anne Chisholm, "The Spectator "Praise for "T""he Mitfords ""Funny, loving, sparkly, snarky, heartbreaking, chilling, gossipy, wise." --Amanda Lovell, "O, The Oprah Magazine"Praise for "Counting My Chickens . . . ""More entertaining than anything I could say about it." --P. J. Kavanagh, "The Spectator "Praise for "Home to Roost ""Nobody with an interest in the past century could fail to be interested in the gossip, which extends to just about everyone of interest." --Matthew Bell, "The Independent on Sunday ""Behind the wit and quips, there is something else stronger and more rigorous. She goes to the ballet at Covent Garden with the Queen Mother and notices that throughout the entire performance, the Queen Mother's back 'never once touched the chair.' That is how the Duchess is too--never a slouch, never a saggy moment, even in grief alert, attentive, observant." --Adam Nicolson, "The Spectator "Praise for "In Tearing Haste ""One of the great twentieth-century correspondences . . . Bursting with wit and conviviality." --James Purdon, "The Observer "(London) "Beguiling . . . Hugely enjoyable . . . What these letters so wonderfully demonstrate is an unfailing appetite for life." --Anne Chisholm, "The Spectator "Praise for "T""he Mitfords ""Funny, loving, sparkly, snarky, heartbreaking, chilling, gossipy, wise." --Amanda Lovell, "O, The Oprah Magazine" Praise for "Counting My Chickens . . . ""More entertaining than anything I could say about it." --P. J. Kavanagh, "The Spectator "Praise for "Home to Roost ""Nobody with an interest in the past century could fail to be interested in the gossip, which extends to just about everyone of interest." --Matthew Bell, "The Independent on Sunday ""Behind the wit and quips, there is something else stronger and more rigorous. She goes to the ballet at Covent Garden with the Queen Mother and notices that throughout the entire performance, the Queen Mother's back 'never once touched the chair.' That is how the Duchess is too--never a slouch, never a saggy moment, even in grief alert, attentive, observant." --Adam Nicolson, "The Spectator "Praise for "In Tearing Haste ""One of the great twentieth-century correspondences . . . Bursting with wit and conviviality." --James Purdon, "The Observer "(London) "Beguiling . . . Hugely enjoyable . . . What these letters so wonderfully demonstrate is an unfailing appetite for life." --Anne Chisholm, "The Spectator "Praise for "T""he Mitfords ""Funny, loving, sparkly, snarky, heartbreaking, chilling, gossipy, wise." --Amanda Lovell, "O, The Oprah Magazine" Praise for "Counting My Chickens . . . ""More entertaining than anything I could say about it." --P. J. Kavanagh, "The Spectator "Praise for "Home to Roost ""Nobody with an interest in the past century could fail to be interested in the gossip, which extends to just about everyone of interest." --Matthew Bell, "The Independent on Sunday ""Behind the wit and quips, there is something else stronger and more rigorous. She goes to the ballet at Covent Garden with the Queen Mother and notices that throughout the entire performance, the Queen Mother's back 'never once touched the chair.' That is how the Duchess is too--never a slouch, never a saggy moment, even in grief alert, attentive, observant." --Adam Nicolson, "The Spectator "Praise for "In Tearing Haste ""One of the great twentieth-century correspondences . . . Bursting with wit and conviviality." --James Purdon, "The Observer "(London) "Beguiling . . . Hugely enjoyable . . . What th Praise for "Counting My Chickens": “More entertaining than anything I could say about it.” —P. J.Kavanagh, "The Spectator"