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The Scandalous Lady W

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The Scandalous Lady W

By: Hallie Rubenhold
Narrated by: Emily Pennant-Rea
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About this listen

It was the divorce that scandalised Georgian England. She was a spirited young heiress. He was a handsome baronet with a promising career in government.

Their marriage had the makings of a fairy tale but ended as one of the most salacious and highly publicised divorces in history.

For over 200 years the story of Lady Worsley, her vengeful husband, and her lover, George Maurice Bisset, lay forgotten. Now Hallie Rubenhold throws open a window to a rarely seen view of Georgian England, one coloured by passion, adventure and the defiance of social convention.

The book behind the major new BBC drama starring Natalie Dormer (Game of Thrones, The Hunger Games: Mockingjay).

Hallie Rubenhold is a social historian and an authority on women's lives of the past. She has worked as a curator for the National Portrait Gallery and as a university lecturer. Her books include Lady Worsley's Whim, dramatized by the BBC as The Scandalous Lady W, and Covent Garden Ladies: The Extraordinary Story of Harris's List, which inspired the ITV series Harlots. She lives in London with her husband.

©2008 Hallie Rubenhold (P)2019 W. F. Howes Ltd 18th Century Europe Great Britain Modern Marriage England

Critic Reviews

"A fabulous story and Rubenhold tells it beautifully." (Daily Telegraph)

"Hallie Rubenhold is in a league of her own. She keeps you glued to the very last page when, exhausted, exasperated and elated, you can at last put the book down and get yourself some sleep.... Nothing else in the genre is close to being this good." (Literary Review)

All stars
Most relevant
An excellent and well researched story that paints a different view of Georgian England compared to the narrative of Jane Austin. The tale is well balanced between piecing together his and her stories.

My only complaint lies in the volume control of the recording. The narrator was a good choice for reading but the volume of the recording was too low for me to hear easily while driving. In addition there are some places in the recording where the reader’s voice drops off as if she turns away from the microphone. These minor issues should not detract from the listeners enjoyment of the story however.

A glimpse beyond genteel Georgian society

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I really enjoy Hallie’s work. The research and detail she puts into her work is terrific.
What a colourful life Lady W had. I really enjoyed this book.

Living large

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