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Mountbatten: the Private Story
Lord Louis Mountbatten accepted the Japanese surrender in 1945, was the last Viceroy of India, and was murdered by the IRA. Behind the public acclaim that his wartime achievements brought him, he had vanity and a controversial lifestyle. He had influential connections with the Royal Family but made many enemies, including Winston Churchill, who never forgave him for his part in "giving away India," while courtiers in the Royal Household disliked him for his arrogance and interference. Both Mountbatten and his wife were widely known to have had numerous affairs, but this was rarely spoken of outside their circle. He was an egotistical man, fascinated by royalty and his own relationship to the royal family, and delighted in being seen with celebrities. His biographer, Brian Hoey, knew Mountbatten for 10 years and interviewed him on radio and television. Hoey talked to many in the Royal Household, and also to Prince Philip, Prince Michael of Kent, and King Constantine of Greece about their memories of Mountbatten. Both of Mountbatten's daughters and his grandchildren also agreed to speak.
- GenresBiography
300 pages, Hardcover
Published July 22, 1994
2 people are currently reading
30 people want to read
About the author
Brian Hoey
51 books21 followersBrian Hoey is one of the united Kingdom's best informed royal chroniclers. He has written a wide variety of books on the royal family.
He was one of the BBC's first television newscasters and has been a writer and broadcaster for over 40 years at 2002.
He lives in South Wales with his wife and the couple have three grown-up children.
He was one of the BBC's first television newscasters and has been a writer and broadcaster for over 40 years at 2002.
He lives in South Wales with his wife and the couple have three grown-up children.
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
December 23, 2015
not a proper biography, not properly referenced, seems a very lazy book
February 3, 2020
So, let me rant some.
I bought this book because it was relatively cheap on Amazon, and the reviews were good. Boy do I wish I had looked at Goodreads as well. Admittedly, I am probably not a good target for this type of private biography, never having read any official account of Mountbatten's life and thus not knowing too much about his accomplishments. But this book was pretty shite anyway.
First of all, it is really poorly written. It's basically a "he said, she said" type of narrative. In fact I am really surprised that the auther is a journalist/writer, one would expect that with such credentials the style should be at least okay.
Secondly, the book is unnecessarily chatty, with quotations that seem basically unedited and provided word for word, just as they were delivered to the author. There is also no analysis whatsoever, and if there is one, it's so simplistic and apologetic that it's almost embarrassing to read.
Thirdly, the author is obviously very fond of Mountbatten to the point that the book is more of a hagiography than a biography. Mountbatten's conceit and self-absorption is cited throughout the book, but the author always follows up with an excuse along the lines "but his family loved him just as he was", "but he was actually right to believe that he could do things better". He obviously found Mountbatten's vices adorable and goes out of his way to paint a favorable portrait, even at the cost of contradicting himself multiple times throughout the book, depending on which view suits his agenda better.
Towards the end the book gets worse and worse, with quotations left unmarked etc., and the account turning into "every last piece of information I got on Mountbatten", even if it's completely irrelevant to the story, like: Mountbatten admired Chaplin and asked him to visit his home, but Chaplin said no, but then he said yes. Boom, there goes the entire story of the allegedly great friendship. I shit you not, people. Go read it yourself, or better, buy a different biography.
Two stars because I did learn something.
I bought this book because it was relatively cheap on Amazon, and the reviews were good. Boy do I wish I had looked at Goodreads as well. Admittedly, I am probably not a good target for this type of private biography, never having read any official account of Mountbatten's life and thus not knowing too much about his accomplishments. But this book was pretty shite anyway.
First of all, it is really poorly written. It's basically a "he said, she said" type of narrative. In fact I am really surprised that the auther is a journalist/writer, one would expect that with such credentials the style should be at least okay.
Secondly, the book is unnecessarily chatty, with quotations that seem basically unedited and provided word for word, just as they were delivered to the author. There is also no analysis whatsoever, and if there is one, it's so simplistic and apologetic that it's almost embarrassing to read.
Thirdly, the author is obviously very fond of Mountbatten to the point that the book is more of a hagiography than a biography. Mountbatten's conceit and self-absorption is cited throughout the book, but the author always follows up with an excuse along the lines "but his family loved him just as he was", "but he was actually right to believe that he could do things better". He obviously found Mountbatten's vices adorable and goes out of his way to paint a favorable portrait, even at the cost of contradicting himself multiple times throughout the book, depending on which view suits his agenda better.
Towards the end the book gets worse and worse, with quotations left unmarked etc., and the account turning into "every last piece of information I got on Mountbatten", even if it's completely irrelevant to the story, like: Mountbatten admired Chaplin and asked him to visit his home, but Chaplin said no, but then he said yes. Boom, there goes the entire story of the allegedly great friendship. I shit you not, people. Go read it yourself, or better, buy a different biography.
Two stars because I did learn something.
November 24, 2022
[Pan Books] (1995). SB. 272 Pages. Bought at auction (eBay).
Preliminary chapters attest to the honour-hungry antics of a chronic philanderer who married into money. A deceitful, nepotistic megalomaniac; much taken with extreme peacockery.
A little past the half-way mark, the biography takes a decidedly darker turn. Mountbatten (in reality, Battenberg) is painted as an over-promoted, egotistical buffoon whose military ineptitude contributed to mammoth losses - human and financial in form.
Never one to permit abject failure to hamper progress, he moved smoothly into a 277 room mansion, with 1,000+ servants, as the last Viceroy of ‘British India’.
Reasonably well written.
Very depressing.
Preliminary chapters attest to the honour-hungry antics of a chronic philanderer who married into money. A deceitful, nepotistic megalomaniac; much taken with extreme peacockery.
A little past the half-way mark, the biography takes a decidedly darker turn. Mountbatten (in reality, Battenberg) is painted as an over-promoted, egotistical buffoon whose military ineptitude contributed to mammoth losses - human and financial in form.
Never one to permit abject failure to hamper progress, he moved smoothly into a 277 room mansion, with 1,000+ servants, as the last Viceroy of ‘British India’.
Reasonably well written.
Very depressing.
July 9, 2020
So, I'm a royalist American. Love European and British history. Love the monarchy, the aristocracy, the personalities, the intrigue. And I love all these institutions because they are dichotomy embodied - equal parts consequential and petty, historical and banal, lofty and low, stately and common.
Some reviewers are clearly offended by this take on Lord Mountbatten. And I get it - the book isn't perfectly written - there are typos and at times it feels a bit tabloid. But if you already know your history and read this alongside one of the authorized biographies, it's actually rather charming. On the other hand, if you're not already familiar with the last 150 years of the monarchy and Lord Mountbatten's accomplishments, this would be an incomplete and unfair picture of his life and legacy. But really, how many people are reading this book as an introduction to the monarchy and Lord Mountbatten?
I enjoyed it immensely. I even read it while on a ship - a detail of which I'm sure Dickie would approve!
Some reviewers are clearly offended by this take on Lord Mountbatten. And I get it - the book isn't perfectly written - there are typos and at times it feels a bit tabloid. But if you already know your history and read this alongside one of the authorized biographies, it's actually rather charming. On the other hand, if you're not already familiar with the last 150 years of the monarchy and Lord Mountbatten's accomplishments, this would be an incomplete and unfair picture of his life and legacy. But really, how many people are reading this book as an introduction to the monarchy and Lord Mountbatten?
I enjoyed it immensely. I even read it while on a ship - a detail of which I'm sure Dickie would approve!
December 25, 2019
A very interesting book on a very interesting person. I could have done without the vigorous denial of the gay rumours (not sure if the author intended to come off homophobic or not, but it read that way to me), but otherwise this book was a fascinating and a quick read.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews