Troublemaker: The Fierce, Unruly Life of Jessica Mitford

by Carla Kaplan

From British high society to republican Spain and civil rights America, the inspiring, wildly entertaining story of Jessica Mitford—investigative journalist, radical activist, renegade aristocrat.    


 ‘Jessica Mitford is a sister of mine. If I had to go into a room with a leopard, I wouldn’t hesitate to ask for her.’ — Maya Angelou   




 ‘The cult of the Mitfords, which now features a shelf of books and several TV documentaries, threatens in itself to become a bore on an almost Bloomsbury scale. But [their] mad father, when making dispositions of his property, wrote in his will the words “except Jessica.” And the bookstore at the Devonshire stately home in Chatsworth displays works by and about every Mitford sister but her. These paltry aristocratic gestures confirm, as do [her] letters, that it was Decca, exiled and intransigent, who was the exceptional one.’ — Christopher Hitchens      




 Jessica ‘Decca’ Mitford was raised to marry well, not fight for others’ rights. Yet she rejected her eccentric, blue-blooded roots, running away from England to become an antifascist and antiracist. Why is this rebellious heroine less famous than her glamorous sisters, who ranged from naughty to Nazi?    




Troublemaker is the remarkable story of Decca’s life in pursuit of justice, in the Spanish Civil War and the Communist Party USA; her intrepid social reporting, and her relentless antics. Carla Kaplan celebrates a fierce intellect and powerful ally who brought joy to the struggle, unearthing fascinating details through interviews with the Mitford family, and exploring Decca’s thousands of witty letters. From pioneer Dr Spock to Decca’s best friend Maya Angelou, this Mitford sister’s irreverent anti-authoritarianism deeply influenced American culture. Back home in Britain, her activism shamed those of her class—and her family—on the wrong side of history.    




This passionate, often hilarious biography captures an extraordinary woman, and an extraordinary time in world history. Facing today’s injustices, we need Decca’s vibrant, committed example more than ever.

Genres: Biography, Nonfiction, Biography Memoir, Audiobook

561 pages, Kindle Edition

Published November 25, 2025

About the author

Carla Kaplan is the Davis Distinguished Professor of American Literature at Northeastern University. She is the author of The Erotics of Talk: Women's Writing and Feminist Paradigms, Zora Neale Hurston: A Life in Letters, and Miss Anne in Harlem: The White Women of the Black Renaissance She is also editor of Every Tongue Got to Confess: Negro Folk Tales from the Gulf States and Dark Symphony and Other Works by Elizabeth Laura Adams.

Reviews

[Maine Colonial · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’ve read and watched a ton about the Mitfords, but I was interested to see what a new bio of Jessica Mitford might reveal. Nothing about her personal life was new to me, but I liked the predominance author Kaplan placed on Mitford’s career as a social activist and muckraker. A good deal of that was new to me and is a welcome addition to the usual treatment of her as almost a frivolous figure.

There is still a good proportion of content about Mitford’s personal life and her difficult relationship with her family, especially those of her sisters who chose the conventional and even far-right path. They were all inveterate letter-writers, and it’s painful to read letters between her sisters Diana and Deborah making cruel fun of Jessica’s left-wing activism, marriage to a Jewish man, and daughter’s marriage to a Black man. If you want to read more about just how horrible Diana was, in particular, you’ll get a couple of glimpses here (e.g., how her husband, fascist Oswald Mosley, hated only those Jews who didn’t support Hitler), but there are other books out there that can give you a fuller picture.

“Hollywood waxed cold, then hot, then cold again.” “pistol-whipped with a gun” [as contrasted to pistol-whipped with what?] “fealty and fidelity” [there is a difference, but fealty isn’t an apt adjective in the context used.]

Narrator Christina Delaine’s delivery is clear and well-modulated. Unfortunately, she can’t capture Jessica’s unique speaking style—though that’s an impossible task.

The book could have used a bit more editing to fix some awkward writing; e.g., “Hollywood waxed cold, then hot, then cold again” and “pistol-whipped with a gun.” But overall, this is a highly readable, entertaining, and informative biography.

[Kay · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jessica Mitford, the British aristocrat turned American muckraking journalist, lived an incredible life, and Carla Kaplan has written a riveting account of that life. I’d read a couple of Mitford’s books, but had little knowledge of Mitford’s personal life or the many tragedies she weathered. I was blown away by the amount and quality of Kaplan's research, which taught me so much about the historical periods Mitford lived through – the Spanish Revolution, World War II, the McCarthy Era, the Civil Rights Movement. And talk about a family split: Mitford became a firebrand communist, while several members of her family were devout fascists, one sister even being Hitler’s girlfriend! Mitford seemed to know everyone, from Winston Churchill (her first husband’s uncle) to her good friend Maya Angelou to Washington Post publisher Kay Graham to Black Panther leader Huey Newton to John F. Kennedy, with whom another of her sisters was close. The biography was long, but fascinating.

[Mike Cobb · Rating 4 out of 5]

A rich, deeply researched portrait of Jessica “Decca” Mitford that captures both her mischief and her moral seriousness. Kaplan does a good job tracing Decca’s journey from eccentric aristocrat to sharp-tongued muckraker and committed activist. At times the level of detail can feel a bit dense, but overall this is an absorbing, illuminating biography that left me even more fascinated by Mitford’s unruly life.

[Emily · Rating 5 out of 5]

A wonderful read—I’ve been fascinated by the Mitford since I was a teenager and had read Poison Penmanship and The American Way of Death. I still was unprepared by the absolute madness of her early life and the quantities of people she knew. Her daughter’s partner was James Forman! She knew Grace Paley! “Cousin Winston” was Churchill! Etc.

[Sharlene · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have been fascinated with the Mitford sisters for a long time. This is a well-written biography of the one who came to America and is most well-known for her American Way of Life.
she and her second husband knew everyone in their time and we involved in American Civil Right's Movement and the McCarthy era.

[Beth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Why is this book not getting more attention?!? Jessica Mitford's life is truly fascinating and this is a beautifully researched and written account of it. The number of causes she was involved in and people she knew is mind-boggling.

[Pat Bradley · Rating 5 out of 5]

A thorough look at a life well lived, if riddled with contradictions.