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All About My Mother
Legendary actress Diana Rigg was a force to be reckoned with. Her 50+-year, multi-award-winning career included everything from the iconic smart-talking, cat-suited Emma Peel in the Avengers to being the only Bond girl 007 ever married, to iconic stage performances in Mother Courage, Jumpers and Medea and unforgettable TV appearances in Detectorists (in which Rachael played her daughter) and as Lady Tyrell in Game of Thrones. She never wrote an autobiography (but she clearly thought a lot about it) -- her highly unconventional life was full of incident and drama and she knew everyone.
Perhaps you've never heard of Diana Rigg. That doesn't matter, for in these pages I intend to conjure her up in all her glory, and I promise you will feel as if you do know her by the end. In fact, I hope you will feel like you've known her always, been pissed together often, howled with laughter and sobbed alongside her for all eighty-two of her glorious years on Earth. Her story, her outlook, her legacy, is a lesson in living this life to the in following your instincts, in taking pleasure wherever there is pleasure to be taken, in loving with all your strength and might, in laughing, always at yourself first, and in being curious, now and forever.
Her only child Rachael Stirling is a successful actress too - but it turns out she is also a wonderful writer. Mother and daughter were always very close and when Diana was diagnosed with terminal cancer, she moved in with Rachael and her husband Guy Garvey as well as their young son.
All About My Mother is Rachael's honest, funny, gossipy, sad and extremely moving attempt to bring the woman she knew and loved back to life so you can get to know her too.
Perhaps you've never heard of Diana Rigg. That doesn't matter, for in these pages I intend to conjure her up in all her glory, and I promise you will feel as if you do know her by the end. In fact, I hope you will feel like you've known her always, been pissed together often, howled with laughter and sobbed alongside her for all eighty-two of her glorious years on Earth. Her story, her outlook, her legacy, is a lesson in living this life to the in following your instincts, in taking pleasure wherever there is pleasure to be taken, in loving with all your strength and might, in laughing, always at yourself first, and in being curious, now and forever.
Her only child Rachael Stirling is a successful actress too - but it turns out she is also a wonderful writer. Mother and daughter were always very close and when Diana was diagnosed with terminal cancer, she moved in with Rachael and her husband Guy Garvey as well as their young son.
All About My Mother is Rachael's honest, funny, gossipy, sad and extremely moving attempt to bring the woman she knew and loved back to life so you can get to know her too.
- GenresNonfictionBiography
360 pages, Kindle Edition
Published September 10, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
September 18, 2026
Although Diana Rigg never wrote an autobiography her daughter, actress Rachel Stirling, does an excellent job in her place. Diana Rigg's career included theatre, film and television and her most notable roles are all covered here. Stirling reproduces her mother's letters and diary extracts that cover a large part of Rigg's life.
Personally I'm a huge fan of Diana Rigg as Emma Peel in the classic TV series The Avengers & named my daughter Emma, Catherine and Tara after all the leading ladies from The Avengers! She was also wonderful as Tracey in my favourite James Bond film On Her Majesty's Secret Service, and I was lucky enough to see her on stage in Suddenly Last Summer by Tennessee Williams.
Rachel Stirling covers her mother's professional and personal life brilliantly. In addition I thoroughly enjoyed Stirling discussing some of her own theatre, film and television work. Perhaps one day she will write her own story. Let's hope so.
Personally I'm a huge fan of Diana Rigg as Emma Peel in the classic TV series The Avengers & named my daughter Emma, Catherine and Tara after all the leading ladies from The Avengers! She was also wonderful as Tracey in my favourite James Bond film On Her Majesty's Secret Service, and I was lucky enough to see her on stage in Suddenly Last Summer by Tennessee Williams.
Rachel Stirling covers her mother's professional and personal life brilliantly. In addition I thoroughly enjoyed Stirling discussing some of her own theatre, film and television work. Perhaps one day she will write her own story. Let's hope so.
September 19, 2026
4.5 stars
September 15, 2026
What beautiful writing. I’m sure this makes a wonderful read, but hearing it makes an even more special legacy.
September 15, 2026
One of the most beautiful, poignant and wickedly funny books I’ve read in a long while. Overflowing with love it’s a celebration of a life well lived.
I especially recommend the audiobook.
I especially recommend the audiobook.
September 23, 2026
What a fantastic read. Emotional, witty, endearing, and a beautiful homage to the legendary Diana Rigg.
It was truly moving to learn so much more about Diana’s life, career, and the incredible stories that came with it. However, of all the roles Diana had throughout her life, the one that intrigued me most was that of being Rachael’s mother, and just how much love existed between them throughout the ups and downs, as well as all the wonderful times they shared.
You can’t help but find yourself completely transfixed by the closeness between them. When Rachael talks about them being the same person, it really does feel that way — not in an unhealthy sense, but in the way that these two women, who were not only mother and daughter but clearly each other’s true best friend, seemed to understand one another on an incredibly deep level.
They weren’t just alike in looks, but emotionally alike too, even if they didn’t always want to admit it. Each one seemed to need the other, yet it never felt as though either was trying to live in the other’s shadow. Instead, it felt as though they were simply holding on to the fact that they were each other’s light.
I finished this book thinking that I couldn’t decide which woman was the luckiest: Rachael for having Diana as her mother, or Diana for having Rachael as her daughter.
So, in the end, I came to the conclusion that Guy and Jack are the luckiest of all, to have had both of these incredible women in their lives.
It was truly moving to learn so much more about Diana’s life, career, and the incredible stories that came with it. However, of all the roles Diana had throughout her life, the one that intrigued me most was that of being Rachael’s mother, and just how much love existed between them throughout the ups and downs, as well as all the wonderful times they shared.
You can’t help but find yourself completely transfixed by the closeness between them. When Rachael talks about them being the same person, it really does feel that way — not in an unhealthy sense, but in the way that these two women, who were not only mother and daughter but clearly each other’s true best friend, seemed to understand one another on an incredibly deep level.
They weren’t just alike in looks, but emotionally alike too, even if they didn’t always want to admit it. Each one seemed to need the other, yet it never felt as though either was trying to live in the other’s shadow. Instead, it felt as though they were simply holding on to the fact that they were each other’s light.
I finished this book thinking that I couldn’t decide which woman was the luckiest: Rachael for having Diana as her mother, or Diana for having Rachael as her daughter.
So, in the end, I came to the conclusion that Guy and Jack are the luckiest of all, to have had both of these incredible women in their lives.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews