Ups and Downs: Diaries 1972-1975: Volume 7

Diaries of Frances Partridge #7

by Frances Partridge

Francis Partridge's diaries are the record of a woman who not only participated in the lives of the legendary Bloomsbury group, but was the circle’s oldest surviving member until her death in 2004. At the age of 100, Frances Partridge decided to publish another volume of diaries which cover the years 1972-1975. Recognized as one of the great British diarists of the century, she was born in Bloomsbury in 1900, studied at Cambridge, and became part of the Bloomsbury Group, encountering Virginia Woolf, the Bells, Roger Fry and Maynard Keynes. Her diaries, written without thought of publication, chronicle a remarkable life. Beautifully written, full of an infectious enthusiasm and unending curiosity, they are utterly riveting and rank amongst the greatest diaries of the 20th century.

Genres: Memoir

288 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2001

About the author

Frances Partridge CBE was the last surviving member of the Bloomsbury Group. She is most known for her diaries.

Her father was William Cecil Marshall, architect and runner-up in the very first Wimbledon tournament. She was the sister of Ray Garnett and Thomas Marshall.

Reviews

[Karen-Leigh · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have read a lot of biographies and diaries over the years and Frances Partridge's diaries are beyond anything the best I have read. Her use of language and description is so alive and interesting. Not a boring sentence in the entire book. Life is so short and I am unlikely to get back to rereading this book and I am trying to savour every bite by underlining. I cannot remember when I have underlined so much in a book in my life. I just want to somehow gobble it up and retain it and reread it and hold it somehow make it into mine. Her writing is lyrical, expressive.

[Angela · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the last of the published diaries, although the author died in 2004. In the Forward, she mentions other unpublished diaries kept in a French wardrobe - will these ever be published?
(My copy of this edition has 350 pages.)

[John · Rating 2 out of 5]

The final installment in her series of lifetime journals, and were there more I don't feel I could tackle another anytime soon, if at all. I suppose Bloomsbury fans might find all that name-dropping of interest; I had a great deal of difficulty keeping track of the players (even with copious footnotes and a Cast of Characters), giving up on sorting out all those self-absorbed golden lads and lasses near the end entirely.