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Byron's Women
One was the mother who bore him; three were women who adored him; one was the sister he slept with; one was his abused and sodomized wife; one was his legitimate daughter; one was the fruit of his incest; another was his friend Shelley's wife, who avoided his bed and invented science fiction instead. Nine women; one poet named George Gordon, Lord Byron - mad, bad and very very dangerous to know. The most flamboyant of the Romantics, he wrote literary bestsellers, he was a satirist of genius, he embodied the Romantic love of liberty (the Greeks revere him as a national hero), he was the prototype of the modern celebrity - and he treated women (and these women in particular) abominably. In BYRON'S WOMEN, Alex Larman tells their extraordinary, moving and often shocking stories. In so doing, he creates a scurrilous 'anti-biography' of one of England's greatest poets, whose life he views - to deeply unflattering effect - through the prism of the nine damaged woman's lives.
416 pages, Hardcover
Published September 8, 2016
12 people are currently reading
235 people want to read
About the author
Alexander Larman
12 books107 followersAlexander Larman is an author, historian and journalist. After reading English at Oxford, from where he graduated with a First, he ghost-wrote and edited various memoirs and biographies, including the late artist and flâneur Sebastian Horsley’s Dandy In The Underworld. His involvement with the book led Horsley to say ‘there is no man in London more capable of genius – or a flop – than Alexander Larman’.
He began his own writing career with Blazing Star (Head of Zeus, 2014), a biography of the 17th century poet and libertine Lord Rochester, and followed this with Restoration (Head of Zeus, 2016) a social history of the year 1666, and Byron’s Women (Head of Zeus, 2016), an ‘anti-biography’ of the poet Lord Byron and the significant women in his life. His next book, The Crown in Crisis (Weidenfeld & Nicolson, 2020) was a revisionist history of the abdication saga. It was selected by the Times, Daily Mail and Daily Express as one of their best books of the year and led to significant international media coverage of the new revelations about the event.
As a journalist, Larman regularly contributes to titles including The Observer, The Critic, the Daily Telegraph, The Spectator and The Chap, for which he serves as literary editor. He lives in Oxford with his wife and daughter.
He began his own writing career with Blazing Star (Head of Zeus, 2014), a biography of the 17th century poet and libertine Lord Rochester, and followed this with Restoration (Head of Zeus, 2016) a social history of the year 1666, and Byron’s Women (Head of Zeus, 2016), an ‘anti-biography’ of the poet Lord Byron and the significant women in his life. His next book, The Crown in Crisis (Weidenfeld & Nicolson, 2020) was a revisionist history of the abdication saga. It was selected by the Times, Daily Mail and Daily Express as one of their best books of the year and led to significant international media coverage of the new revelations about the event.
As a journalist, Larman regularly contributes to titles including The Observer, The Critic, the Daily Telegraph, The Spectator and The Chap, for which he serves as literary editor. He lives in Oxford with his wife and daughter.
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Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
June 29, 2019
Lord Byron was the rock star of his day. This book profiles the women in his life. Each of the profiles is outrageous in its own way.
The first profile is of Lord Byron’s Scottish mother, Catherine Gordon. She fell for a man with a title who needed her money. Within a year most of it was gone. Alexander Larman’s research shows the poet to be very much like the father he hardly knew.
Caroline Lamb and Byron shared 2 months of a very public affair. Its abrupt end was followed by shocking behavior (even for today) by Caroline. Adding to the spice of this tawdry episode is that Caroline is married to an important politician; one who eventually became prime minister.
A lot has been written about Mary Shelly and Byron, but Byron’s romantic victim was her step sister Clair Clairmont. This chapter, while clear on the sad role of Clair and her (and Byron’s) daughter Allegra, gets bogged down in the creation of Frankenstein.
The family chapters show Byron at his most sadistic. Annabella (wife) and Augusta (step sister) are profiled in the same chapter; Their daughters Ada and Medora are profiled together in another. If you don’t know about these women, you will find their stories, with the exception of Ada, very sad. Each was a victim of the status of women at the time, and with the exception of Ada, by the controlling character of Byron. Annabella is presented in a very different way than in the recent biography Lady Byron and Her Daughters by Julia Markus. Larman shows her to be extremely rigid in ways that are opposite to the nature of her husband. While there would be no pleasing him, this must have been a trigger for his abuse. Their divorce settlement as presented here does not seem as onerous as the one described by Markus.
The weirdest chapter has some actual romance. Byron moved into the house of his lover Teresa Guiccioli. Given the time he spent with Teresa, it would be hard for her husband not to notice that he was not merely a friend. Here some background on the politics of this family would have been helpful to the story.
Throughout you see the importance of inheritance for these young people. Women, particularly those born outside of wedlock, who have the least access to it, are the ones who need it most.
Now that there is more honesty about the role of women and “boys will be boys” sounds lamer and lamer as an excuse, I expect that there will be more written about Byron and his poetry will be reexamined as well.
The first profile is of Lord Byron’s Scottish mother, Catherine Gordon. She fell for a man with a title who needed her money. Within a year most of it was gone. Alexander Larman’s research shows the poet to be very much like the father he hardly knew.
Caroline Lamb and Byron shared 2 months of a very public affair. Its abrupt end was followed by shocking behavior (even for today) by Caroline. Adding to the spice of this tawdry episode is that Caroline is married to an important politician; one who eventually became prime minister.
A lot has been written about Mary Shelly and Byron, but Byron’s romantic victim was her step sister Clair Clairmont. This chapter, while clear on the sad role of Clair and her (and Byron’s) daughter Allegra, gets bogged down in the creation of Frankenstein.
The family chapters show Byron at his most sadistic. Annabella (wife) and Augusta (step sister) are profiled in the same chapter; Their daughters Ada and Medora are profiled together in another. If you don’t know about these women, you will find their stories, with the exception of Ada, very sad. Each was a victim of the status of women at the time, and with the exception of Ada, by the controlling character of Byron. Annabella is presented in a very different way than in the recent biography Lady Byron and Her Daughters by Julia Markus. Larman shows her to be extremely rigid in ways that are opposite to the nature of her husband. While there would be no pleasing him, this must have been a trigger for his abuse. Their divorce settlement as presented here does not seem as onerous as the one described by Markus.
The weirdest chapter has some actual romance. Byron moved into the house of his lover Teresa Guiccioli. Given the time he spent with Teresa, it would be hard for her husband not to notice that he was not merely a friend. Here some background on the politics of this family would have been helpful to the story.
Throughout you see the importance of inheritance for these young people. Women, particularly those born outside of wedlock, who have the least access to it, are the ones who need it most.
Now that there is more honesty about the role of women and “boys will be boys” sounds lamer and lamer as an excuse, I expect that there will be more written about Byron and his poetry will be reexamined as well.
August 14, 2018
Well what can I say....the book was very well and thoroughly researched. The author, Alexander Larman made a point in his prelude that he really didn't like the fellow, Lord Byron, so for Larman to research and write this book so well, I have to give the man top credit. That has to have been a hard ask of the publisher.
Must've been an emotional roller coaster researching this poet because really, Byron was not a nice character at all.
Lord Byron lived his life with a big fat log on his shoulders...both of them... and seemed to think that all his downfalls and misfortunes in life, were somehow someone else's fault, more-so if the others happened to be women.
Byron became a peer at age 10 inheriting the title of Lord from his uncle, but his initial character traits had already been formed earlier in life. Being and only child, Byron was a spoilt brat who had a wastrel father who was never there and a doting mother who made way too many bad personal choices, the worst of them was to leave the boy in the charge of his despicable nanny. The nanny had ulterior motives and these transferred onto the young boy's psyche making him into a selfish, self centred, arrogant, 'emotionally repressed and sexually ambiguous', careless, thoughtless, callous person, and an utter rake and blackguard where women were concerned, in his teenage years and right through to the end of his life.
He was notorious at using, abusing, sodomising women (and probably boys too according to the book), and then without any consideration for their emotional well-being and sensitivities, threw them aside like old rags. He avoided responsibility in anything and everything, only interested in living his life irresponsibly and doing only as he pleased. He had and was a contradictory and manipulative character often playing one person off against another.
A line from the book....
'He was a committed social snob when it came to his recognised lovers, as opposed to the legions of ordinary women, girls and boys whom he was content merely to tup then forget about.'
He cuckolded many husbands of his mistresses, one being Lord Melbourne (personal advisor to Queen Victoria), husband of Lady Caroline Lamb to whom he had an intense sexual relationship with, encouraged by her mother-in -law who hated Caroline. The affair, like all his other affairs, ended badly with Caroline having being used and abused and dumped after Byron had had his fill. Caroline took it badly and kept trying to reconnect with Byron but he wasn't having a bar of it.
He had many, many lovers all over England and Europe but Byron had an utter contempt for women which resulted in much pain for those he tossed aside. None more-so than the the 4 women who bore his children!
He only married one woman, Lady Annabella Milbanke, an heiress, and then only married her to get away from the clutches of Lady Caroline Lamb, as well as for her money as his funds were drying up dramatically, but right from the wedding day, in the carriage on the way to their honeymoon where he abused her physically, and wedding night, Byron treated Annabella with utter contempt often abusing her physically as well as mentally. When she became pregnant with their daughter Ada Byron (later Lady Lovelace aka the Bride of Science), he continued to abuse Annabella and after the child was born, and at only a few weeks old Ada and her mother were banished by Byron back to Annabella's family home, never to return. Byron never saw his daughter Ada again; he didn't want to know anything about her.
His first child (gender unknown) was to a maid when he was just a teenager, then he had 3 more daughters to 3 other women, all of who he pretty much rejected and had little to nothing to do with.
When he moved to Europe, practically penniless due to his love of the high living lifestyle which gave him the persona of no responsibility for his actions and allowed him to continue on as he pleased, he sired yet another daughter by Clair Clairmont, the step-sister of Percy Bysshe-Shelley's (poet) mistress, Mary who eventually became his wife (Shelley's wife Harriet had been left behind and dumped in England with their children and Shelley went off with his mistress to tour Europe and never returned. Harriet commited suicide allowing Shelley to eventually marry Mary- authoress of 'Frankenstein').
Byron was less than interested in his latest, and last offspring and dumped Clair as well. However, Clair kept on trying to be anywhere and everywhere where Byron was and when the child Allegra was about 2 years old, he insisted that she live with him and not her mother and while Clair was against parting with her daughter, Byron had the influence to take the girl from her mother, and succeeded, then sent the child to live in a convent with the nuns where the child died from typhus at age 5 years.
While avoiding his responsibility (he did pay the convent for looking after Allegra) as a father he by this time had met his latest mistress, Theresa, the wife of an Italian count. Byron was besotted by Theresa and the much older count even allowed Byron to move into his castle and take the entire 2nd floor for his own accommodation. Byron cuckolded the count, and while the count knew about the affair, he would do his best to get rid of Byron in subtle ways.
The most famous of his lovers was his older step-sister and daughter of his father and his first wife Amelia, Augusta Leigh, who was married to her cousin Lt Colonel George Leigh, and already had 2 other children to her husband. Byron was besotted with Augusta and they continued their affair for many years right under the nose of George Leigh. A daughter was born to Augusta, Elizabeth Medora Leigh, which Leigh had taken on as his own but it was almost certainly the child of Byron as he had made mention in cryptic terms, that he was the father, and which was never denied by either Augusta or Byron.
This was such an interesting book, very tangled like a blackberry bush; a fascinating look at the life of a man once reputed to be the most famous poet in the world....yet his personal life was an absolute shambles. He destroyed other peoples' lives with absolute callousness and didn't care one way or another about anyone but himself.
I would recommend this book highly, to anyone wanting to take a look inside the life and mind of heartless, torpid man.
Must've been an emotional roller coaster researching this poet because really, Byron was not a nice character at all.
Lord Byron lived his life with a big fat log on his shoulders...both of them... and seemed to think that all his downfalls and misfortunes in life, were somehow someone else's fault, more-so if the others happened to be women.
Byron became a peer at age 10 inheriting the title of Lord from his uncle, but his initial character traits had already been formed earlier in life. Being and only child, Byron was a spoilt brat who had a wastrel father who was never there and a doting mother who made way too many bad personal choices, the worst of them was to leave the boy in the charge of his despicable nanny. The nanny had ulterior motives and these transferred onto the young boy's psyche making him into a selfish, self centred, arrogant, 'emotionally repressed and sexually ambiguous', careless, thoughtless, callous person, and an utter rake and blackguard where women were concerned, in his teenage years and right through to the end of his life.
He was notorious at using, abusing, sodomising women (and probably boys too according to the book), and then without any consideration for their emotional well-being and sensitivities, threw them aside like old rags. He avoided responsibility in anything and everything, only interested in living his life irresponsibly and doing only as he pleased. He had and was a contradictory and manipulative character often playing one person off against another.
A line from the book....
'He was a committed social snob when it came to his recognised lovers, as opposed to the legions of ordinary women, girls and boys whom he was content merely to tup then forget about.'
He cuckolded many husbands of his mistresses, one being Lord Melbourne (personal advisor to Queen Victoria), husband of Lady Caroline Lamb to whom he had an intense sexual relationship with, encouraged by her mother-in -law who hated Caroline. The affair, like all his other affairs, ended badly with Caroline having being used and abused and dumped after Byron had had his fill. Caroline took it badly and kept trying to reconnect with Byron but he wasn't having a bar of it.
He had many, many lovers all over England and Europe but Byron had an utter contempt for women which resulted in much pain for those he tossed aside. None more-so than the the 4 women who bore his children!
He only married one woman, Lady Annabella Milbanke, an heiress, and then only married her to get away from the clutches of Lady Caroline Lamb, as well as for her money as his funds were drying up dramatically, but right from the wedding day, in the carriage on the way to their honeymoon where he abused her physically, and wedding night, Byron treated Annabella with utter contempt often abusing her physically as well as mentally. When she became pregnant with their daughter Ada Byron (later Lady Lovelace aka the Bride of Science), he continued to abuse Annabella and after the child was born, and at only a few weeks old Ada and her mother were banished by Byron back to Annabella's family home, never to return. Byron never saw his daughter Ada again; he didn't want to know anything about her.
His first child (gender unknown) was to a maid when he was just a teenager, then he had 3 more daughters to 3 other women, all of who he pretty much rejected and had little to nothing to do with.
When he moved to Europe, practically penniless due to his love of the high living lifestyle which gave him the persona of no responsibility for his actions and allowed him to continue on as he pleased, he sired yet another daughter by Clair Clairmont, the step-sister of Percy Bysshe-Shelley's (poet) mistress, Mary who eventually became his wife (Shelley's wife Harriet had been left behind and dumped in England with their children and Shelley went off with his mistress to tour Europe and never returned. Harriet commited suicide allowing Shelley to eventually marry Mary- authoress of 'Frankenstein').
Byron was less than interested in his latest, and last offspring and dumped Clair as well. However, Clair kept on trying to be anywhere and everywhere where Byron was and when the child Allegra was about 2 years old, he insisted that she live with him and not her mother and while Clair was against parting with her daughter, Byron had the influence to take the girl from her mother, and succeeded, then sent the child to live in a convent with the nuns where the child died from typhus at age 5 years.
While avoiding his responsibility (he did pay the convent for looking after Allegra) as a father he by this time had met his latest mistress, Theresa, the wife of an Italian count. Byron was besotted by Theresa and the much older count even allowed Byron to move into his castle and take the entire 2nd floor for his own accommodation. Byron cuckolded the count, and while the count knew about the affair, he would do his best to get rid of Byron in subtle ways.
The most famous of his lovers was his older step-sister and daughter of his father and his first wife Amelia, Augusta Leigh, who was married to her cousin Lt Colonel George Leigh, and already had 2 other children to her husband. Byron was besotted with Augusta and they continued their affair for many years right under the nose of George Leigh. A daughter was born to Augusta, Elizabeth Medora Leigh, which Leigh had taken on as his own but it was almost certainly the child of Byron as he had made mention in cryptic terms, that he was the father, and which was never denied by either Augusta or Byron.
This was such an interesting book, very tangled like a blackberry bush; a fascinating look at the life of a man once reputed to be the most famous poet in the world....yet his personal life was an absolute shambles. He destroyed other peoples' lives with absolute callousness and didn't care one way or another about anyone but himself.
I would recommend this book highly, to anyone wanting to take a look inside the life and mind of heartless, torpid man.
April 26, 2021
Why yes, we do need another book on Byron. This one. Nearly gave it 5.
Why this one? Because, though it does follow Byron, it doesn't cover the poetry for the most part. It centers around the major women in his life and his treatment of them. It narrates 9 different women: Byron's mother, his crazy lover Caroline Lamb (Lord Melbourne's wife) who grew more and more unhinged as Byron began to distance himself from her, then his wife Annabella Milbanke who was certainly maltreated by Byron and never stopped loathing him for it even after death, his half sister Augusta Leigh with whom he had an incestuous affair and child, Claire Clairmont - the half sister of Mary Shelley who pursued Byron like a groupie and then bore him a child, Mary Shelley herself - who though she never became romantic with Byron struck up a more or less healthy friendship with him, Teresa Guccioli - the Italian mistress who was probably the actual love of his life (in the Italian society where husbands permitted open affairs like that), and then his two daughters in his afterlife, Ada - who became a brilliant mathematician and Medora - his daughter with Augusta.
The book isn't flattering to Byron but it doesn't pile on the criticism either. Byron was almost certainly molested by a maid as a child, which does indeed explain his pattern of abusive behavior towards women. Modern psychology would have a field day with him. The book is somewhat lurid of course but if that interests you, if you want to know Byron's sexual escapades without X rated details, it's a fascinating read. It's also a very well researched biography, so it isn't light. It does read well and compulsively. There are a handful of outstanding full biographies with all of the details and poetic exegesis, but if you are fascinated by Byron and his conquest/seduction/abuse of women, this is the book that focuses on that almost exclusively.
Why this one? Because, though it does follow Byron, it doesn't cover the poetry for the most part. It centers around the major women in his life and his treatment of them. It narrates 9 different women: Byron's mother, his crazy lover Caroline Lamb (Lord Melbourne's wife) who grew more and more unhinged as Byron began to distance himself from her, then his wife Annabella Milbanke who was certainly maltreated by Byron and never stopped loathing him for it even after death, his half sister Augusta Leigh with whom he had an incestuous affair and child, Claire Clairmont - the half sister of Mary Shelley who pursued Byron like a groupie and then bore him a child, Mary Shelley herself - who though she never became romantic with Byron struck up a more or less healthy friendship with him, Teresa Guccioli - the Italian mistress who was probably the actual love of his life (in the Italian society where husbands permitted open affairs like that), and then his two daughters in his afterlife, Ada - who became a brilliant mathematician and Medora - his daughter with Augusta.
The book isn't flattering to Byron but it doesn't pile on the criticism either. Byron was almost certainly molested by a maid as a child, which does indeed explain his pattern of abusive behavior towards women. Modern psychology would have a field day with him. The book is somewhat lurid of course but if that interests you, if you want to know Byron's sexual escapades without X rated details, it's a fascinating read. It's also a very well researched biography, so it isn't light. It does read well and compulsively. There are a handful of outstanding full biographies with all of the details and poetic exegesis, but if you are fascinated by Byron and his conquest/seduction/abuse of women, this is the book that focuses on that almost exclusively.
October 31, 2016
Another terrific read from Mr Larman. One gets the impression he didn't like Byron very much but he can hardly be blamed as the poet treated all the women in his life very badly. His mother, mistresses wife and daughters all suffered at his hands. Byron comes across as a vain and and selfish man who it appears didn't like women very much.Most were playthings to be used and dis-carded. Not a very nice man but a really wonderful read.
March 11, 2018
I didn't like the book - the author didn't like Byron - none of the women liked each other....
August 14, 2017
Excellent and readable account of the main women in Byron's life. Very well researched and good bibliography for those who want to follow up with more reading on each individual. Confirms my view that Byron only really loved himself and was pretty uncaring of the females who had the misfortune to be related or in love with him.
January 22, 2018
I found most interesting the relationship between the two daughters Ada and Medora.
June 9, 2019
Interesting subject matter and I learned things I didn’t know!
October 11, 2023
Whether you love or hate Bryon, if you have even the slightest interest in him, his life, and how the women he surrounded himself with influenced him - pick this book up.
December 5, 2016
I often wonder about the relationship between a biographer and their chosen subject.
After all, the writer is going to spend a considerable time engrossed in someone else's life - reading their words, looking at their pictures, following in their footsteps.
I can imagine the subject would get completely under their skin, and I would normally expect admiration and respect.
So, it was quite a surprise to read that Larman felt differently about Byron. In his introduction he says -
"At times, as I have written about his grotesque cruelty towards his wife and Claire, I found myself loathing him so much that it was almost an ordeal to continue to chart his misdeeds"
A biographer loathing his subject?
But then he continues -
"I must confess that I have, like so many others, been at least half seduced by Byron".
And there we have it, a truly fascinating man who despite his entirely justified 'mad, bad and dangerous to know' label still continues to seduce.
After all, the writer is going to spend a considerable time engrossed in someone else's life - reading their words, looking at their pictures, following in their footsteps.
I can imagine the subject would get completely under their skin, and I would normally expect admiration and respect.
So, it was quite a surprise to read that Larman felt differently about Byron. In his introduction he says -
"At times, as I have written about his grotesque cruelty towards his wife and Claire, I found myself loathing him so much that it was almost an ordeal to continue to chart his misdeeds"
A biographer loathing his subject?
But then he continues -
"I must confess that I have, like so many others, been at least half seduced by Byron".
And there we have it, a truly fascinating man who despite his entirely justified 'mad, bad and dangerous to know' label still continues to seduce.
December 29, 2018
4.9. Extraordinary. Fascinating. I am quite sure there is so much more that we may never know. In particular I would be interested in understanding just what Annabella said/did that such a radical change in sentiment (by her husband) was triggered. I do not accept her “complete innocence “ in this. Like all tales there are several versions; hers, his, theirs and the truth.
August 7, 2019
I only got to read the chapter on Claire and Mary then had to return the book to the library, but it's a fascinating book, and I want to recheck it again and read it all.
May 1, 2023
Although I have never read any of Lord Byron's poetry, (he is defiantly on my list!) I have spent countless hours reading about him and his insane life. It absolutely baffles me how much he managed to do in 36 years and anyone who fancies an interesting read should defiantly pick up one of his biographies. In this book, instead of focusing on Byron himself, Larman explores his relationships with the most well known women who suffered and loved him. Beginning by explaining the details of his birth and his parents, Larman explores his dysfunctional relationships with his mother, his obsessive heartbroken Caroline, his abused wife Annabella, his incestuous sister Augusta, his friend Mary Shelley, his ignored lover Claire, his last stolen lover Teresa, his legitimate daughter Ada and his illegitimate child Clara - not to mention his incest child Medora or his untraced baby he had with his young servant girl Lucy when he was 21.
This book was written so well, it really hooked me and read almost like a gossip column, with each page more scandalous than the previous. (spill the tea sis.) This was such an entertaining read, Larman has done we sourcing all his information and context - the bibliography is partially strong, I'll be adding some texts to be to read pile. He also includes hilarious footnotes throughout the non-fiction book, revealing his opinions on Byron's actions.
Caroline was my favourite woman, talk about 'hell has no fury like a woman scorned'. When Byron got involved with his first serious lover he had defiantly met his match. I loved her outrageous outbursts, her attitude and response to their separation. - Although I must say here that Larman's description of her as a child presents her as some sort of young 'Lolita' type character. He practically describes her as a child doe eyed flirt and his character description ended up sounding like he was quite in love with her and jealous of the adults in her presence. It was a bit much, page 80 did not have a good vibe.
In comparison to his first lover Caroline's crazy section, his last relationship with Teresa was the most boring. During this time Byron became more involved with politics and war and this didn't personally interest me as much as his crazy youth. I don’t know why Larman thought that ‘if he had loved anyone enough to be content, it would have been’ Teresa, as she wasn't that great. And I thought that was made obvious when Larman believed that Byron's ‘decision to head to Greece… arose because he had had enough’ of her? Even on his deathbed he spoke about Annabella who he barely cared for instead of mentioning Teresa.
Although I don't approve of his behaviour or treatment of the women discussed in this novel, I defiantly preferred Byron when he was poor, crazy and manic in England breaking women’s hearts. Not when he was older, wealthy and boring in Greece. Despite the tamer end than his insane beginning, I still thoroughly enjoyed this book and its plot style.
This book was written so well, it really hooked me and read almost like a gossip column, with each page more scandalous than the previous. (spill the tea sis.) This was such an entertaining read, Larman has done we sourcing all his information and context - the bibliography is partially strong, I'll be adding some texts to be to read pile. He also includes hilarious footnotes throughout the non-fiction book, revealing his opinions on Byron's actions.
Caroline was my favourite woman, talk about 'hell has no fury like a woman scorned'. When Byron got involved with his first serious lover he had defiantly met his match. I loved her outrageous outbursts, her attitude and response to their separation. - Although I must say here that Larman's description of her as a child presents her as some sort of young 'Lolita' type character. He practically describes her as a child doe eyed flirt and his character description ended up sounding like he was quite in love with her and jealous of the adults in her presence. It was a bit much, page 80 did not have a good vibe.
In comparison to his first lover Caroline's crazy section, his last relationship with Teresa was the most boring. During this time Byron became more involved with politics and war and this didn't personally interest me as much as his crazy youth. I don’t know why Larman thought that ‘if he had loved anyone enough to be content, it would have been’ Teresa, as she wasn't that great. And I thought that was made obvious when Larman believed that Byron's ‘decision to head to Greece… arose because he had had enough’ of her? Even on his deathbed he spoke about Annabella who he barely cared for instead of mentioning Teresa.
Although I don't approve of his behaviour or treatment of the women discussed in this novel, I defiantly preferred Byron when he was poor, crazy and manic in England breaking women’s hearts. Not when he was older, wealthy and boring in Greece. Despite the tamer end than his insane beginning, I still thoroughly enjoyed this book and its plot style.
November 18, 2020
The women in Byron's life can perhaps be excused from their behavior, because in the early 19th century they had no power or legal rights. Evidently they could even have their children taken away from them, as happened in the case of Claire Clairmont. According to Larman, Byron refused to let her see her daughter out of spite. He may have been a good poet, though I think very few of his poems are now quoted, but he was a poor excuse for a man, and as an English lord, ran up appalling debts and refused to pay any of his creditors or refused to take responsibility for any of his behavior. What I learned from this book on the women--starting with his mother and ending with the two daughters who survived his death in 1824, was that Byron was indeed, as Larman quotes, "mad, bad, and dangerous to know."
April 24, 2020
Scandalous and delightful. Definitely don't date Lord Byron.
My one issue with this book is the way it treats Byron's bisexuality - it acknowledges it and his male lovers, but kind of doesn't treat them seriously. I was left wanting to know more about what his romantic relationships with men were like. (Probably awful, judging by his relationships with women.)
My one issue with this book is the way it treats Byron's bisexuality - it acknowledges it and his male lovers, but kind of doesn't treat them seriously. I was left wanting to know more about what his romantic relationships with men were like. (Probably awful, judging by his relationships with women.)
June 27, 2021
You can’t fault the research gone into this book. It is full of quotes and footnotes. Byron comes off badly, but the author admits that he is not a fan and he certainly appears to be a difficult character to like. The women in his life are complex and troubled and each interesting in their own right.
January 27, 2024
Confirmed my long held suspicion that notorious men are never as interesting as the women who surround them
November 5, 2025
Well, he was a real piece of work… and not in the good way
January 25, 2026
More of a sketch than a detailed analysis, but even it made me despise Lord Byron (as a man, not a poet) more than I eved had done.
September 24, 2022
"Mad, bad, and dangerous to know," was Lady Caroline's description of Lord Byron. And what an understatement! Love 'em and leave 'em (often pregnant) was his mantra. Cruelty abounds in the upper crust of British society and it wasn't just limited to Lord Byron. Interspersing excerpts of letters to, from, and about Lord Byron with sprinkles of poetry provided authenticity to the text. Focusing on Lord Byron's mother, lovers, and daughters provided a captivating tale. A page-turner that was spellbinding. I highly recommend.
May 1, 2021
I found this book to be incredibly dull and lacking in any passion at all, which is quite remarkable considering the subject.
It's quite clear that Mr Larman doesn't like Byron which is fair enough but he doesn't seem to have any interest in the women that he is writing about either. He certainly has sympathy for them but that's not the same being interested in them. All in all it makes for a rather joyless read.
It's quite clear that Mr Larman doesn't like Byron which is fair enough but he doesn't seem to have any interest in the women that he is writing about either. He certainly has sympathy for them but that's not the same being interested in them. All in all it makes for a rather joyless read.
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