Edwina Mountbatten: A Life of Her Own

by Janet Morgan

A biography of Edwina Mountbatten describes her childhood of luxury, her marriage to Lord Mountbatten, her extramarital affairs, and her association with Nehru, Churchill, and others

Genres: Biography, History, Nonfiction, Royalty, Romance, Nazi Party, British Literature

489 pages, Hardcover

First published July 1, 1991

Reviews

[Mandy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This biography on Edwina Mountbatten (wife of the last Viceroy in India who was great uncle to Prince Charles) was one of the most fascinating books I have read in a long time. Living in England has exposed me to the lives and history of famous people both in the past as well as the present and it has been fun to read about them. I particularly love to read about characters in the early 20th century up through WWII because of their varied lifestyles, associations, and experiences that today seem so elegant, meaningful, and honest. If you want to learn about a woman who had a privileged life, was beautiful, and wilful but who also dedicated herself to the service of others particularly during WWII this is a book to read. The author also tells the story of Edwina's and Nehru's (Prime Minister for India) special relationship while she and her husband were stationed in Delhi during the time of the partition between India and Pakistan. I loved this book!

[Rebeca · Rating 3 out of 5]

Riveting life. Dry narrative with endless laundry lists.

[Jean · Rating 4 out of 5]

Edwina was brought up as a very selfish woman, but she did have some redeaming qualities as well. For one, she was very organized, also cared about her history and background, and did an amazing amount of volunteer work and organizing the red cross and St. James Auxillary during and after the war, as well her work in India. But, she was a miserable mother she basically ignored her daughters till they were young ladies, then they were interesting to her. She ignored her husband leaving him to fend for himself and find other woman friends, then get moody with him and rage. The book goes into a lot of minutiae which I skipped through but it is very well written and left me with better impression of Edwina than I had when I started. Oh the rumor about Nehru you will have to find out for yourself.

[Sharon Colarusso Roarty · Rating 2 out of 5]

Insightful read about Edwina Mountbatten, granddaughter of one of the richest men in England, and related by marriage not only to the British royal family but to half the crowned heads of Europe, Edwina married at age 20 to Lord Louis Mountbatten, uncle of the duke of Edinburgh and a descendant of Queen Victoria. During WWII, Edwina worked for the St. John Ambulance Brigade and was the last vicereine of India. Her husband, Lord Louis, certainly put up with a lot with Edwina's 'I'll do as I please' attitude which included numerous affairs. Janet Morgan's book is well documented, a life filled with parties, lovers, travels, and a royal family history. I didn't come away with any particular affection for Edwina, but based on the research documented here, I would recommend the book.

[Chandra · Rating 5 out of 5]

A remarkable biography of a complex woman
The author was given access to Edwina Mountbatten's family archive
The result is a well-researched, beautifully written book about a courageous lady who lived by her own rules

[Jane Irish Nelson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Biography. Edwina's life was fascinating. I was amazed at the amount of traveling she did, hopping from place to place. But she often seemed unfulfilled, until the Second World War when she took on a variety of jobs for charities, something she continued for the rest of her life.

[Chase Insteadman Mountbatten · Rating 4 out of 5]

"In many respects Edwina was indeed better informed than Secretaries of State for Foreign affairs, the Colonies, Commonwealth Relations, men who were generally either new to the job or the prisoners of their own and their officials' prejudices. Edwina had formed her own views over many years. She compared notes with Dickie and she was also influenced by Nerhu, wose letters offered a steady supply of information and opinion. (He was not infallible. Ho Chi Minh, the Communist President of North Vietnam, struck him as 'one of the most likeable men I have come across. He gives one the impression of integrity, goodwill and peace.') Discussions with Nerhu, Dickie, their colleagues and the Mountbattens' friends, together with her own experience - all this gave Edwina an unparalleled vantage point. She was considered left-wing; in fact she was a peace loving, romantic democrat. Her myopia was more pronounced when she looked east towards the Urals; westward, her eyes were sharp. Edwina was constantly irritated by what she considered the rabid anti-communism of the Americans. When she mentioned in her diary, in April 1949, that she had spent an evening seeing 'lenghtly and questionable films' with Dickie's shipmates, she was referring not to anything sexually suggestive but to "The Iron Curtain", an American film about a Soviet Spy ring. The Sunday service on an American destroyer was full of reference to the hydrogen bomb, Edwina told Nerhu in May 1957; 'Poor old God gets brought into everything nowadays.'"

[Robert · Rating 4 out of 5]

As noted when halfway through, this book should be the textbook on how to write bios. The research and attention to detail is commendable yet the book is an entertaining read until, sadly,the last chapter or two. They rather let the whole down. It reads is as if the author had run out of steam as the detail falls off and seems rushed. A map or two here and there would have helped. Ditto a family tree now and then; also an epilogue would have helped greatly. I had to do some additional frustrating research to discover what happened to "Dickie" et al.

[Lucy-Bookworm · Rating 5 out of 5]

Like many other people, I have heard of Edwina Mountbatten, but knew virtually nothing about her.
As I read the book, I was particularly struck by the change in Edwina, from a spoilt little rich girl to a wilful lady who used her influence to get action and improve the situation of others, particularly those in Asia in the aftermath of WW2. Of particular note was her friendship with Nehru during & after the independence of India.

A family tree and a couple of maps etc would have helped occasionally, but overall an enjoyable book about somebody I'd heard of but didn't know anything about!

[Karen-Leigh · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fascinating and scandalous woman. Interesting side glance at her husband.