The Autobiography of Maud Gonne: A Servant of the Queen

by Maud Gonne, A. Norman Jeffares (Editor), Anna Macbride White (Editor)

Maud Gonne is part of Irish her founding of the Daughters of Ireland, in 1900, was the key that effectively opened the door of twentieth-century politics to Irish women. Still remembered in Ireland for the inspiring public speeches she made on behalf of the suffering—those evicted from their homes in western Ireland, the Treason-Felony prisoners on the Isle of Wright, indeed all those whom she saw as victims of imperialism—she is known, too, within and outside Ireland as the woman W. B. Yeats loved and celebrated in his poems.

Genres: Ireland, Biography, History, Memoir, Nonfiction, Biography Memoir

406 pages, Paperback

Published March 17, 1995

About the author

Maud Gonne MacBride (Irish: Maud Nic Ghoinn Bean Mac Giolla Bhríghde) was an English-born Irish revolutionary, suffragette and actress. Of Anglo-Irish descent, she was won over to Irish nationalism by the plight of evicted people in the Land Wars. She also actively agitated for Home Rule.

She was born at Tongham near Farnham, Surrey, as Edith Maud Gonne, the eldest daughter of Captain Thomas Gonne (1835 – 1886) of the 17th Lancers, whose ancestors hailed from Caithness in Scotland, and his wife, Edith Frith Gonne, born Cook (1844 – 1871).

Reviews

[Bill Kerwin · Rating 4 out of 5]

An entertaining autobiography by the fiery Irish revolutionary and actress Maud Gonne, once believed to be the most beautiful woman in Ireland, if not the world. Yeats--who cast her as Kathleen ni Houlihan, symbol of the Irish nation--certainly thought so, and carried a torch for her all of his life.

Her reminiscences, although not absolutely reliable, are always entertaining, and she relates them in a clear and elegant style.

[janet Burke · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the autobiography of the woman sometimes called "Ireland's Joan of Arc". Maud Gonne (1866-1953) was not only an Irish Rebel from the days of Ireland's War of Independence and Civil War and a social activist throughout her life, but she was a non-conformist feminist to rival any feminist of modern times. On top of that, she was W.B. Yeat's muse who inspired much of his poetry and turned down all of his many proposals of marriage. I really like her statement that "history will thank me" for not marrying him. She believed his unhappiness over her refusals was one of the things that fueled is writing, thus we have Yeat's poetry and are thankful for it! She also rationalized that, since writing made him happy, his happiness came from his unhappiness! I love that logic.

Due to the sensibilities of the time Maude had to gloss over a few things in her life, such as her long time love affair with the French journalist and political activist, Lucien Millevoye and the two children this affair produced. Although a biography of her life would give a more detailed and accurate rendering of actual events, the benefit of reading this autobiography was that I felt transported through her eyes into that time and place in history in a way no third party could provide. Also, like many women, Maude writes with a nod toward the human aspect of her life, giving details of the people, conversations and her feelings about situations more than a dry chronology of events that took place. Personally, this is the sort of writing I enjoy and absorb the most.

[Elizabeth LaPrelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hot Dang. So much more awesome and informative and amazing and interesting than...most...history...thing. This really makes me want to read lots and lots of autobiographies, as I'm now convinced they are the best way to learn about history. Previously I thought that historical novels were the best way to learn about history, followed closely by documentaries. Gonne is articulate, fascinating, passionate, and completely magnetic. She has in many senses--perhaps in all aspects of her life--an incredible sense of style, and that certainly includes her writing. If you have any interest in the Irish Revival literature, or that era, deffo check it out. Aren't you a bit curious about the woman of whom W.B. Yeats wrote "beauty, of a kind/that is not natural in an age like this/ being high and solitary and most stern"? Yeah you are.

[Christa Forster · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dramatic because she's dramatic.

[Donna]

luv this women and this book

[Yooperprof · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's a hard book to rate. MG writes generally well, is a colorful story-teller, and is characteristic of her time and era and political affiliation. Her memoir is quite helpful in understanding the mentality of the most committed Irish Nationalists of the 1890s through the 1920s and beyond.

But MG is not a reliable source or witness, and her lack of self-knowledge became tiring less than halfway through the book. She also comes across as a rather unpleasant person, though perhaps my assessment may be due to the author's defensive aggression associated with her old age when she penned this book.

It's disappointing to me that MG ends the memoir with her ill-fated marriage to John MacBride in 1903, when she was 36. It's not really clear why she and MacBride went ahead with the wedding, when so many of their closest relatives and friends advised against it.

[Rosetta Whyte · Rating 5 out of 5]

This memoir covers the early life of Maud Gonne it ends in her late thirties. Her independent activism is described with fluency and good humour. A really interesting read set between 1876 and 1903. It is a precursor to the war of independence in Ireland. Maud was single mined in her belief that Ireland should be free and independent of England. A very personal history

[Caety · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very colorful Autobiography by Maud Gonne. Parts of the book I was completely taken into the time period. I loved how this woman knew who she was, what she stood for, and lived a life that fully reflected that.

[Samantha H · Rating 4 out of 5]

Honestly way funnier than I was expecting. Some great quips

[JodiP · Rating 3 out of 5]

I had never heard of Maud Gonne, and came across her while searching out a history of Empress Matilda. I began this book, and learned a bit about her. However, the last Century Trilogy was waiting for me at the library, so I returned this early. I loved her early history and her fight for Irish freedom. However, as I began to read about her work in this area, it was of course full of other major figures from that time period--the late 1800s. I haven't done any reading of this struggle, so much of what she was doing and whom she was meeting was lost on me. Sadly, I doubt I'll ever pick this up again--so much to read--but If I do, I must remember it's available only through ILL.