The Sphinx: The Life of Gladys Deacon – Duchess of Marlborough Hardcover – 9 Jan. 2020

This was a very good read that I thoroughly enjoyed for its insight into a world so different from my own. The wealth of Gladys, her intellectual abilities and the stolid fixed setup of the Dukedom that she stepped into.

Another era - gadding about as part of “society” some ghastly “plastic surgery” that went wrong... lots to entertain for an easy escapist read.

I was really keen to read this book as I enjoy biographies and stories behind historical figures, but I'm afraid I gave up half way through this as there were just too many facts and figures and it wasn't written in a 'reader friendly' way. the story itself is interesting, the style of writing, unfortunately is not!

I enjoyed reading this book, even though, at times, it was like reading a visitors book. I can understand the fascination that Hugo Vichers had for Gladys Deacon. Her life certainly had the highest of highs, and lowest of lows. However, despite his fascination, he was unable to hide the basic unpleasantness of the woman.Having looked at photographs of her, I failed to see the Greek goddess that many thought her, but her attitude towards others showed a Greek god contempt for mortals. She expected perfection from others, but was seriously flawed herself. She seems to have had the idea that the "little people" were there solely to cater for her every whim, whilst society was there to worship her.She was selfish, arrogant and a damaged specimen of humanity. In this I do not totally condemn her as it was largely the result of her totally inadequate parents. She is, I think, an example of money being a curse. She might have been a nicer person has she lived in the real world rather the rarefied atmosphere of a socialite's life. I do not think though that she would have avoided the continual crossing of the line between eccentricity and insanity, that was in her genes.I would certainly recommend reading this.

Hugo Vickers does an absolutely first class job in the definitive account of a leading lady of her time. Gladys Deacon had quite the most fascinating life, adored and worshipped even by many luminaries, Proust, Epstein, the Crown Prince of Prussia and numerous Princes, Dukes etc. How she managed to remain single minded enough to marry the Duke of Marlborough and then throw everything away to live as a hermit is a strange tale. It would be wrong to categorise Gladys as a society butterfly, quite the opposite, her conversation and wit held many admirers and detractors in raptures so she clearly had an excellent brain. Indeed a brain still in full operating mode in her 90's when Vickers writes this hard to put down account, and we have Mr Vickers to thank for writing it, if for no other reason as a warning how fragile life can be whether you are at the top or at the bottom. Highly recommended.

This was a thoroughly good read with Glady's finally achieving acceptance. Steer clear of using 'fillers' for vanity!

I had already read two of the author's biographies, out of curiosity. He writes skilfully and compassionately about people who are highly privileged, snobbish in the extreme, frequently under-endowed with either intelligence or education, but who have an overdeveloped sense of entitlement they retain all their lives however changed their circumstances. Goodness knows why, when he could bring his writing talents to bear on much worthier subjects. Gladys Deacon is just such a person. I bought the book as a present for a friend who likes accounts of eccentric "well-born" women (and it will be right up her street) so I did read it beforehand in order that we could eventually discuss the life of Gladys Deacon. I thought she might prove to be rather like a character in a novel by Edith Wharton or Henry James. But I don't think there will be all that much to discuss, in fact. She was well an eloquent writer and fluent in languages but apart from that I coould discover nothing to support the notion that Gladys Deacon was one of the most intelligent society women of her era. She was, however, catastrophically vain, grasping, completely self-absorbed and conceited. On the book production front, there are insufficient photos and they are badly captioned, which is not the fault of the author.

Hugo Vickers is by far the best of historical biographers and he hasn't let us down with The Sphinx. This is the story, in such graphic detail, of Gladys Deacon Dowager Duchess of Marlborough. About her dysfunctional mother and siblings and about her wanderings around Continental Europe. This is a must read for its subject matter, the span of time - the late 19th century to the middle of the 20th century - and for how well it is written. A big bonus for the young Vickers as he was then, was that Gladys trusted him so much so he was her only friend bringing her some happiness in the last two years of her life

Very interesting book on that time period, loved reading it.

A very in depth look at the life and times of the Dutchess, a rather eccentric American, who became more British than the British and waited 1/2 a life to become the Dutchess of Marlborough. Unhappily, but that didn't stop her! Interesting, curious and eminently readable. A bit of a train wreck that you can't look away from!

The 1978 edition was a very good read. Fascinating and well written by a very young, unknown writer. This new version is weighed down with research scholarship, reflecting the author’s maturity and now great fame as a writer. The research into minor nobility weighs down the story, which, in itself, is a very good tale. Too much scholarship and overwhelming cascades of irrelevant detail produce boredom in the reader.Trace up the early edition!

I had never heard of Gladys Deacon but the photo on the book caught my attention. It was a well thought out and researched book and was an easy read. Although her status allowed her to mingle with an astoundingly interesting group of people and she was clearly an intelligent woman, it is also clear she suffered from mental issues which followed her through her long life. Had she not suffered mental problems, she would have had a more productive life. As it was, her full potential was stunted due to her inability to control her selfish tendencies.

Good informative read.