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kevin_shepherd's review against another edition
5.0
“Those who tangled with Ms. Mitford always knew they had been in a fight.” -Christopher Hitchens
Had I not known this was a memoir I might have thought it an imaginative adventure novel. Born into upper crust English society in 1917 Jessica Mitford came of age within a family where fascism was in vogue and Hitler was, at least to her older sister Unity, a personal acquaintance. In a family of prewar brown-shirt sympathizers, rebellious Jessica was the ‘red sheep.’
What exactly is a Hon?
The American that I am always proves to be something of a handicap when reading English authors. Hon here in Oklahoma is verbal shorthand for “Honey” and is used as a term of endearment. Apparently in England (correct me in the comments if I’m wrong) it is an abbreviation for ‘Honorable’ and annotates a person’s title or social status. The Hons of Hons and Rebels is neither honey nor particularly honorable, but rather a nod to the secret childhood society Jessica and her sister Deborah formed, which was itself a nod to her mother’s chickens.
“Contrary to a recent historian’s account of the origin of the Hons the name derived, not from the fact that Debo and I were Honorables, but from the Hens which played so large a part in our lives . . . The H of Hon, of course, is pronounced, as in Hen.” (pg 6)
On the Right Side of History
By the time Jessica Mitford published this memoir (1960) she had already made her mark as “a great muckraking journalist” and an activist in the American Civil Rights movement. It seems that no matter where life took her or who she rubbed elbows with she was never above committing herself to the fray of a just cause. This memoir is a window into a portion of that life—1917 to around 1941. It is written with the clarity of hindsight and with an inordinate amount of humor and grace. Easily 5 stars.
Had I not known this was a memoir I might have thought it an imaginative adventure novel. Born into upper crust English society in 1917 Jessica Mitford came of age within a family where fascism was in vogue and Hitler was, at least to her older sister Unity, a personal acquaintance. In a family of prewar brown-shirt sympathizers, rebellious Jessica was the ‘red sheep.’
What exactly is a Hon?
The American that I am always proves to be something of a handicap when reading English authors. Hon here in Oklahoma is verbal shorthand for “Honey” and is used as a term of endearment. Apparently in England (correct me in the comments if I’m wrong) it is an abbreviation for ‘Honorable’ and annotates a person’s title or social status. The Hons of Hons and Rebels is neither honey nor particularly honorable, but rather a nod to the secret childhood society Jessica and her sister Deborah formed, which was itself a nod to her mother’s chickens.
“Contrary to a recent historian’s account of the origin of the Hons the name derived, not from the fact that Debo and I were Honorables, but from the Hens which played so large a part in our lives . . . The H of Hon, of course, is pronounced, as in Hen.” (pg 6)
On the Right Side of History
By the time Jessica Mitford published this memoir (1960) she had already made her mark as “a great muckraking journalist” and an activist in the American Civil Rights movement. It seems that no matter where life took her or who she rubbed elbows with she was never above committing herself to the fray of a just cause. This memoir is a window into a portion of that life—1917 to around 1941. It is written with the clarity of hindsight and with an inordinate amount of humor and grace. Easily 5 stars.
woolfy_vita's review against another edition
emotional
funny
informative
lighthearted
sad
medium-paced
4.25
krobart's review against another edition
3.0
Hons and Rebels covers Jessica Mitford’s childhood, rebellion, later life in the States, and estrangement from the rest of the family. It is light and easy to read, and quite funny. It depicts Esmond and Jessica as extremely naive but equally unprincipled. Mitford does not attack the other family members, as I would have expected after the comments in The House of Mitford. If anything, she looks back at them all nostalgically.
See my complete review here:
http://whatmeread.wordpress.com/tag/hons-and-rebels/
See my complete review here:
http://whatmeread.wordpress.com/tag/hons-and-rebels/
juliasilge's review against another edition
4.0
I can't believe I haven't read this before, given how right up my alley this memoir is. It is definitely a "truth is stranger than fiction" kind of book, if you mixed up Downton Abbey and anti-fascist adventure during the 1920s and 1930s. I have heard that some readers feel like Mitford is emotionally cold in this memoir of her childhood through very early adult years, but honestly I liked her no-nonsense treatment of her life during those years and the reserved tone seems entirely unsurprising for Mitford's upbringing and class background.
dawnlizreads's review against another edition
4.0
Surprisingly modern for book written in the 1960s, particularly as Mitford came from extreme privilege.
She's well aware that both she and Edmond Romiley (who she eloped with) were entitled and not as "self made" as they liked to believe at the time.
Also goes some way to explaining why she and her sisters (Diana and Unity) went in such opposite directions (she became a communist & they became fascists). Boredom essentially. They were all intelligent, strong minded women. However, they were denied a proper education & expected to behave like "genteel" ladies. They didn't have an outlet for their intelligence etc, so not that surprising they went to extremes. However, Jessica doesn't defend her sisters (specifically Unity, who she was fond of her) & struggles to understand why they made the choices they did.
She's well aware that both she and Edmond Romiley (who she eloped with) were entitled and not as "self made" as they liked to believe at the time.
Also goes some way to explaining why she and her sisters (Diana and Unity) went in such opposite directions (she became a communist & they became fascists). Boredom essentially. They were all intelligent, strong minded women. However, they were denied a proper education & expected to behave like "genteel" ladies. They didn't have an outlet for their intelligence etc, so not that surprising they went to extremes. However, Jessica doesn't defend her sisters (specifically Unity, who she was fond of her) & struggles to understand why they made the choices they did.
drubinstein's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
informative
tense
medium-paced
4.75
I really enjoyed reading this memoir type book about a sheltered English girl (Decca) from an upper class family, and her perspective on her upper class life and how the boredom and restrictiveness of it led her to run away with her love Esmond. It was so interesting to read about their politics, in fact politics of the times, and also their adventures. I especially lived reading their "take" on American people (which was positive and endearing).
laurengate's review against another edition
4.0
This book was a really interesting read, and gave a good insight into Jessica’s life, along with some of the biggest historical moments of the 20th century. I found it a little hard to get into at the start but found the flow of the book easier later on.
berlinbibliophile's review against another edition
4.0
This memoir was very interesting to me because it dealt with the Second World War and the events leading up to it in such an intimate, personal way. This wasn't about a country's policy, but about a young woman whose strong political beliefs happen to be the exact opposite of those of her sister and those of her parents, and how this ultimately affects the whole course of her life. It seems strange to even think about a rabid Nazi supporter and a fervent Communist as sisters, but this is how it was, and it certainly is an interesting lens to look at the time through.