Book Review

Book Review:

All In One Basket By Deborah Mitford, Duchess of Devonshire

My introduction to the Cavendish family’s role in history and culture was the same as for most people, through art. One of the last exhibits in NY I was able to see before we moved to NH was a collection of some of their holdings. I was very impressed, and have only seen one other family collection that could beat it. 

This exhibit in NY intrigued me to learn more about Devonshire line.That is how I learned about the Mitford sisters, as the Dowager Duchess of Devonshire is the youngest of that family that had a front row seat for the 20^th century. I enjoyed “Wait for me!” (her previously published memoirs) so much that the combined book of her writings “All In One Basket” made the list of vacation reading.

Deborah Mitford, the youngest Mitford sister and Dowager Duchess of Devonshire, has had a very privileged and interesting life. This book of writings however, focuses mostly on her thoughts of country life and the running of Chatsworth, the Cavendish family seat. I was grateful for this, because it’s really the more interesting story (which just goes to show you how boring I am, cause she did meet Hitler and her sisters were revolutionaries. Most people would say that is much more interesting).

 Her musings on country life makes her a sort of Andy Rooney of rural England railing against, “liquid soap machine where the thing you press to get the stuff out is invisible” and extoling the virtues of “nurses in uniform, muffins and the 1662 Prayer Book.” Rural life and running a country state is held together by things such as the “Annual competition held by the Derbyshire Branch of the Dry Stone Walling Association”. It’s amusing to read, especially for this city girl.

However, hidden within these ramblings is an impressive MBA worthy story.  She and her husband saved Chatsworth from 80% death duties after WWII into a self-sustaining  tourist destination with 600,000 visitors a year (puts it on par with Graceland). Don’t let her false modesty fool you – she was in charge of managing a large organization, with several hundred people depending on the estate for their livelihood and for engineering a completely a successful turnaround. It’s not something she takes lightly, and the projects she writes about, the farm shop, educational farm and other tourist draws are studies in branding and operations management. It’s a shame she has not gotten more credit for them. 

I must admit I was smitten at the phrase “arranging flowers is impossible” in her book (it so is!) but it’s this video that takes the cake. I love how she winces while not wincing when Charlie Rose completely kills the pronunciation of “Devonshire” (he got it wrong). The end is the best when Charlie tells her that she is one of the most interesting people he’s ever met. The look on her face barely masks her thoughts. “Thank you. You are just the latest in a series of pompous wind bags I’ve had to deal with my whole life to get things done. I can’t be bothered with people who can’t be bothered to learn to pronounce Devonshire.  I’ve had more interesting conversations with my chickens.”

I hope when I am 90, that I am a fraction as awesome as the Dowager Duchess of Devonshire.