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Lady Caroline Lamb

A Free Spirit

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Lady Caroline Lamb

By: Antonia Fraser
Narrated by: Penelope Wilton
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From the outset, Caroline Lamb had a rebellious nature. From childhood she grew increasingly troublesome, experimenting with sedatives like laudanum, and she had a special governess to control her. She also had a merciless wit and talent for mimicry. She spoke French and German fluently, knew Greek and Latin, and sketched impressive portraits. As the niece of Georgiana, Duchess of Devonshire, she was already well connected, and her courtly skills resulted in her marriage to the Hon. William Lamb (later Lord Melbourne) at the age on nineteen. For a few years they enjoyed a happy marriage, despite Lamb's siblings and mother-in-law detesting her and referring to her as 'the little beast'.

In 1812 Caroline embarked on a well-publicised affair with the poet Lord Byron - he was 24, she 26. Her phrase 'mad, bad and dangerous to know' became his lasting epitaph. When he broke things off, Caroline made increasingly public attempts to reunite. Her obsession came to define much of her later life, as well as influencing her own writing - most notably the Gothic novel Glenarvon - and Byron's.

Antonia Fraser's vividly compelling biography animates the life of 'a free spirit' who was far more than mad, bad and dangerous to know.©2023 Antonia Fraser (P)2023 W. F. Howes Ltd Historical Politics & Activism Royalty Women
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I loved the reader's performance. She has a very nice voice and brilliiant diction. It's vital for me that the reader is pleasant to listen to, otherwise I won't buy the book.

The book is very interesting.

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This is a very engagingly written history book about a fascinating woman. Penelope Wilton is a terrific actress but I couldn't help feeling that she was somewhat stumbling through the book for the first time, with poor emphasis here and there.

Great book, performance disappointing at times

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I thought I knew quite a lot about Caro Lamb, but this excellent book broadened my appreciation of her life and character. I can now see how her reputation was deliberately blackened by some of her contemporaries and repeated down the years by lazy historians and biographers.

TOTALLY CHANGED MY VIEW OF CAROLINE LAMB

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I really enjoyed this except the pronunciation of Leveson Gower which ought to be pronounced Looson Gore.

Marvellous history of a Woman

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Although the book seems interesting, I couldn't finish it because of the narration. I haven't heard anything so flat and awful in a long time. That she's an actress is a mystery to me.

Terrible narration

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