Book description
Drawing on the memoirs, letters and diaries of a group of British
intellectuals writing between 1910 and the Second World War, UNCOMMON
ARRANGEMENTS paints a witty and insightful portrait of seven 'marriages
a la mode', each triumphantly casting off Victorian inhibitions and
pursuing bohemian ideals of freedom and equality. But as well as love
and passion, there were tolerance, denial, anger, jealousy and drama.
The Bloomsbury group's Clive and Vanessa Bell opened up their marriage
to accommodate Vanessa's live-in lovers, and Clive's obsession with his
sister-in-law, Virginia Woolf. H. G. Well's steadfast wife sent her love
to his mistress Rebecca West when their son was born. And Vera Brittain
and Katherine Mansfield, more devoted to their work than to their
husbands, wrestled with unfulfilled desires. This is both a fascinating
exploration of love, affection and friendship in marriage, and a
brilliantly entertaining account of a dazzling era of high-society high
living. Katie Roiphe is an important voice in non-fiction. Her
articles have appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post,
Esquire, Harper's and The New Yorker. She has also written widely for
the UK press.
