The Pain and the Privilege: The Women in Lloyd Georges Life

(Paperback)

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Mens lives are a perpetual conflict. The life that I have mapped out will be so especially as lawyer and politician. Womans function is to pour oil on the wounds to heal the bruises of spiritand to stimulate to renewed exertion.
Lloyd George was a man who loved women and the tale of his intertwined relationships contains many mysteries and a few unsolved intrigues. He was involved in a divorce case early in his career, fought two libel cases over his private life and had persuaded the prettiest girl in Criccieth to be his wife. Lloyd Georges life was indeed a perpetual conflict. He was a habitual womaniser and, despite his early, enduring attachment to Margaret Owen, marriage did not curb his behaviour. There were many private scandals in a life devoted to public duty.

Ffion Hague illuminates his complex attitude to women. Her own interest stems from the many parallels in her own life.

Reviews

'A riveting narrative examination of the dynamic between a man, his mistress, his wife and his daughter. Played out behind the doors of Downing Street, it throws light on the depth of ambition of one of the 20th century's great political machinators ... a fascinating story.' The Times 'Well-researched and thoughtfully written ... she tells the story ably and entertaingly.' Evening Standard 'Fluent, balanced and broadly sympathetic ... where Hague does have both a new persepctive and new material is in her treatment of Margaret Lloyd George, reclaiming Margaret as a significant political figure.' Independent 'Impressively researched...riveting.' Sunday Times 'Much better than the usual books about political wives...Hague has given us a biography of Lloyd George himself in which a great deal of thought has gone into the business of what it was like to be him and what it was like to have him...a wise and measured assessment.' Daily Telegraph 'This well written and intelligent book...tells an involving, multifarious and often poignant tale.' Spectator 'An engaging portrait...an absorbing read.' Guardian 'Hague has much to bring to the task of recovering their stories including her knowledge of the Welsh language and culture, an accessible style, and a sympathetic appreciation of "the pain and the privilege" of being married to a prominent politician...compelling.' Literary Review

Author Bio

Ffion Hague was born in Cardiff. A native Welsh- speaker, she studied English Literature at Oxford and then took an MPhil in Eighteenth Century Welsh poetry at the University of Wales, Aberystwyth. After graduating a second time, Ffion joined the Civil Service and was posted to the Welsh Office. She held a number of policy positions before being appointed Private Secretary to the Secretary of State. On leaving the Civil Service, she became Director of Operations at the business-facing charity, Arts & Business. In 2000, she became a headhunter and since 2003, has been a director of Hanson & Green. Ffion was a trustee of The British Council and also a judge of the Orange Prize for Fiction in 2000. She is married to William Hague and lives in Yorkshire.