Cecil Beaton, Hugo Vickers
Cecil Beaton, Hugo Vickers
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Cecil Beaton
The authorised biography of Queen Elizabeth II's official photographer by 'the most knowledgeable royal biographer on the planet' - FINANCIAL TIMES

Author: Hugo Vickers

Narrator: Hugo Vickers

Unabridged: 27 hr 13 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Published: 03/05/2020

Includes: Bonus Material Bonus Material Included

Synopsis

The definitive and authorised biography of one of the world's most fascinating, famous and admired photographers.

Cecil Beaton was one of Britain's greatest cultural icons - not just as a photographer capturing some of the most celebrated portraits of the 20th century but also as designer of the iconic sets and costumes for the films My Fair Lady and Gigi.

In 1980, Beaton personally chose Hugo Vickers to be his biographer, entrusting him with his diaries and the entire body of letters he had written - both personally and professionally - over the course of his life. Drawing on five years of intensive research and interviews with the likes of Audrey Hepburn, Truman Capote, Princess Grace of Monaco and Sir John Gielgud, Vickers' biography was an instant bestseller upon its publication in 1985. Exploring Beaton's metamorphosis from being the child of a staid middle-class family to an international figure mingling with the glittering stars of his age, the biography also details his great love for Greta Garbo and reveals his private sense of failure that the success he always wanted - as a playwright - eluded him.

About Hugo Vickers

Hugo Vickers is a writer, lecturer and broadcaster, and an acknowledged expert on the British Royal Family. He has written biographies of the Queen Mother, Cecil Beaton, Vivien Leigh, Princess Andrew of Greece and the Duchess of Windsor. His book The Kiss won the1996 Stern Silver Pen Award for Non-Fiction. His recent bestsellers have included Malice in Wonderland and The Sphinx - the life of Gladys, Duchess of Marlborough. He collaborated with HRH The Duke of Kent on A Royal Life. He is a Deputy Lieutenant for Berkshire.

Reviews

Goodreads review by Karen-Leigh on September 10, 2023

I read most of Cecil Beaton's diaries and recently purchased the two huge unexpurgated sets. However, before I launched into those I thought I would read this biography. At my age, I am familiar with all the names and boy was this book full of name dropping. Cecil sure crammed a lot into his life. H......more

Goodreads review by Anton on May 07, 2021

I've really been absorbed in a bio of Cecil Beaton for the last couple of weeks. I just finished reading it this am. Really long, but very enjoyable. I came to the book through my time spent reading about the Cyril Connolly group. Cecil was part of that. Cecil and Cyril went to the same elementary s......more

Goodreads review by Tosh on October 05, 2007

In a strange way Cecil Beaton is totally underrated as a photographer, considering he's known as a photographer and of course as a 'personality.' But his portraits are incredible, and the fashion shoots are really out of this world. This is a very good biography on the man and his world - and what a......more

Goodreads review by Stephen on May 09, 2020

Reissued in early 2020 to coincide with a (now cancelled due to COVID-19) exhibition at the National Portrait Gallery. This 1985 biography by the excellent biographer Hugo Vickers, is a fast moving account of the photographer, set designer and observer of British high society from the 1920’s to the......more

Goodreads review by JamesK on December 10, 2023

Vickers is a competent, trustworthy, and thorough writer, but having read Philip Hoare's masterfully atmospheric biography of Stephen Tennant, I couldn't help ruefully wishing that author had scored the job. It's ok, but never poetic or transporting, and with such a conjuring character as Beaton, th......more

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