Georgiana: Duchess of Devonshire offers a fascinating glimpse into the world of late-eighteenth-century British aristocracy. This wonderfully readable biography tells the intimate story of Lady Georgiana Spencer, a woman who, for a time, was the undisputed leader of her society.

Georgiana, a great-great-great-great-aunt of Diana, Princess of Wales, achieved immediate celebrity in 1774 by marrying the Duke of Devonshire, one of England's richest and most influential aristocrats. Thrust into a world of wealth and power, she became the queen of fashionable society, admired by the Prince of Wales and a dear friend of Marie-Antoinette.

Not content with merely being a society hostess, Georgiana used her connections to enter politics, becoming more influential than many men holding office. Her public success hid a personal life filled with challenges, including a complicated relationship with her husband and her closest friend, leading to an uneasy ménage à trois.

Georgiana's life was marked by uncontrollable gambling, all-night drinking, drug taking, and love affairs with leading politicians. These aspects of her life provide a captivating insight into the era of the madness of King George III, the American and French revolutions, and the defeat of Napoleon.

A gifted historian, Amanda Foreman draws on extensive research to write colorfully and insightfully about Georgiana, whose beauty, flamboyance, and determination make her an astonishingly contemporary figure.