{"id":1222,"date":"2022-07-25T14:12:32","date_gmt":"2022-07-25T13:12:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/research.reading.ac.uk\/astor100\/?page_id=1222"},"modified":"2025-08-28T14:26:00","modified_gmt":"2025-08-28T13:26:00","slug":"biography","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/research.reading.ac.uk\/astor100\/research\/biography\/","title":{"rendered":"Publications in progress"},"content":{"rendered":"

A new biography<\/strong> vested largely in Astor\u2019s own voice and the voices of women around her.<\/p>\n

Jacqui Turner is in the process of writing a biography vested so far as possible in Nancy Astor\u2019s own voice. Previous biographies have been of mixed quality and have had a mixed reception. They have mostly been a consideration of Astor though the lens of wife and mother, very often painted as a \u2018bad mother\u2019, an errant and unreasonable wife and an erratic parliamentarian. This biography presents Nancy Astor through her own lens and as a pioneering woman making her way in inherently male environment predominantly judged against male standards.<\/p>\n

Nancy Astor did not write an autobiography, she did not think her reputation would survive! However, she did leave autobiographical notes, many scribbled on Cunard Line headed paper during a transatlantic crossing. Publication of the autobiographical notes had a permanent publication embargo imposed in 1979 when her papers were handed over to University of Reading Special Collections. Dr Lisa Berry Waite wrote a blog ‘ The Unfinished Autobiography of Nancy Astor’<\/a> for this site in 2020.<\/p>\n

We are also planning a supporting sourcebook, <\/strong>\u2018An Unconventional MP\u2019: The Political Life of Nancy Astor in 50 documents, <\/em>constructing a narrative of Astor\u2019s political career though primary source material, documents from the Nancy Astor Papers:<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Some biographical writing on Nancy Astor to date:<\/strong><\/p>\n

Emily Astor (with Jacqui Turner), Nancy Astor: A Life in Photographs<\/em> (Blackwell, 2019)<\/p>\n

Maurice Collis, Nancy Astor: An informal biography<\/em> (Faber and Faber, 1960)<\/p>\n

Adrian Fort, Nancy: The Story of Lady Astor<\/em> (Johnathon Cape, 2012)<\/p>\n

James Fox, The Langhorne Sisters<\/em> (Granta, 1998)<\/p>\n

James Fox, Five Sisters: The Langhornes of Virginia<\/em> (Simon and Schuster, 2000)<\/p>\n

John Grigg, Nancy Astor: Portrait of a Pioneer<\/em> (Hamlyn and various, 1980)<\/p>\n

John Grigg, Nancy Astor: A Lady Unashamed<\/em> (Hamlyn and various, 1980)<\/p>\n

Elizabeth Langhorne, Nancy Astor and her Friends<\/em> (Arthur Baker Ltd, 1974)<\/p>\n

Anthony Masters, Nancy Astor: A Life<\/em> (Weidenfeld and Nicholson, 1981)<\/p>\n

Christopher Sykes, Nancy: The Life of Lady Astor<\/em> (Harper Collins, 1979)<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Other Astor (and related) biographies and life-writing:<\/strong><\/p>\n

Jeremy Lewis, David Astor<\/em> (Penguin, 2017)<\/p>\n

Richard Cockett, David Astor and the Observer<\/em> (Andre Deutsch, 1991)<\/p>\n

Rosina Harrison, The Lady’s Maid, My Life in Service<\/em> (Ebury Press, 2011)<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

A new biography vested largely in Astor\u2019s own voice and the voices of women around her. 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