The Wandering Diaries, 1922-1939 (Cecil Beaton's Diaries)

A classic memoir of the twentieth century, spanning through the Second World War, the Golden Age of Hollywood and the reign of Queen Elizabeth II. Sir Cecil Beaton (1904 –1980) was an English fashion, portrait and war photographer, painter, diarist and Academy Award–winning stage and costume designer. This second volume spans most of the Second World War from 1939-44. An official photographer for the Ministry of Information, Beaton was flown all over the globe to report back to London, as well as being commissioned to photograph Winston Churchill, the Queen, bomb-damaged London and the RAF at work. With unique access to politicians, admirals, air marshals, socialites and those working on the homefront, Beaton’s memoir tells us more about the English at war than many volumes of officers’ memoirs have been able to. 'there is some fascinating stuff in this volume … his accounts of India and China are superb' - The Observer ‘no page of his book is without its flash of beauty, fun or understanding’ – Sunday Times 'Wise, witty and perceptive' - New York Herald Tribune ‘Fascinating and well-written, and deserves to be read as an insight into a period and of someone who was very much part of it’ – Western Mail ‘One of the unassailables of our time’ – Daily Mail

A classic six-volume memoir of the twentieth century, spanning through the Second World War, the Golden Age of Hollywood and the reign of Queen Elizabeth II. Sir Cecil Beaton (1904 –1980) was an English fashion, portrait and war photographer, painter, diarist and Academy Award–winning stage and costume designer. Beaton’s third volume covers 1944-48. In 1944 Beaton, as official photographer for the Ministry of Information, was sent to Paris to arrange an exhibition of war photographs. While there he renewed his acquaintance with Picasso and encountered many other famous faces, including Gide, Cocteau and Gertrude Stein. The war over, Beaton the photographer became Beaton the designer and he began to work for Korda in films. Then in 1946, on a visit to New York, he sought out the woman he had met just once ten years before, and everything was suddenly different. For the woman was Greta Garbo. And Beaton was in love… THE HAPPY YEARS is the third volume of Cecil Beaton’s Diaries, a personal memoir of the twentieth century, covering famous artists and photographers, political figures, socialites, the rich & famous and movie stars. Perfect for fans of THE CROWN, LOVE, CECIL, fashion photography, artist’s memoirs, and twentieth-century history.

A classic six-volume memoir of the twentieth century, spanning through the Second World War, the Golden Age of Hollywood and the reign of Queen Elizabeth II. Perfect for fans of THE CROWN, fashion photography, artist’s memoirs, and twentieth-century history. Sir Cecil Beaton (1904 –1980) was an English fashion, portrait and war photographer, painter, diarist and Academy Award-winning stage and costume designer. “Thirty-five years ago I could think of nothing more wonderful than going to Hollywood to work on designing a great film. But Hollywood has changed and so have I.” Beaton’s fifth volume covers 1955-63. He travels the world, visiting exotic locales and also Paris, New York, and Los Angeles. Friends like Diana Vreeland, Truman Cooper, and Greta Garbo make repeat appearances. He also recounts a grand ball given by Barbara Hutton in Tangier and an argument with Alfred Hitchcock at a movie screening hosted by Edie Goetz. There are descriptions of visits with Coco Chanel and Prince Felix Youssoupoff in which not one fascinating detail goes unnoticed by him. THE RESTLESS YEARS is the fifth volume of Cecil Beaton’s Diaries, a personal memoir of the twentieth century, covering famous artists and photographers, political figures, socialites, the rich & famous and movie stars. ‘it is an exceptionally sensitive and perceptive record by a man who is an artist to his fingertips – an artist who is master not only of the highlights but of the shadows’ – The Spectator ‘One could go on reading him forever’ – The Observer 'His is a superb diarist, comparable to the best in our language' – Books and Bookmen 'Wise, witty and perceptive' – New York Herald Tribune ‘Fascinating and well-written, and deserves to be read as an insight into a period and of someone who was very much part of it’ – Western Mail ‘One of the unassailables of our time’ – Daily Mail \\\PLEASE NOTE THIS NEW EDITION DOES NOT INCLUDE THE PHOTOGRAPHS PRESENT IN THE ORIGINAL HARDBACK EDITION\\\ CECIL BEATON’S DIARIES SERIES BOOK 1: THE WANDERING 1922-39 BOOK 2: THE YEARS 1939-44 BOOK 3: THE HAPPY 1944-8 BOOK 4: THE STRENUOUS 1948-55 BOOK 5: THE RESTLESS 1955-63 BOOK 6: THE PARTING 1963-74

A classic six-volume memoir of the twentieth century, spanning through the Second World War, the Golden Age of Hollywood and the reign of Queen Elizabeth II. Perfect for fans of THE CROWN, fashion photography, artist’s memoirs, and twentieth-century history. Sir Cecil Beaton (1904 –1980) was an English fashion, portrait and war photographer, painter, diarist and Academy Award-winning stage and costume designer. Beaton’s sixth and final volume covers 1963-74. It follows Beaton's encounters with the youth of the swinging sixties but also the parting of many of his lifelong friends. In Marrakesh he meets Mick Jagger and in England David Hockney comes to stay. There are many vivid and affectionate Garbo in Greece, as bewitching as ever; Philippe and Pauline de Rothschild in their little principality at Mouton; Picasso, rather shrivelled but full of vitality and hope; Diana Cooper defying the passing years with indomitable energy. THE PARTING YEARS is the sixth volume of Cecil Beaton’s Diaries, a personal memoir of the twentieth century, covering famous artists and photographers, political figures, socialites, the rich & famous and movie stars. ‘One of the reasons I continue to love and admire Cecil Beaton is his proven ability to accomplish as well as to believe as many as six impossible things at a time, before or after breakfast.’ – The Spectator ‘One could go on reading him forever’ – The Observer 'His is a superb diarist, comparable to the best in our language' – Books and Bookmen 'Wise, witty and perceptive' – New York Herald Tribune ‘Fascinating and well-written, and deserves to be read as an insight into a period and of someone who was very much part of it’ – Western Mail ‘One of the unassailables of our time’ – Daily Mail \\\PLEASE NOTE THIS NEW EDITION DOES NOT INCLUDE THE PHOTOGRAPHS PRESENT IN THE ORIGINAL HARDBACK EDITION\\\ CECIL BEATON’S DIARIES SERIES BOOK 1: THE WANDERING 1922-39 BOOK 2: THE YEARS 1939-44 BOOK 3: THE HAPPY 1944-8 BOOK 4: THE STRENUOUS 1948-55 BOOK 5: THE RESTLESS 1955-63 BOOK 6: THE PARTING 1963-74