Cecil Beaton, unexpurgated

Sir Cecil Beaton was a cultural polymath. Photographer extraordinaire, he was no less respected for his taste in fashion, film, theatre, design and decoration, all of which were as well known as his social connections. 

From both Audrey and Katharine Hepburn to Diana Cooper, Princess Grace, Diana Vreeland and John Gielgud, the latter were truly astounding. Sexually ambidextrous (he counted Greta Garbo amongst his many loves, along with a motley assortment of men, but was never romantically content), he was, however, particularly respected as a writer of socially mischievous diaries, all six (published) volumes of which have since become classics of their kind. Covering a decade apiece or thereabouts, these highly entertaining tomes, boiled down from no less than 145 originals, represent the epitome of British social class, all of them shamelessly portrayed with ultimate publication in mind. 

Not without considerable self-editing beforehand, however. At the time, British libel laws were even more draconian than they are today, so our hero would frequently staple pages together to prevent immediate publication (sternly annotated "No!" for his long-suffering secretary's benefit, ostensibly in deference to those of his friends still alive). It was left to his amanuensis (and consummate biographer), Hugo Vickers, to unravel the originals after Beaton's death; and on the basis that the dead cannot be sued, the unexpurgated versions of his diaries could then finally see the light of day (unlike those of "Chips" Channon, which remain, disgracefully, locked up in the Bodleian Library). The Unexpurgated Beaton, which anthologised the '70s and '80s, became an immediate success, and was followed back-to-front by Beaton in the Sixties, which was equally successful. 

Frequently naughty, often ribald, these priceless snippets of a bygone era are particularly well compressed and worth their weight in gold.

As a diarist himself (with 60 volumes to his credit, covering 60 years - not 145), your correspondent can perhaps be forgiven for being somewhat biased. But of 20th century diarists of note, Beaton stands redoubtably beside the likes of Nicholson, Channon, Cooper, Clark and Colville. He was a consummate writer - and, all these years later, still fun.

More biography videos at:

https://www.bookreviewsandvideos.com/