To War with Whitaker

One of the most wonderful autobiographies/diaries I've ever read. The Countess didn't need a title to be a class act - she was an amazing woman and I wish we had more of the same in my generation. Add this book to your collection and you won't regret it. Whitaker's a scream. Bless him. Julie Clayton-West, New Zealand

When the Countess of Ranfurly's husband was sent to Palestine with his Regiment to defend North Africa during World War II, Hermione Ranfurly was determined to go along. She took with her her husband's trusty valet, Whitaker, and set out after him, spending time in Palestine, Africa, and Cairo before Dan Ranfurly was taken prisoner in April of 1941. Ranfurly, who kept diaries all her life, describes the Middle East threatened and rethreatened by Rommel particularly well; she conveys perfectly the sense of life lived for the moment, of young men desperate to be merry lest they die or be captured tomorrow. As the previous writer mentioned, Ranfurly stayed abroad after her husband's capture, working as a secretary to various members of the British military, and in this way met an extraordinary assortment of people, from Douglas Fairbanks Jr. to Cecil Beaton to Eisenhower to General George Patton . . . the list of famous names is almost as long as the index. You never get the feeling, though, that Ranfurly is name-dropping, and it's never difficult to follow her stories--there's no need for footnotes. Instead, reading her diary is like listening to an incredibly well-travelled, funny, brave woman tell anecdotes late into the night. Personalities--especially Whitaker's--are perfectly evoked. Eventually Ranfurly makes her way to Italy where she finds her husband again and, as she says, they live "happily ever after." A charming book with real insight about a woman's experience during the War.

These diaries are ones written by someone who honobbed with the all the famous figures in the second World war. She met Peter Fleming, thought by some to have been the man James Bond was based on. She aslo met Churchill and many other famous people. A thrill to read and very informative. If you ever wonderd how the S.A.S. was founded this is the book for you.