'Mackrell's enthralling biography restores Lydia Lopokova to her rightful position centre-stage' DAILY MAIL

'Superb ... Mackrell, with her insider's knowledge of ballet and theatre, lovingly recreates Lydia's many worlds' GAY & LESBIAN REVIEW

'A hugely entertaining and informative study of the Ballets Russes star' SPECTATOR

Born in 1891 in St Petersburg, Lydia Lopokova lived a long and remarkable life. Her vivacious personality and the sheer force of her charm propelled her to the top of Diaghilev's Ballet Russes. Through a combination of luck, determination and talent, Lydia became a star in Paris, a vaudeville favourite in America, the toast of Britain and then married the world-renowned economist, and formerly homosexual, John Maynard Keynes.

Lydia's story links ballet and the Bloomsbury group, war, revolution and the economic policies of the super-powers. She was an immensely captivating, eccentric and irreverent personality: a bolter, a true bohemian and, eventually, an utterly devoted wife.

The story of the splendidly unpredictable Russian dancer who ruffled the feathers of the Bloomsbury set and became the wife of John Maynard Keynes

About the Author
Judith Mackrell is a writer and Dance critic for the Guardian. She was the ghostwriter for Darcey Bussell's 'Life in Dance'. She lives in London with her husband and two sons.

Reviews
Mackrell's enthralling biography restores Lydia Lopokova to her rightful position centre-stage * DAILY MAIL *
In this lovingly crafted biography, Judith Mackrell restores to life a colourful bohemian character... a warm memorial to an almost-forgotten star * OBSERVER *
Superb ... Mackrell, with her insider's knowledge of ballet and theatre, lovingly recreates Lydia's many worlds * GAY & LESBIAN REVIEW *
Judith Mackrell has used her resources to rescue the ballerina from an undeserved obscurity * CONTEMPORARY REVIEW *
Mackrell captures the fizz of Lopokova's personality, her lovability, and makes her come alive. * LONDON REVIEW OF BOOKS *
Thorough and absorbing * GOOD BOOK GUIDE *
Bloomsbury Ballerina is a compelling account of the extraordinary life and times of an unforgettable woman. Mackrell is to be congratulated * LITERARY REVIEW *
Mackrell shows us exactly what made Lopokova one the last century's "true originals". * SUNDAY TIMES *
Judith Mackrell ... is brilliant at making the reader see why Lopokova matters * GUARDIAN *
How shrewd and kind of Mackrell to extricate Lopokova from so many decades as the snubbed alien in Bloomsbury footnotes * NEW STATESMAN *
Mackrell's unfailingly vivacious and scholarly biography pays splendid tribute * SUNDAY TELEGRAPH *
She was, as Mackrell concludes, one of the 20th century's "true originals" and this narrative tells us exactly why * FINANCIAL TIMES *
Admirably researched ... enthralling * DANCING TIMES *
Judith Mackrell, in this masterly biography, shows us why we should remember her (Lopokova) ... writing as fine as one could hope to encounter * TLS *
A hugely entertaining and informative study of the Ballets Russes star * SPECTATOR *
Judith Mackrell has used her resources to rescue the ballerina from an undeserved obscurity * CONTEMPORARY REVIEW *
In this lovingly crafted biography, Judith Mackrell restores to life a colourful bohemian character... a warm memorial to an almost-forgotten star * OBSERVER *
Mackrell captures the fizz of Lopokova's personality, her lovability, and makes her come alive. -- Alison Light * LONDON REVIEW OF BOOKS *
a superb new biography...Mackrell, with her insider's knowledge of ballet and theatre, lovingly recreates Lydia's many worlds * GAY & LESBIAN REVIEW *
Thorough and absorbing * GOOD BOOK GUIDE *


Awards
Short-listed for Sheridan Morley Prize for Best Theatre Biography 2009 and Costa Biography Award 2008.



Book Information
ISBN 9780753825785
Author Judith Mackrell
Format Paperback
Page Count 496
Imprint Weidenfeld & Nicolson
Publisher Orion Publishing Co
Weight(grams) 344g
Dimensions(mm) 196mm * 130mm * 36mm