Drawing on the memoirs, letters and diaries of a group of British intellectuals writing between 1910 and the Second World War, UNCOMMON ARRANGEMENTS paints a witty and insightful portrait of seven 'marriages a la mode', each triumphantly casting off Victorian inhibitions and pursuing bohemian ideals of freedom and equality.

But as well as love and passion, there were tolerance, denial, anger, jealousy and drama. The Bloomsbury group's Clive and Vanessa Bell opened up their marriage to accommodate Vanessa's live-in lovers, and Clive's obsession with his sister-in-law, Virginia Woolf. H.G. Well's steadfast wife sent her love to his mistress Rebecca West when their son was born. And Vera Brittain and Katherine Mansfield, more devoted to their work than to their husbands, wrestled with unfulfilled desires.

This is both a fascinating exploration of love, affection and friendship in marriage, and a brilliantly entertaining account of a dazzling era of high-society high living.

Katie Roiphe explores the unconventional relationships between renowned writers and artists - a fascinating combination of high-society gossip and historical enquiry

About the Author
Katie Roiphe is an important voice in non-fiction. Her articles have appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, Esquire, Harper's and The New Yorker. She has also written widely for the UK press.

Reviews
Here's the perfect bedside book for an age like our own, when everything is known and nothing is understood. Roiphe takes the prism of the past and turns high gossip into cultural insight . . . At the end of her book we feel we know these couples as intimately as if we were part of their circle * Tina Brown, NEW YORK TIME BOOK REVIEW *
** 'Elegantly written . . . Roiphe has a sharp way with a phase . . . [an] artful selection of quotes * INDEPENDENT ON SUNDAY *
Roiphe takes a lively - if self-confessedly un-academic - approach in her biography . . . her flair for detail makes for an engrossing peek into these unconventional family lives * DAILY MAIL *
** 'Roiphe works her way "inside" each marriage . . . UNCOMMON ARRANGEMENTS will teach you many things, none of them comfortable * LITERARY REVIEW *



Book Information
ISBN 9781844082711
Author Katie Roiphe
Format Paperback
Page Count 352
Imprint Virago Press Ltd
Publisher Little, Brown Book Group
Weight(grams) 248g
Dimensions(mm) 198mm * 132mm * 24mm