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The West End Front
The Wartime Secrets of London's Grand Hotels
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Format: Paperback / softback
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See moreIt's the Second World War and the bedrooms, hallways and grillrooms of the Savoy, the Dorchester and Claridge's teem with those who are determined not to allow Hitler to impact on their way of life.
In The West End Front, Matthew Sweet draws a sumptuous, witty and eye-opening history of the Ritz, the Savoy, the Dorchester and Claridge's - and the eccentrics, stars, aristocrats and criminals living in London's grand hotels during the Blitz.
Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and
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Description
Spies: Meet Marie-Jacqueline Lancaster, the woman from M15 who has the gravy browning licked from her legs by Dylan Thomas.
Royals: Meet Crown Prince Alexander of Yugoslavia, born in a suite at Claridge's that was declared Yugoslav territory for the night.
Players: Meet Joyce Stone, whose husband leads the band at the Dorchester, keeping dancers foxtrotting even as the shudders of bombardments penetrate the sound-proofed walls of the hotel.
The West End Front is a witty and eye-opening account of the extraordinary events that unfolded under the reinforced ceilings of London's grand hotels.
Book Details
INFORMATION
ISBN: 9780571234783
Publisher: Faber & Faber
Format: Paperback / softback
Date Published: 07 June 2012
Country: United Kingdom
Imprint: Faber & Faber
Edition: Main
Audience: General / adult
DIMENSIONS
Spine width: 26.0mm
Width: 127.0mm
Height: 196.0mm
Weight: 305g
Pages: 400
About the Author
Matthew Sweet presents Night Waves and Freethinking on BBC Radio 3, and is the summer presenter of The Film Programme on Radio Four. He is the author of Inventing the Victorians and Shepperton Babylon, which he adapted as a film for BBC Four. His TV programmes include Silent Britain, A Brief History of Fun, The Age of Excess, Truly, Madly, Cheaply and The Rules of Film Noir.
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