Book · 2017 · Margaret, princess, countess of snowdon, 1930-2002
Ma'am Darling: 99 Glimpses of Princess Margaret
Why people recommend it
Ma'am Darling: 99 Glimpses of Princess Margaret by Craig Brown is an unconventional, kaleidoscopic biography that shatters traditional biographical norms to portray the rebellious and often tragic royal. On The Book Review podcast, Pamela Paul shared that she was reading the biography against her initial instincts, drawn in by cover blurbs calling it irresistible and unputdownable. Tina Jordan admitted she was completely captivated by the tiara-clad grip of the book, declaring that there was nothing boring about it. Shaina Cavazos also mentioned tearing through the biography during a final segment roundup. In later episodes, Tina Jordan discussed picking up the volume after reading early coverage, while Pamela Paul formally introduced the author's work to listeners. Parul Sehgal and Dwight Garner analyzed the book's structural experimentation, expressing deep admiration for the inventive way Craig Brown pieced together ninety-nine distinct glimpses to capture the elusive essence of his subject. The podcast discussions collectively celebrated the biography as a dazzling stylistic achievement that completely reinvented the genre of royal writing, replacing dry chronology with sharp wit, cultural detritus, and brilliant narrative vignettes. Reviewers found themselves repeatedly returning to the book as a masterclass in biographical form that managed to be simultaneously hilarious, scathing, and profoundly empathetic toward its royal subject.
Who recommended it
- Pamela Paul Recommended
- Tina Jordan Recommended
- Shaina Cavazos Recommended
- Parul Sehgal Discussed
Pamela Paul — 2 mentions
“I'm reading a book I said I was going to read it this summer against all of my initial better instincts 99 glimpses of Princess Margaret by Craig Brown on the cover it says riging irresistible unput downable”
“it's by Craig Brown 99 glimpses of Princess Margaret”
Tina Jordan — 2 mentions
“well I I think like a lot of people who looked at parls review of Craig Brown's 99 glimpses of Princess Margaret I have picked up the book”
“I'm still stuck in the Tiara grip of Craig Brown's 99 glimpses of Princess Margaret oh there's nothing boring about that book”
Shaina Cavazos — 2 mentions
“so I much to my own surprise am tearing through Craig Brown's biography of Princess Margaret called 999 glimpses of Princess Margaret”
“I'm reading 99 glimpses of Princess Margaret by Craig Brown”
Parul Sehgal — 1 mention
“well there was of course that that Craig Brown oh yeah 99 glimpses of Princess Margaret which I I I love just for that idea for the structure”