Dame Barbara Cartland, renowned for her 723 romance novels, lived a life that was as dramatic and unconventional as her fiction, according to a new biography by Matthew Sweet.
Sweet's biographical work, titled 'The Great Dictator,' delves into Cartland's personal archives, including unpublished typescripts of 151 additional novels. The biography aims to provide a serious examination of Cartland's life and work, moving beyond her public persona of theatrical pink chiffon and elaborate jewelry.
Cartland, born in 1901, came from a wealthy family whose fortunes later diminished due to bad investments, leading to her grandfather's suicide. Despite subsequent financial uncertainties, Cartland maintained a social life, attending clubs and balls. Her father, Bertie, was killed in World War I, and Cartland received little formal education, attending boarding and finishing schools.
Her early adulthood coincided with a world depleted of eligible men after the war. The men who survived, and who often featured as heroes in her novels, were described as eccentrics and risk-takers. Cartland received numerous marriage proposals from such individuals, including figures who later inspired characters in her books.
In 1927, she married Alexander 'Sachie' McCorquodale, heir to a printing business. Their marriage ended in divorce after Sachie had an affair. Cartland then married his cousin, Hugh McCorquodale, in 1936. She famously remarked that "Men with amputated legs make the best lovers," attributing their ardor to wartime suffering.
During World War II, Cartland worked for the Auxiliary Territorial Service and St John Ambulance, organizing a scheme for brides to borrow wedding dresses. She expressed a particular fear of being bombed while bathing.
Cartland's novels often featured themes of romance and societal expectations, with her fictional heroines seeking to reform 'brutal or abusive' dukes. However, her personal views, as explored in the biography, were often provocative. She maintained that "No man wants a clever woman" and described feminists as "man-hating, embittered, sex-starved spinsters."
Despite her public persona and unconventional beliefs, Cartland was a highly industrious and self-directed figure. She dictated her novels to a secretary for hours each day, completing a book approximately every two weeks. Her output was immense, with 723 published novels and an additional 151 unpublished typescripts discovered.
Cartland's personal life was marked by her belief in astrology, spirit mediums, and alternative medicine, including evangelizing for vitamin pills. She also maintained a strong sense of social hierarchy, famously stating that class relationships had altered if she was speaking to a reporter.
Matthew Sweet's biography is described as witty and verve-filled, aiming to provide a comprehensive look at the life and literary legacy of Dame Barbara Cartland.