Troublemaker - by Carla Kaplan (Hardcover)

About the Book

"This biography of Jessica Mitford, fifth of the six famous Mitford Girls, tells the wild and unlikely story of a British aristocrat who became an American Communist, bringing her astonishing self-transformation to life with a riveting, often hilarious, account of trading wealth and status for a life of radical activism. Who could predict that a British aristocrat would so energize American antiwar and civil rights struggles that Time magazine would crown her "Queen of the Muckrakers"? Jessica Mitford, fifth of the six famous "Mitford Girls," was brought up by an eccentric English family to marry well and reproduce her wealth and privilege, not to advocate for the less advantaged. Her five beautiful sisters have been subjects of books and movies dedicated to their naughty, glamorous lives. Jessica-known as Decca-ran away to America to forge a wilder rebel's life. As this richly researched book details, Decca broke the Mitford mold-fighting fascism in the Spanish Civil War, becoming an American Communist and pioneering witty, wildly popular journalism, including her blockbuster The American Way of Death, placing her at the heart of social justice battles. Decca relentlessly injected laughter into her politics, encouraging the activists she influenced to do likewise. From famed baby doctor Benjamin Spock to best friend Maya Angelou, her anti-authoritarian irreverence had a profound impact on American culture. Mining extensive, untapped sources, Kaplan's passionate biography of an unlikely life demonstrates that Decca's social empathy was hard-won and self-taught, a model with particular relevance today and a powerful, modern example of female adventure and freedom"--

Book Synopsis

Troublemaker tells the wild and unlikely story of Jessica Mitford, fifth of the six famous Mitford Girls, a British aristocrat-turned-American Communist, famous for exposés like The American Way of Death; this biography brings her astonishing self-transformation to life with a riveting, often hilarious account of trading wealth and status for a life of radical activism.

Who could predict that a British aristocrat would so energize American antifascist and civil rights struggles that Time magazine would crown her "Queen of the Muckrakers"? Jessica Mitford, always known as Decca, was brought up by an eccentric English family to marry well and reproduce her wealth and privilege, not to advocate for the rights of others. Her beautiful sisters have been subjects of books and movies dedicated to their naughty, glamorous lives. Decca ran away to America to forge a rebel's life. As this richly researched book details, Decca broke the Mitford mold. Instead of settling for life as a professional Beauty, she fought fascism in the Spanish Civil War, became an American Communist and pioneered witty, hugely popular journalism, including her 1963 blockbuster The American Way of Death. Decca dedicated her life to social justice and proved herself an immensely effective ally, but she also injected laughter into all her political work, annoying some activists with her relentless antics but encouraging many others to find joy in the struggle. From famed baby doctor Benjamin Spock to best friend Maya Angelou, her anti-authoritarian irreverence had a profound impact on American culture. Mining extensive, untapped sources, and with nearly fifty new interviews, Kaplan's passionate biography beautifully illuminates how Decca's hard-won and self-taught social empathy offers a powerful example of female freedom, the dramatic, novelistic story of an extraordinary woman of her time who is remarkably relevant and resonant today.

Review Quotes

"Marvelous, enchanting and hilarious. Carla Kaplan has triumphed, bringing to life the delightful odyssey of Jessica 'Decca' Mitford, the mischievous British aristocrat turned American radical and celebrated muckraker. An inspiring biography by a master biographer."
-- Kai Bird, Pulitzer Prize-winning biographer and Director of the Leon Levy Center for Biography in New York City

"Here's a book as infectious, stylish, and hard-hitting as its subject--the glamorous and rebellious Jessica Mitford. Carla Kaplan writes with the flair of a novelist and backs it up with relentless research and keen insight. Troublemaker is one of those rare books produced from the marriage of a fascinating, timely story and a wonderful storyteller. An absolute treasure." -- Jonathan Eig, winner of the Pulitzer Prize for King: A Life

"Carla Kaplan's deeply researched account chronicles Jessica Mitford's fascinating transformation from a British aristocrat to an American Communist, journalist, writer, and educator. She unveils a unique angle of 'good trouble' and civil rights allyship, told with the drama and humor of Mitford's unique personality." -- Tamara Payne, Pulitzer Prize-winning coauthor of The Dead Are Arising: The Life of Malcolm X

"Packed with amazing life stories . . . . [A] fascinating book." -- NPR's "Fresh Air"

"Kaplan always writes from inside her characters, and with a novelist's sense of scope--and compassion." -- Hilton Als, The New Yorker

"[A] remarkable work of historical recovery . . . full of fresh discoveries." -- New York Times Book Review

"An empathetic and skillful writer, Kaplan . . . shares the previously untold story of a group of notable white women who embraced black culture--and life--in Harlem in the 1920s and '30s. . . . Captivating." -- Publishers Weekly (starred review)

"Kaplan's meticulously documented and intrepid history of Miss Anne encompasses a unique vantage on the complexities of race and gender and a dramatic study in paradox." -- Booklist (starred review)

"Richly researched . . . thoughtful." -- Boston Globe

"[A] clear-sighted, empathetic assessment. [Kaplan] delivers a wonderfully complex series of portraits." -- Daily Beast

"An intriguing slice of long-overlooked American history." -- Christian Science Monitor