All in One Basket

September 19, 2011
In this shrewd, witty, and entertaining volumeâwhich combines two of Mitford's previous books, Counting My Chickens and Home to Roost, with three unreleased piecesâthe Duchess, known as "Debo" to her friends, discusses her childhood and family (the noted Mitford sisters), and her home at Chatsworth House, where she has lived for 50 years, raising chickens, collecting beautiful objects, and giving tours to visitors. Of the estate, she writes: "You never had to look at anything ugly because you were surrounded by the best of everything from four centuries." An enthusiastic reader, Mitford includes reviews of specific titles and lists of favorites, including, charmingly, an Elvis Presley biography. Her short essays on gardening, fashion, food, and interior decorating delight, but her most moving pieces are reserved for the dead. She recalls her brother-in-law's marriage to Kathleen Kennedy and the tragic deaths of both. Since their families were close, she traveled to America for JFK's inauguration and then, two years later, his funeral; she recalls him with touching fondness.