Daughter's Tale: The Memoir of Winston and Clementine Churchill's Youngest Child

Nowinhereighty-ninthyear,MarySoamesistheonlysurvivingchildofWinstonandClementineChurchill.Youngerthanhersiblingsbyseveralyears,shewenttodayschoolandenjoyedanidyllicchildhoodplayedoutinherveryown'GardenofEden'-Chartwell.Heresheroamedhouseandgrounds,tendeddiligentlytohercollectionofpets,andhadherfirstglimpsesoftheglitteringsocialworldinwhichherparentsmoved.Then,in1939,Chamberlain'sdeclarationofwardramaticallyendedthisworldassheandherfamilyhadknownit.HereafterwefollowMary'slifethroughherfascinatingpersonaldiary,publishedhereforthefirsttime.Throughtheimmediacyofherprivateobservationswearedrawnintoaworldwheretheordinaryminutiaeofapackedfamily,socialandromanticlifeproceedagainstabackgroundofcataclysmicevents.JoiningtheATSandservinginmixedanti-aircraftbatteries,Marytakesonherownsetofprofessionaldemandswhilesharingthemanyanxietiesandstressesbroughttobearuponherfamilythroughherfather'sposition.ThemutualloveandaffectionbetweenMaryandherparentsisevidentoneverypage,fromherearliestyearsatChartwelltoWinston'sdefeatatthe1945generalelection,whenMaryrecountsherownpainanddevastationonherfather'sbehalf.Atthispointshemeetsherfuturehusband,ChristopherSoames.Weareleftinnodoubtattheendofthischarmingandrevealingmemoirthat,attwenty-four,Maryhaslivedafulllifeandiswellpreparedforherfutureasyoungwifeandmother.