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The Windsor Faction

by D. J. Taylor

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613428,466 (2.58)5
If Wallis Simpson had not died on the operating table in December 1936, Edward VIII would not be King of England three years later. He would have abdicated for "the woman he loves," but now, the throne is his. If Henry Bannister's car had not careered off the Colombo back-roads in the summer before the war, Cynthia Kirkpatrick would never have found out about The Faction. It is autumn 1939, and everything in history is just as it was. Except, that is, for the identity of the king in Buckingham Palace and the existence of a secret organization operating at the highest levels of society and determined to derail the war effort against Nazi Germany. The Windsor Faction is an ingenious exercise in what-might-have-been that assembles a cast of real and imaginary characters in a horrifyingly plausible re-invention of history.… (more)
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An interesting take on what would have happened if Edward had not abdicated the throne of England for Wallis Simpson. His reputed friendship and support of Hitler is explored. The book is written in such a way that it jumps from character to character with each chapter, slowly building the story. It is not as well written as I would hope and as it could be. The book seemed to drag on a bit. If the pace would have been a bit quicker I would have enjoyed the book more. ( )
  sadiekaycarver | Apr 10, 2014 |
Unreadable. One of only two books I've ever not finished. ( )
  starkravingmad | Oct 27, 2013 |
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The object of life, after all, is not to understand things, but to maintain one's defences and equilibrium and live as well as one can; it is not only maiden aunts who are placed like this. -William Empson, Seven Types of Ambiguity
Always the following wind of history / Of others' wisdom makes a buoyant air / Till we come suddenly on pockets where / Is nothing loud but us. -W.H. Auden, 'Paid on Both Sides'
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December 1936 There was supposed to be a troop of marines, in full regimental dress, but with the coming of the rain they had all drifted away. -Prologue
In the week after they went south from Kandy to the white-stone villa behind the government building at Colombo, a change came over Mrs. Kirkpatrick. -Chapter One, The Monkey at the Temple Door
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If Wallis Simpson had not died on the operating table in December 1936, Edward VIII would not be King of England three years later. He would have abdicated for "the woman he loves," but now, the throne is his. If Henry Bannister's car had not careered off the Colombo back-roads in the summer before the war, Cynthia Kirkpatrick would never have found out about The Faction. It is autumn 1939, and everything in history is just as it was. Except, that is, for the identity of the king in Buckingham Palace and the existence of a secret organization operating at the highest levels of society and determined to derail the war effort against Nazi Germany. The Windsor Faction is an ingenious exercise in what-might-have-been that assembles a cast of real and imaginary characters in a horrifyingly plausible re-invention of history.

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