journalist. She was the eldest of the renowned Mitford sisters and one
of the "Bright Young People" of London's inter-war years. Although
mainly remembered for her witty accounts of upper-class life, she also
established a reputation as a writer of popular historical biographies.
The eldest daughter of the 2nd Baron Redesdale, she published her first
book in 1931, but it was her two semi-autobiographical postwar novels,
The Pursuit of Love and Love in a Cold Climate, that established her
reputation. During the 1950s she was identified with the concept of "U"
(upper) and "non-U" language as a determinant of social standing; she
had intended this as a joke, but thereafter many considered Mitford an
authority on manners and breeding. Her later years were bitter-sweet,
the success of her biographical studies of Madame de Pompadour, Voltaire
and King Louis XIV contrasting with the ultimate failure of her personal
relationships. From the late 1960s her health deteriorated, and she
endured several years of painful illness before her death in 1973.
Read more: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nancy_Mitford>
_______________________________
Today's selected anniversaries:
1348:
Charles, King of Bohemia, issued a Golden Bull to establish
Charles University (main façade pictured) in Prague, the first
university in Central Europe.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_University_in_Prague>
1724:
Johann Sebastian Bach debuted the St John Passion, a musical
representation of the Passion, at the St. Thomas Church in Leipzig.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St_John_Passion>
1896:
An Arctic expedition led by Norwegian explorer Fridtjof Nansen
reached 86°13.6'N, almost three degrees beyond the previous Farthest
North mark.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fridtjof_Nansen>
1969:
The Internet was symbolically born with publication of RFC 1.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Request_for_Comments>
1994:
The Rwandan Genocide began, a few hours after the assassination
of President Juvénal Habyarimana; an estimated 500,000–1,000,000
Rwandans were killed in the following 100 days.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rwandan_Genocide>
_____________________________
Wiktionary's word of the day:
lollapalooza:
(informal) An outstanding, extreme, or outrageous example of its kind.
<https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/lollapalooza>
___________________________
Wikiquote quote of the day:
What though the radiance which was once so bright Be now forever
taken from my sight, Though nothing can bring back the hour Of splendour
in the grass, of glory in the flower; We will grieve not, rather find
Strength in what remains behind; In the primal sympathy Which having
been must ever be.
--William Wordsworth
<https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/William_Wordsworth>
_______________________________________________
Wikipedia Daily Article mailing list.
To unsubscribe, visit:
https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/daily-article-l
Questions or comments? Contact dal-feedback@wikimedia.org