Charmed Life: The Phenomenal World of Philip Sassoon

By: Damian Collins

Narrated by: Thomas Judd

The story of a fascinating man who connected the great politicians, artists and thinkers at the height of British global power and influence.

A famed aesthete, politician and patron of the arts, Philip Sassoon lived in a world of English elegance and oriental flair. Gathering a social set that would provide inspiration for Brideshead Revisited, Sassoon gave parties at which Winston Churchill argued with George Bernard Shaw, while Noël Coward and Lawrence of Arabia mingled with flamingos and Rex Whistler painted murals as the party carried on around them.

Not merely a wealthy socialite, he worked at the right hand of Douglas Haig during the First World War and then for Prime Minister Lloyd George for the settlement of the peace. He was close to King Edward VIII during the abdication crisis, and Minister for the Air Force in the 1930s. And yet as the heir of wealthy Jewish traders from the souks of Baghdad, Philip craved acceptance from the English establishment. In Charmed Life, Damian Collins explores an extraordinary connected life at the heart of society during the height of British global power and influence.

©2016 Damian Collins (P)2016 HarperCollins Publishers Limited

Critic reviews

"Today it all seems like a dream of another world - the white-coated footmen serving endless courses of rich but delicious food, the Duke of York coming in from golf.... Winston Churchill arguing over the teacups with George Bernard Shaw, Lord Balfour dozing in an armchair, Rex Whistler absorbed in his painting...while Philip himself flitted from group to group, an alert, watchful, influential but unobtrusive stage director." (Robert Boothby)

Portrait of privilege

Sassoon was one of the richest men of his time, a man who frequented the upper echelons of social and political power in the UK in the early 20th century. This book is fundamentally a portrait of privilege, the privilege of a man who had more money than he knew what to do with, was handsome, charming and sophisticated. Despite all this, he was not the most interesting subject for a biography. Sassoon was a very private man and seems to have had no very close relationships, so the inner Sassoon remains a mystery. On the other hand, there is a great deal of interesting political context, larded with reports of extravagant house parties and outrageous sums spent on his various homes. Sassoon was exceedingly, even excessively, generous with gifts to his wealthy friends (even royalty – as if they needed expensive gifts), but I waited in vain for some mention of philanthropy. For example, he wanted new public seating for Trafalgar Square, expenditure which would have been pocket change for Sassoon, but he arranged for the money to be raised via public subscription. Still, Damian Collins is an excellent writer and clearly admires his subject and he certainly brings the period to life. Narrator Thomas Judd has a very agreeable voice and does a fine job, including with the foreign words.