Barbara Cartland

Barbara Hamilton Cartland, romance novelist, was born in Edgbaston, Birmingham in England. She was descended from the dukes of Hamilton and was reared among London's high society. Her father was killed during World War I. She was educated at Malvern Girls' College. She wrote gossip columns for the DAILY EXPRESS, and during World War II she was Chief Lady Welfare Officer for Bedfordshire. She was active in politics and was interested in health issues. In 1991 she was made Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire.

Most of her novels are set in the nineteenth century in exotic places. Her characters are English upper-class, mostly chaste women and the wealthy, well-dressed men who adore them. All live with the manners and ideals of an aristocratic culture, which may explain why Cartland, herself, had a penchant for pink chiffon dresses and showy jewelry.

During the post-war period, Cartland was seen as a new woman:
independent, talented, and smart, three attributes that helped her make the leap from lower middle class to the echelon of British society.

She also married well. Her first step into the public limelight came when she went to work as a Fleet Street reporter. In her book of memoirs, We Danced All Night: 1919 - 1929 (1970), Cartland revealed how in 1919 she managed to break into the upper class after leaving school and the sheltering world of childhood.
"Now the restrictions were ended. I was out! I was grown-up! I was expected overnight to be amusing, gay, and attractive to men. And, incredible though it seemed, I was!"

(My comments Ladies & Gentlemen ...if you please : All the girls ..well most of them I know are ardent admirers of this Dame - so a British Dame taught the Indian educated girls about the facts of love ...about "chaste women and the wealthy, well-dressed men who adore them" - well that is completely lacking in India - Indian men could'nt care less as far as appearance is concerned - whereas Indian girls are growing up reading about dandies etc....no wonder why the yin-yang balance in India so very topsy - turvy )

"I was out! I was grown-up! I was expected overnight to be amusing, gay, and attractive to men" point to be noted here - so women are supposed to be jesters for men eh?! make them laugh and participate in their dirty jokes ...which makes them happy and then I suppose His Majesty will let the woman bear his child and give the best reward to her - the reason why a woman was born in the first place - to become a mother !!

n 1927, Cartland married Alexander George McCorquodale (d. 1964), becoming the stepmother of the mother of Raine, Countess Spencer, stepmother of the late Princess of Wales, Diana Spencer.

After her divorce in 1936, she married Hugh McCorquodale (d. 1963), her first husband's cousin. In 1991, she was made Dame of the Order of the British Empire.
Cartland is listed in the Guinness Book of Records for having written 26 books in one year, 1983. In reality, she didn't do the writing herself, but most often dictated her stories to a stenographer.

In her books, the author never describes the act of sex, which is, she once said, why her novels are so popular. "My heroines never go to bed without a ring on their fingers. Not until page 118 at least." She once revealed that her idea of a sexy man was one who was "fully clothed and preferably in uniform."

While her heroines were all virgins, they were not without their complexities. Cartland enjoyed drawing on real-life stories gleaned from Britain's Regency, Victorian, and Edwardian periods--eras largely ignored before Cartland began writing about them.

Barbara Cartland died on May 21, 2000, after a short illness. During her career she published 723 books, which were translated into some 40 languages, and wrote several film scripts.

What is the first film you saw?
It's such a long time ago, I haven't the faintest idea. I've not been to the cinema for so long because films are not like they used to be. They are too loud and the music is terrible.

What is your favourite film?
I liked so many, but I can't remember the titles. I do like films about animals. especially horses.

When is the last time you walked out of the cinema?
I never have walked out. but films aren't as good as they used to be.

Most irritating habit in a cinema?
People behaving badly. When I went to the cinema men were gentlemen and had good manners, they wouldn't say anything improper to the ladies.

When was the last time you snogged in a cinema?
In London. I was with a man from the Navy, I can't remember his name. Films were only five shillings in those days.

Which actress would you most like to be?
Bette Davis, she was very good. She looked presentable and spoke well.

Which actor?
I liked James Mason, charrning man. I like actors who play themselves and are well dressed.

When was the last time you cried?
I don't like it when people are horrible to each other; there's not enough happiness in films these days.

Who was the most handsome man you ever met?
He was a duke. I can't say his name. He'd only been married for two weeks then fell in love with me and has been ever since.

A historical romance is the only kind of book where chastity really counts.
Barbara Cartland

A man will teach his wife what is needed to arouse his desires. And there is no reason for a woman to know any more than what her husband is prepared to teach her. If she gets married knowing far too much about what she wants and doesn't want then she will be ready to find fault with her husband.
Barbara Cartland

A woman asking "Am I good? Am I satisfied?" is extremely selfish. The less women fuss about themselves, the less they talk to other women, the more they try to please their husbands, the happier the marriage is going to be.
Barbara Cartland

A woman should say: "Have I made him happy? Is he satisfied? Does he love me more than he loved me before? Is he likely to go to bed with another woman?" If he does, then it's the wife's fault because she is not trying to make him happy.
Barbara Cartland

As long as the plots keep arriving from outer space, I'll go on with my virgins.
Barbara Cartland

Every man has been brought up with the idea that decent women don't pop in and out of bed; he has always been told by his mother that "nice girls don't." He finds, of course, when he gets older that this may be untrue - but only in a certain section of society.
Barbara Cartland

I have always found women difficult. I don't really understand them. To begin with, few women tell the truth.
Barbara Cartland

I was shown round Tutankhamun's tomb in the 1920s. I saw all this wonderful pink on the walls and the artefacts. I was so impressed that I vowed to wear it for the rest of my life.
Barbara Cartland

The great majority of people in England and America are modest, decent and pure-minded and the amount of virgins in the world today is stupendous.
Barbara Cartland

The right diet directs sexual energy into the parts that matter.
Barbara Cartland

Cartland published 723 books. She gained popularity with her first novel, JIGSAW, which she published at 24. She was a very prolific writer and was entered into the GUINNESS BOOK OF RECORDS for writing 26 books in one year for 1983. In addition to romance novels she published health and beauty books, cookbooks, and five autobiographies.

So dear parents..Indians as well as others...watch out what your daughters are reading and what kind of set ideas they are begining to have after reading novels written by a person who: started as a gossip writer, who married twice, who married an already married man, who , when went to visit a tomb - realized that pink color is good after all...who knows maybe the ghost of Tutankhamun's tomb possessed her at that pint of time - the reason why she says things like : then it's the wife's fault because she is not trying to make him happy(refer quotes above !)

My God !I am amazed that British women are so meek !! they worship their husands it seems --even if he is a Hitler or some Giant (of Jack & the Bean Stalk)...so whats so new that she is teaching the girls all over the world - That a man need'nt necessarily be a virgin but a woman should definitely be ! - I never liked these mushy romantic books ever ! and for your kind information dear people - For the kinds of Lord Rama - Mother Sita will be the wife and for the kinds of King Ravana - Mandodari will be the one - just because a girl is slim, trim , has long hair and fair skin after much artificial skin grafting....etc. but is most vile natured - she is a witch and thats all - the witch reborn as a daughter to some "zero personality parents" go ahead to rule the media world by participating in Beauty pagents...and loo behold - rest of the entire world enjoys the sight of the nudies !! ...and then they wonder where is God ! some cheek they have i tell you - here you all are indulging in pagan tricks and support the devil - then expect the Gods to come and save you !?