Once called the greatest charlatan of his age, the Marquis was a fascinating Victorian 'renaissance man'. Born to an artistic family, he became a renowned poet and adventurer. A crack shot and excellent swordsman, the Marquis fought duels and has a series of high-profile love affairs. He joined Garibaldi during the unification of Italy and claimed an affair with the Queen of Naples. Louisa Tussaud (of the famous waxworks family) risked her reputation for him as they set out on an extravagant journey across Europe. In New York, he met wealthy widow and newspaper proprietor Mrs Leslie and their on-off affair lasted over twenty years. The charismatic Marquis made friends and enemies in equal measure. Accomplished orator, story teller and dandy, he cut a swathe through high society in London and New York. But his colourful life held a secret: who was the real Marquis de Leuville?

Betsy Prioleau’s biography of Gilded Age female tycoon Miriam Leslie is “an appropriately twisty tale of someone trying to outrun her origins. . . . Her story sparkles, as intoxicating as a champagne fountain that somebody else is paying for” (New York Times Book Review). Among the fabled tycoons of the Gilded Age—Carnegie, Rockefeller, Vanderbilt—is a forgotten figure: Mrs. Frank Leslie. For 20 years she ran the country’s largest publishing company, Frank Leslie Publishing, which chronicled postbellum America in dozens of weeklies and monthlies. A pioneer in an all-male industry, she made a fortune and became a national celebrity and tastemaker in the process. But Miriam Leslie was also a byword for scandal: she flouted feminine convention, took lovers, married four times, and harbored unsavory secrets that she concealed through a skein of lies and multiple personas. Both during and after her lifetime, glimpses of the truth emerged, including an illegitimate birth and a checkered youth. Diamonds and Deadlines reveals the previously unknown, sensational life of the brilliant and brazen “empress of journalism,” who dropped a bombshell at her death: she left her entire multimillion-dollar estate to women’s suffrage—a never-equaled amount that guaranteed passage of the Nineteenth Amendment. In this dazzling biography, cultural historian Betsy Prioleau draws from diaries, genealogies, and published works to provide an intimate look at the life of one of the Gilded Age’s most complex, powerful women and unexpected feminist icons. Ultimately, Diamonds and Deadlines restores Mrs. Frank Leslie to her rightful place in history as a monumental businesswoman who presaged the feminist future and reflected, in bold relief, the Gilded Age, one of the most momentous, seismic, and vivid epochs in American history. Includes Black-and-White Images

In 'Bohemian Days in Fleet Street' by William Mackay, readers are taken on a literary journey through the vibrant and eclectic world of London's Fleet Street during the early 20th century. Mackay's writing style is vivid and descriptive, providing a glimpse into the lives of artists, writers, and journalists who inhabited this artistic hub. This book stands out for its mix of anecdotes, personal reflections, and historical accounts which create a rich tapestry of the bohemian lifestyle of the time. Mackay's use of language captures the essence of the era, making the reader feel as though they are right there alongside the characters. The book is a valuable contribution to the literary genre of historical non-fiction, shedding light on a lesser-known aspect of London's cultural history.