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Chips : The Diaries of Sir Henry Channon Paperback – January 1, 1996

by Sir Henry Channon (Author)

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Sir Henry 'Chips' Channon's extraordinary diaries,first published in 1967,are now considered a modern classic.The years covered in this volume,1934-53,recall a vanished world where Channon's priviliged orbit circled every social and public figure of the day in a round of parties,balls,country-house weekends and endless gossip.His position as a MP enabled him to chronicle,famously,the Abdication Crisis,when King Edward VIII's love for 'jolly,plain'unprepossessing' Mrs Simpson reduced him to 'a broken man at bay'. Culled from some three million words in the original,Robert Rhodes James's selection gives us the moments and characters of history,etched indelibly by a master observer.

Print length

512 pages
Language

English
Publisher

Phoenix (an Imprint of The Orion Publishing Group Ltd )
Publication date

January 1, 1996
Dimensions

6.1 x 1.38 x 9.17 inches
ISBN-10

1857994930
ISBN-13

978-1857994933
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Product details

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Phoenix (an Imprint of The Orion Publishing Group Ltd ) (January 1, 1996)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Paperback ‏ : ‎ 512 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1857994930
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1857994933
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.57 pounds
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6.1 x 1.38 x 9.17 inches

Best Sellers Rank: #816,599 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews:
30 ratings

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4.5 out of 5

30 global ratings

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jane bergeron

Chips was incredibly snobbish, but great historical details!

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on August 15, 2022

I read it!

Origional, Personal and Informative.

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on August 4, 2015

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As a student of history I was delighted by the additional /personal information provided but the Diaries. I only wish they were published in full.
I have read Churchill, Cooper etc but this was really interesting.

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on May 31, 2016

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Sparkling review of the 1930s.

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on August 4, 2015

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Loved this book! What a life!!

Helpful

KOMET

AN ENGAGING CHRONICLE OF LIFE AMONG THE RICH & POWERFUL IN INTERWAR AND POST-WWII BRITAIN

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on May 12, 2012

I enjoy reading diaries of famous or notable people. Sir Henry Channon, better known as "Chips" by friends and detractors alike, managed to make a name for himself --- albeit on a minor scale --- in politics (as a member of the British Parliament between 1934 & 1953) and high society.

Though born an American, "Chips" divorced himself from his native land shortly after the First World War, and embraced fully and unreservedly all things British. Indeed, he became a British subject and married into one of the wealthiest families in Britain during the early 1930s. This added to the wealth he had already inherited from his father's side of the family, allowed "Chips" to lead a largely carefree existence. One of his contemporaries, Harold Nicolson, who was a frequent guest at the parties the Channons became known for, reflected that: "Oh my God how rich and powerful Lord Channon has become! There is his house in Belgrave Square next door to Prince George, Duke of Kent and Duchess of ditto and little Prince Edward. The house is all Regency upstairs with very carefully draped curtains and Madame Récamier sofas and wall-paintings. Then the dining-room is entered through an orange lobby and discloses itself suddenly as a copy of the blue room of the Amalienburg near Munich - baroque and rococo and what-ho and oh-no-no and all that. Very fine indeed."

As a member of Parliament, "Chips" supported Franco during the Spanish Civil War and became associated with the pro-appeasement wing of the Conservative Party, as exemplified by Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain. "Chips" had a special fondness for Chamberlain, who gave him a small diplomatic role in Yugoslavia (Prince Paul of Yugoslavia had been a schoolmate of "Chips" in Oxford; the two had become the best of friends) early in the Second World War. His hopes of acquiring a higher political profile were dashed when Winston Churchill (with whom "Chips" was fairly acquainted) succeeded Chamberlain as Prime Minister on May 10, 1940.

The best part about this book was "Chips' " unerring skill --- through his wit and keen powers of observation --- for conveying to the reader his perceptions of places, events, and people with whom he socialized or served with in Parliament. He's unflinchingly honest, not above pointing out the shortcomings of his friends. I enjoyed the journey this book took me on. But "Chips" Channon was not somebody I found likeable. He was vain, pompous, and a snob. Yet, for all that, I found what "Chips" related about life both between the wars and in the immediate postwar era fascinating stuff. Now I wonder what other juicy tidbits will come to light when the rest of "The Diaries" (in toto, it runs to 3 million words) will become available to the general public in 2017? For anyone who loves to read juicy, engaging, and well-written diaries from famous/notable people in decades past, this is the book for YOU.

15 people found this helpful

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Horbury10

Kindle, please!

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on January 26, 2015

I loved this book - so wish it were in either large print or available on Kindle.

4 people found this helpful

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Top reviews from other countries

Marigold

High Society

Reviewed in the United Kingdom 🇬🇧 on July 8, 2014

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For many years I have read references to these diaries, but have not been able to get hold of them. Now, thanks to the miracles of Amazon, I have finally obtained a good second-hand copy.
I found them most enjoyable. Channon paints a picture of a pre-Second World War life of immense riches, luxury and fun. From the view point of today, this is in many ways not particularly admirable, but it's certainly entertaining to read about. In the preface, the editor, Robert Rhodes James, hints that he has omitted certain details out of respect for the privacy of some of the people mentioned; but Channon died in 1958, and I can't help wishing the diaries could be re-edited and republished.
"Chips" Channon's diaries present an absorbing account of high-society life in the twentieth century, but he is also interesting on the political life of the time, which he saw as an MP and a holder of minor political posts. He travelled a lot, and knew royalty, socialites, politicians, theatre stars and artists. He writes well; he has the ideal diarist's ability to be aware of and willing to discuss many of his own faults, and also to reveal a few others inadvertently. He had an unfortunate propensity to back the wrong horses quite spectacularly. He was devoted to the Prince of Wales and Mrs Simpson, and gives a fascinating account of their courtship and the abdication. He hero-worshipped Neville Chamberlain, and thought Munich was a triumph. He describes wartime London vividly, and copes bravely with the violent changes in his life at this time - although slumming it at the Dorchester doesn't sound too bad, and he seems to have avoided many of the privations of rationing. One of his most touching characteristics is his adoration of his small son.
I found myself liking Channon, and admiring the rich life, full of changes, that he led - fairly easy though that may have been for a handsome, likeable multi-millionaire. It was pleasant to "share" it for a day or two.

13 people found this helpful

Lindsey Clare Gee-Turner

Gives you a very good idea of the characters of the era...

Reviewed in the United Kingdom 🇬🇧 on July 31, 2016

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Excellent. Baldwin is the first cousin of Rudyard Kipling. It is interesting that Baldwin's PPS, married to Nancy Tennant, was Conservative MP for Richmond (Yorkshire). Chips stayed at Albury Park, Guildford. Beautifully written - I will certainly read his complete Diaries when they are published in 2018 - sixty years after his death. (First published 1967, published by Penguin 1970 & reprinted 1984).

2 people found this helpful