Singular Marriage: A Labour Love Story in Letters and Diaries Book

Published in 1988 by Harrap, this 388 page hardcover (with dustjacket) volume details the successful political marriage of Ramsay and Margaret MacDonald, leading lives inspired by socialist dreams and culminating eventually in Ramsay becoming the first Labour prime minister in 1924. The preface says this about the book: this book is not intended as a political companion, but as the story of a marriage that was extraordinarily influential and exceedingly happy. It tells of the unlikely coming together of the bastard son of a Scottish peasant - James Ramsay Macdonald and a Kensington lady, Margaret Ethel Gladstone. It also speaks volumes about the beginnings of the Labour movement in this country and much more about the eloquent, charismatic man who made socialism acceptable and brought the working classes into Westminster. Ramsay MacDonald used to be held in low regard due to the legacy of his betraying his party in 1931 and his flirting with a marchioness. However, records, diaries, letters, novels, poetry and speeches indicate the man was a passionate, dedicated man of great personal courage with compassion for his fellow man and woman; and with profound love for his wife and children. The author has tried to balance the more controversial and downbeat last 6 years of his life with the 65 that went before to give a full picture of the man and his wife, who was scarcely less of a personality than he wasRead More