Constance Markievicz (1868-1927), born to the privileged Protestant upper class in Ireland, embraced suffrage before scandalously leaving for a bohemian life in London and then Paris. She would become known for her roles as politician and Irish revolutionary nationalist. Her husband, Casimir Dunin Markievicz (1874-1932), a painter, playwright, and
"Lauren Arrington's compelling double biography of Constance and Casimir Markievicz is the first book to do full justice to the epic lives of its subjects, European cosmopolitans engaged in art, politics, and revolution. The book's research brings to light such fascinating details as the affectionate, gossipy letters between Constance and her sister Eva Gore-Booth, Casimir's frequent requests for money from his brother-in-law Sir Josslyn, and bitter expressions of neglect by the couple's children, Stanislaus and Maeve. Superb in its mastery of national and personal histories, Revolutionary Lives is required reading for anyone interested in Polish, Irish, or women's studies; it is a requirement that is also a pleasure."--Lucy McDiarmid, author of At Home in the Revolution: What Women Said and Did in 1916
"Timely, well researched, and original, Revolutionary Lives contributes much that is new by connecting the life and work of iconic Irish revolutionary Constance Markievicz to that of her husband Casimir--a more obscure figure but not the simple foil that has sometimes been portrayed. This is a book that needed to be written."--R. F. Foster, University of Oxford
"There have been a number of biographies about Constance and Casimir Markievicz, but Revolutionary Lives is the first dual biography and marks a valuable addition to the literature. Providing a proper account of Casimir Markievicz's life, the book challenges some of the simplistic views that are currently held. This is a complicated period in history and these are complex lives, but Arrington guides her material with authority."--Maria Luddy, University of Warwick
"[A] beguiling and thoughtful book."
---Roy Foster, Irish Times
