This was an easy and again, an interesting read; although I first thought it was going to be a rehash of ‘Lady in Waiting’; it just went into things in more depth and less in some others. I liked how the chapters were split into themes; not many photos though this time. Some letters come from people who are facing difficult times, often asking my advice on how to cope. It’s very difficult as all our lives are so different and we cope in different ways. I tell them never to give up, and remind them that life often turns round. I also encourage them not to dwell on things. There is a difference, I think, between facing problems and allowing oneself to be overwhelmed by them, though that can be a difficult line to tread. I also tell them I try to think of myself as a puppet with a string coming out of the top of my head, pulling me upwards. That way I sit up straight and look forward. Quite honestly, it makes me feel better if I ever get depressed. It’s often silly things that can make a difference.”

This book finds Lady Glenconner more confident; it feels as though she's writing about things that she didn't feel she could write about just a few years ago. She is more open about her marriage and her relationships. Anne seemed to have great common sense in dealing with things: "Sometimes I find that talking too much about life's problems can simply make one more agitated and prolong the misery. Friends mean well, but they tend to sympathize and tell you you're right to be so upset and egg you on to feel wronged. That can actually make things worse if you let it." I think this is a great observation! Princess Margaret was also a believer that "one didn't dwell." She also downplays crying. "It's absolutely no use." Generally I agree with this too. Anne brings her stark forthrightness, signature charm and bravery to show the world what her life has taught her, including when she endured the darkest moments of her marriage. Despite what she has endured she remains resilient and has thrived as time moves forward. She became an expert at the fine art of diplomacy, learning when to make peace and when to stand and fight, when to lean on trusted friends and when to take a lover. Alongside all of this, she gained great proficiency at throwing incredible parties, surviving at the centre of the Royal Family, maintaining a resplendent home and - as a lady in waiting - gaining much needed diplomatic skills and the finer points of etiquette. As a parent she endured some of the hardest lessons a parent can, gaining the fortitude and experience to endure even the worse life can offer, as well as how to celebrate the great things life has to offer too their fullest.She wraps up with some life advice: "Joy is always waiting for us somewhere in life, even in our darkest moments and often in the most surprising of ways, and that embracing life in all its strangeness has so much good to offer ... I try to keep abreast of things rather than sinking into my own little world, and a positive mindset is always a great asset." In “Whatever Now” Anne’s tone is more serious. She explains why she never divorced her seriously abusive husband and discusses useful coping strategies and resources. She also explains why she had to let go of her anger and forgive her two older sons for life choices which led them to die young: otherwise she felt she could not have moved forward in her own life and helped her third son during the five years it took him to recover from a devastating motorcycle accident. But isn’t stoicism a double-edged sword? As you admit in your book, life might have been better for you and your children if you’d talked more. Since the second book is definitely informed by the first one, my recommendation is to read both books of Anne Glenconnor’s autobiography. Anne Glenconner's remarkable life hasn't always been as glamorous as one would expect of the daughter of the 5th Earl of Leicester, but it's certainly been an eventful one. From being raised in the beautiful Holkham Hall to living in a tent in the jungles of Mustique, and from exploring the world with Princess Margaret, to keeping pace with her unrestrained and impulsive husband - Lord Glenconner - Anne has lived many extremes.

Yes, but thanks to this book, I’ve had the most wonderful conversations with them. We’ve been able to talk about what Colin, their father, did to them in great detail and I’ve been able to say: “Oh, darlings.” Read the book again allowing children to join in with words they might remember such as WHOOSH! BUMP! Or ‘Whatever next!’ Tell the story Set out a picnic tea on a blanket for your child dressed as Baby Bear on the moon, children canfind a few toys to join in. Make a picture Colin was a Jekyll and Hyde figure, wasn’t he? Great fun at one moment and vicious and violent at the next.After reading "Lady in Waiting", also written by Lady Glenconner, I didn't know what else she could have added to top it but I was actually surprised by what I read: it was a more thorough approach to facts she lightly touched on her first book, and I get why she did it. Old generations raised in between WW2 and what it came afterwards weren't into dwelling on feelings, and the past: you just went on with it. At least, that is what my grandparents did. Lady Glenconner has suffered more than her fair share of tragedy – her eldest son died of heroin addiction, the second of Aids, and the third was involved in a terrible motorbike crash that left him with serious head injuries. But she believes in putting a brave face on things. When asked for the secret of a healthy old age, she advises people to sit up straight, to lift their feet when walking and not shuffle, and to make lunch their last meal of the day. But most important, as we can see from this book, is to be as open-minded and entertaining as she clearly is. Bracing honesty, rare insight, and more revelations: the New York Times bestselling author of Lady in Waiting shares everything she's learned from her extraordinary and unexpected life. Anne wasn't the only one in her family to deal with marital woes; she mentions her beloved sister Carey, who had a husband "who would only talk to her through the dog for years on end." This is very sad, but I'll admit I had to laugh when I read it :) Who can believe the things some people do?! Anne Veronica (Coke) Tennant, LVO, Baroness Glenconner is a daughter of Thomas W.E. Coke, MVO, GOC, 5th Earl of Leicester and Elizabeth Mary (Yorke) Tennant, Countess of Leicester.