What do you think?
Rate this book
The Secret Life of a Schoolgirl: A Memoir
The Secret Life of a Schoolgirl is an extraordinary memoir—a jewel. Rosemary Kingsland was born in India during the dying days of the British Raj. While there, she and her family lived a life of privilege. But with the fall of the Raj, they were forced to return to England, where their fortunes took a decided turn for the worse. In London, then in Cornwall, then back in London, the simmering tension between Rosemary’s parents erupted into outright warfare fueled by alcohol and her father’s persistent, unrepentant womanizing. It was a lonely, dangerous childhood.
But one day Rosemary’s life changed forever. At a café where she had gone to escape from a party her father had insisted she attend with him, she met Richard Burton, the dashingly handsome Welsh actor who was then the toast of the London stage. She had seen him in Under Milkwood some months before. She was an adolescent schoolgirl. He was twenty-nine.
The Secret Life of a Schoolgirl is a deeply felt evocation of first love, and of family bonds forged in intense isolation. It is made all the more remarkable by the luminous quality and riveting narrative voice of Rosemary Kingsland.
But one day Rosemary’s life changed forever. At a café where she had gone to escape from a party her father had insisted she attend with him, she met Richard Burton, the dashingly handsome Welsh actor who was then the toast of the London stage. She had seen him in Under Milkwood some months before. She was an adolescent schoolgirl. He was twenty-nine.
The Secret Life of a Schoolgirl is a deeply felt evocation of first love, and of family bonds forged in intense isolation. It is made all the more remarkable by the luminous quality and riveting narrative voice of Rosemary Kingsland.
352 pages, Hardcover
First published July 8, 2003
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
June 21, 2020
This memoir was entertaining at times, which made up for the hard to read brutal moments. A young teenager is trying to manage puberty and a highly dysfunctional family life when she falls in love with an older man. A famous older man! This secret affair affects her greatly, both then and now.
I did enjoy this book. When the author is describing her feelings as a love-struck teenager it was on point. So much my mind ventured to my youth and “first love” moments.
I do recommend this book if you like memoirs-just be warned there is verbal and emotional abuse throughout the memoir.
I did enjoy this book. When the author is describing her feelings as a love-struck teenager it was on point. So much my mind ventured to my youth and “first love” moments.
I do recommend this book if you like memoirs-just be warned there is verbal and emotional abuse throughout the memoir.
April 22, 2021
I am amazed at the strength of Rosemary who survived a chaotic home life with a father more devoted to himself than any of his family and a mother devoted to her husband further contributing to the neglect of the children.
July 11, 2023
Took time to really get into the story. There was interesting parts that kept me reading. Probably wouldn’t recommend to anyone.
June 17, 2012
Well, as a whole it wasn't bad, but it wasn't amazing either. I had a hard time understanding if this memoir was more about her family life or the relationship she had with Richard Burton. I feel like is Kingsland broke this into two separate memoirs I would have enjoyed it more. Most of the book is talking about her abusive father and apathetic mother, but the book is advertised as a memoir about the relationship with Burton. I was a bit shocked when it took until nearly halfway through the book for Burton to appear, even farther for the actual relationship to begin. I felt like a lot of the book was just procrastination for the relationship with tidbits about her home life.
That being said, her story (when she actually got to it) was a beautiful one, full of heartache, wonder and vivid imagery. She thoroughly captures her memories and allows the reader into her deepest thoughts.
Overall, It was an okay read. It could have been better, but I didn't hate it. I don't imagine I will recommend this to anyone in the near future.
That being said, her story (when she actually got to it) was a beautiful one, full of heartache, wonder and vivid imagery. She thoroughly captures her memories and allows the reader into her deepest thoughts.
Overall, It was an okay read. It could have been better, but I didn't hate it. I don't imagine I will recommend this to anyone in the near future.
September 29, 2015
So I picked this book up on a whim. I like to browse through books at the library that they sell super cheap. Paperback 50 cents or 3 for a dollar, hardbacks are $1 each. So I shouldn't do this but I judge books by their cover/title and I am partial to memoirs/biographies.
It looked interesting so I nabbed it but man... it's taken a couple years for me to read it. I just kept forgetting about it. I didn't find it very engaging because a lot of the novel is about her dysfunctional family. It was interesting however because she did live in an interesting part of history and in varying financial states. I kind of wish there was more credibility to her story. What I thought was shocking was that this book was about a secret affair with Richard Burton. I didn't realize that was really the selling point of the book because I didn't read the book summary before I started reading.
It takes a long time for her to actually get to that part.
Still I thought it the content was interesting. Makes me wonder what kind of lives our grandparents lived that they haven't told us.
It looked interesting so I nabbed it but man... it's taken a couple years for me to read it. I just kept forgetting about it. I didn't find it very engaging because a lot of the novel is about her dysfunctional family. It was interesting however because she did live in an interesting part of history and in varying financial states. I kind of wish there was more credibility to her story. What I thought was shocking was that this book was about a secret affair with Richard Burton. I didn't realize that was really the selling point of the book because I didn't read the book summary before I started reading.
It takes a long time for her to actually get to that part.
Still I thought it the content was interesting. Makes me wonder what kind of lives our grandparents lived that they haven't told us.
July 15, 2008
This is one of the best memoirs I've ever read. The writing is engrossing, amusing and intelligent; the true events of this English girl's life (as a teenager, Rosemary was Richard Burton's lover) are amazing. She waited until her parents were dead to write this coming-of-age memoir, because they would have been scandalized! Her life was a storybook and better than fiction!
January 5, 2009
A memoir primarily about a very dysfunctional family. The author has an affair with Richard Burton as a young schoolgirl, maybe this would be a more interesting subject to me if I had more of a clue who he was. This would probably be a better book for someone of an older generation because even though the author writes well, I still found myself having trouble making it through it.
March 5, 2011
Very good writer. Author is a 13 year old who has an affair with Richard Burton. She has an extremely dysfunctional family so it's easy to see how she falls into the arms of this movie idol. He's 29 so a total scumbag. When he finds out her true age he asks her to wear her school uniform! Can't wait to discuss this in book club.
May 11, 2014
Wow! This is one dysfunctional family. How a 13 year old girl can regularly be out all night long having an affair with a 29 year old man without her parents ever realizing she's not home is shocking. That said I can see how the life events of one generation affect not only their lives and relationships but also affect the lives and relationships of successive generations.
February 15, 2011
For a book about an affair, this book was remarkably sluggish. It kind of ended up reading more like the inflated daydreams of a teenage girl rather than an authentic memoir (not due the event, but rather the quality of the writing).
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews