Good Bohemian: The Letters of Ida John

Ida Nettleship married Augustus John in 1901, defying her parents' wishes. Her letters reveal a passionate, intense, and witty young woman, navigating an unconventional marriage with scandal, hurt, and betrayal. Despite the challenges, she finds strength and courage to compromise and live life on her terms.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 352 pages
Publication date: 17 May 2018
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing PLC

After more than a century, Ida Nettleship finally had her say. In a private ceremony held on a foggy morning of January 12, 1901, at St Pancras Registry Office, Ida married Augustus John, defying the wishes of her parents who desired a more conventional match for their eldest daughter. However, Ida's heart was captured by Augustus, a man of exceptional magnetism and a fellow student at the Slade. He would go on to become one of the most renowned artists of his time.

Through her letters, Ida's passion, intensity, and wit shine through. She candidly shares the scandal she caused within her family, the pain and betrayal that emerged as her marriage transformed into a three-way affair when Augustus fell in love with another woman, Dorelia. Ida's remarkable acceptance of Dorelia, their pregnancies, and their shared domesticity is revealed in her letters. She explores the depths of self-doubt, happiness, and despair, as well as the courage it took her to navigate her unconventional marriage.

Ida's writing is exceptional for a woman of her era, displaying a candor, intimacy, and social intelligence that is truly remarkable. Her correspondence opens up a world that is both vivid and captivating. Despite her untimely death at the age of thirty due to puerperal fever following the birth of her fifth son, Ida remains startlingly alive on the pages of her letters. These letters are a testament to her resilience, her humor, and her profound emotional depth.

Weight: 280g
Dimension: 198 x 128 x 23 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781408873595