Wigs on the Green
Wigs on the Green is a 1935 satirical novel by Nancy Mitford. A roman à clef, it is notable for lampooning British Fascism, specifically political enthusiasms of Mitford's sisters Unity Mitford and Diana Mosley.
 First edition | |
| Author | Nancy Mitford |
|---|---|
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Language | English |
| Genre | Humorous fiction Roman à clef |
| Publisher | Thornton Butterworth |
Publication date | 1935 |
| Media type | Print (Hardback & Paperback) |
Background
Using her sisters' wild fervour for Fascism (and, in Unity's case, Nazism) as fodder for her satire, Mitford centred her plot around the character of Captain Jack (based on Sir Oswald Mosley), leader of the Union Jackshirts (based on the British Union of Fascists) and Eugenia Malmains (based on Mitford's sister Diana, Mosley's future wife). Always fond of cruel teasing, she was taken aback when Diana Mitford took offence to the novel and tried to placate her sister by excising the three chapters that dealt directly with the Captain Jack character. The novel still created a deep rift between the sisters.
When asked to republish the book after World War II, Mitford declined. The book was never republished in her lifetime. 2010 saw its first reprint in the United Kingdom and the United States in more than thirty-five years.