August 27, 1932

Antonia Fraser, was born on August 27, 1932. This novelist, historian, biographer, memoirist exhibits a useful upper class sensibility of the last century, and she continues to thrive. Like her mother did, she writes histories. Her first substantial historical  work was a biography of Mary Queen of Scots. From the start she exhibits that empathy which enables us to transcend centuries. We understand how Mary might have murdered her husband, and could run off with the man widely believed to have been involved. Mary Queen of Scots was published in 1969. This empathic power did not extend later to her lover's wife.  She revealed an impatience with Vivien Merchant's reluctance to divorce Harold Pinter in her book, Must you go, my life with Harold Pinter (2010). This book is arranged chronologically. 

Therein she notes, while writing The Gunpowder Plot: terror and faith in 1605, (1996), her own circumstances:

It was a good year altogether: two grandchildren born, William and Honor, and even our cat, beloved Catalina gave birth to two kittens under my bed: Pushkin and Placido. Placido is with me as I write. 

She displays the delicate balance involved in comparing your cat to your grandchildren, with her usual panache.