Something to Hide: Life of Sheila Wingfield, Viscountess Powerscourt

This is a fascinating portrait of a neglected poet and memoirist whose colorful and complicated life brought her into contact with some of the major literary figures of early twentieth-century Ireland. Sheila Wingfield (1906-1992), Anglo-Jewish heiress and 'poetess wife' of the last Powerscourt to live on that estate, didn't fit easily into any of the worlds she inhabited, battling all her life with the demons of alcohol, drugs, illness, and conflicted relationships. Penny Perrick's biography strikes a balance between playful storytelling and serious analysis. Drawing on rich sources of letters, memoirs, diaries, and interviews.