The first lady of Fleet Street

A panoramic portrait of a remarkable woman and the tumultuous Victorian era on which she made her mark, this book chronicles the meteoric rise and tragic fall of Rachel Beer--indomitable heiress, social crusader, and newspaper pioneer. Rich with period detail and drawing on a wealth of original material, this never-before-told story recounts the ascent of two of London's most prominent Jewish immigrant families--the Sassoons and the Beers. Born into one, Rachel married into the other, wedding newspaper proprietor Frederick Beer, the sole heir to his father's enormous fortune. Though she and Frederick became leading London socialites, Rachel was ambitious and unwilling to settle for an idle life. She used her husband's platform to assume the editorship of not one but two venerable Sunday newspapers--the Sunday Times and The Observer--a stunning accomplishment at a time when women were denied the vote and allowed little access to education. Rachel Beer remains a pivotal figure in the annals of journalism--and the long march toward equality between the sexes.--From publisher description.