Dame Daphne du Maurier is the creator of some of the most memorable stories of the twentieth century--and a few of the most remarkable tales ever committed to film, among them Hitchcock's Rebecca and The Birds. In her time, she was lauded as "the Gentle Romantic"; yet, as Martyn Shallcross reveals in this unique and involving biography, Daphne du Maurier was much more than a simple writer of stories. The Private World of Daphne du Maurier brings us closer than we have ever been to understanding the woman behind the fiction, a woman whose own story is as rich and colorful as any she invented. Her circle included luminaries from the world of letters, and stars of stage and screen from Sir John Gielgud to Douglas Fairbanks, Jr; her unsatisfying marriage led her to seek solace in a number of deep and lasting friendships with women, including Gertrude Lawrence; and her home, Menabilly--the basis for Rebecca's celebrated Manderley--hosted members of the British royal family. Martyn Shallcross, du Maurier's friend and confidant for over twenty years, was regarded by her as the only person qualified to tell her story. In this fascinating book, Shallcross draws on confidences she shared throughout their friendship, on his knowledge of her literary career, and on interviews with many of the glamorous figures who were a part of her private world. There will be no more intimate, no more telling account of the life of this singular figure of our time.