Westminster author David Gigauri Presents the Untold True Story of the Rise and Fall of the Mdivani Siblings.
The creation of mass media in the 1920s paved the way for five siblings to become a global lifestyle celebrity. Though professional successes adorned them, scandal reigned supreme. As they married their way into the echelons of Hollywood, American and European high society, a moniker “The Marrying Mdivanis” was born. Always dramatic and often heart-breaking, this is a whirlwind epic spanning four continents, eleven weddings, seven divorces and five spectacular deaths with millions in play.
The Mdivani Saga is an astonishing biographical account of one of the 20th century’s most captivating families. The story follows five siblings born to a Georgian general and his socialite wife, once stirring intrigue at the Russian Imperial court. This riches-to-rags-and-back-again story follows the changing fortunes of the Mdivanis as they barely escaped a revolution with just a few dollars. Within a decade, the Mdivani had turned these dollars into millions when they became the epicentre of the international jet-set —until their dazzling world began to unravel.
David Gigauri is a London-based researcher specialising in history and the Georgian diaspora. His first book, Be My Guest: The Georgian Recipe for Cooking Success (Sulakauri Publishing, 2013), has been translated into several languages and was featured at the Frankfurt Book Fair 2018 as part of the Guest of Honour selection. He frequently contributes articles to online publications and delivers talks and lectures at various societies and universities.
David explains: “As a Georgian family that, in a way, pioneered the ‘modern celebrity’, the Mdivanis have always been a subject of interest for me. It’s a remarkable historical rarity in which not just one or two family members attain global fame, but rather, five(!) siblings become a captivating fascination for some of the most prominent figures in 20th-century art, fashion, politics, science, and film. The Mdivani are quintessentially 1920s. They grew from obscurity into iconic trendsetters, and it was the rise of mass media at the time that paved the way for all five Mdivanis to become household names. Their name appearing on the front page of any newspaper was a guaranteed sell. They were clickbait before the word even existed in our vocabulary. Their stories were so opulent, it is hard to imagine they are real. However, they have now faded into complete obscurity.
It’s astonishing that their full story has never been told, despite their immense influence at the time. They captured the imagination of many, from Dale Carnegie, who analysed the Mdivani ‘x-factor’ in his landmark book How to Win Friends and Influence People, to Jean Cocteau, who based a play on one of the Mdivanis. Their name even surfaced in U.S. congressional hearings. Food dishes and fashion styles were named after them, all amidst the global media ‘MdiVanity Fair’ frenzy.
This saga not only tells an unbelievable true story, but it also creates parallels to the very modern issues we face today. The Mdivani Saga explores the very topical thin lines between: I) who we let others see; II) who we tell ourselves we are; III) who we want to be; and IV) who we are deep down. This story centres itself on this hunger for influence and our ongoing love affair with celebrity, but also parallels itself with the current subversion of truth in media and the public’s inability to not swallow anything down without discernment, leaving your life’s narrative to be created by someone else.”
RELEASE DATE: 28/10/2024 ISBN: 9781835740736 Price: £12.99
