Troublemaker: The Fierce, Unruly Life of Jessica Mitford

Available November 2025

Fifth of the six famous Mitford Girls, Jessica Mitford—known as Decca—was a British aristocrat-turned-American Communist, famous for exposés like The American Way of Death; this biography brings her astonishing self-transformation to life with a riveting, often hilarious account of trading wealth and status for a life of radical activism. More…

Praise for Troublemaker

“A perceptive, sympathetic biography of activist, unabashed communist, and muckraker Jessica Mitford. Kaplan captures Decca’s energy and verve, her complicated relationship with her aristocratic family, and her unwavering devotion to fighting injustice, racism, and inequality. A brisk, engaging biography.” Kirkus Reviews

“Beautifully written, utterly transporting, and [made] relentlessly vivid by the recovery of amazing circumstances and astonishing human relationships, Carla Kaplan’s remarkable biography of Jessica Mitford is a journey through the many social and political worlds contained in a single family, from British feudal aristocracy and pro-Hitler fascist enthusiasm to the American Civil Rights Movement and card-carrying American Communism. This captivating story—empathetic and yet clear-eyed—of a fascinating woman, her sisters, and their lives in the twentieth century is a breathtaking and singular achievement.” Congressman Jamie Raskin (MD-8), author of the New York Times #1 bestseller Unthinkable: Trauma, Truth, and the Trials of American Democracy

“Marvelous, enchanting, and hilarious. Carla Kaplan has triumphed, bringing to life the delightful odyssey of Jessica ‘Decca’ Mitford. An inspiring biography by a master biographer.” Kai Bird, Pulitzer Prize-winning biographer and director of the Leon Levy Center for Biography in New York City

“Of the legendary Mitford sisters, novelist Nancy got the coverage, Duchess Debo got the glamour, fascist Diana and Hitler-loving Unity got the notoriety, but it was Decca who really made a difference in the world. Always on the front lines of history—fighting fascism in the Spanish Civil War, dodging subpoenas from HUAC, writing lacerating investigative journalism—Decca was a warrior for justice who never forgot to laugh at herself. And Carla Kaplan’s compassionate, enthralling, and aptly titled Troublemaker is a fitting celebration of this extraordinary woman.” Amanda Vaill, author of Pride and Pleasure: The Schuyler Sisters in an Age of Revolution

“Carla Kaplan unveils a unique angle of ‘good trouble’ and civil rights allyship, told with the drama and humor of Mitford’s unique personality.” Tamara Payne, Pulitzer Prize-winning coauthor of The Dead Are Arising: The Life of Malcolm X

“Carla Kaplan writes with the flair of a novelist and backs it up with relentless research and keen insight. As infectious, stylish, and hard-hitting as its subject, Troublemaker is the marriage of a fascinating, timely story and a wonderful storyteller. An absolute treasure.” Jonathan Eig, winner of the Pulitzer Prize for King: A Life

“A remarkable book about a remarkable woman. If you don’t know a lot about Mitford (and her exceptionally weird family), you’re in for a treat. If you think you already know a lot about her, think again: you’re in for a bracing helping of shock and awe. Because Kaplan’s research is so impressively deep, and her prose so pleasingly fleet, her complicated and compelling subject now has the biography she has long deserved.” Daniel Okrent, author of Last Call and The Guarded Gate

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