Lust, for Life

James Hadfield-Hyde's diaries, journals and confessions take the reader on a fascinating and compelling journey. Over the years, the British media has labelled him as a charming eccentric, a cad, a compassionate philanthropist, a womaniser and a bon vivant, all of which have more than an element of truth. His memoirs allow the reader a glimpse not only into his life, but also into the private lives of many of the rich and famous. The book also graphically illustrates the social changes Britain has undergone over the past sixty years. It leads us from the brutality of the author's English boarding school life in the 1950s, to the sexually liberated days of the Swinging Sixties and beyond. It transports us through his near-death experiences, courtroom dramas, gloriously eccentric enterprises, sexual encounters and more. It makes us laugh and it makes us cry. A remarkable book, a remarkable life and a remarkable man.
Born to a wealthy family in 1949, James Hadfield-Hyde is a product of the English public school system of the 1950s and 60s. Whereas many of his contemporaries headed for careers in the city, James left school broke and found himself loading lorries for a steel merchant. However, with constant optimism he displayed a remarkable ability to turn his hand to just about anything and by the time he was thirty had started businesses in fast food, property, antiques and manufacturing. He has observed and recorded candidly the vicissitudes of his business and private life. James's friendships with celebrities, numerous women and fast lifestyle did not go unnoticed by the British press. It led to him being dubbed 'Lord Lust' by the Sun and 'Lusty Lord of the Manor' by the Sunday Mirror. But as the Chronicle reported he is everything many rich and 'important' people are not. He is friendly, courteous, bears no hint of snobbery and is always willing to battle for the underdog if he thinks he has a case. Now in his sixties he continues to be one of our great epicureans.