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The Real Life Downton Abbey How Life Was Really Lived in Stately Homes a Century Ago Jacky Hyams 0884248644734 Books

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The Real Life Downton Abbey How Life Was Really Lived in Stately Homes a Century Ago Jacky Hyams 0884248644734 Books

This easy to read book was interesting, however since the title is The Real Downton Abbey, it would have been more enjoyable if the author had actually used more examples of how the family and staff of the show reflected some of the things that is included in the book. For example, when the author talks of the oftentimes close relationship between the lady of the house and her lady's maid, it would have been hugely entertaining if she'd included reference to a scene between Cora and O'Brien or Baxter. I will defend the book from one reviewer who seemed upset that this was not an Edwardian novel. The book is not described as such so there should be no criticism in that regard.


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The Real Life Downton Abbey How Life Was Really Lived in Stately Homes a Century Ago Jacky Hyams 0884248644734 Books Reviews

The book begins quite well in describing the contrast between the upper and lower class inhabitants of the great country estates in terms of food, clothing, work, social activities and mores, attitudes, relationships, etc. More research would have helped the second part of the book covering health, medicines,etc be more authentic. Later chapters often end rather abruptly as though the author didn't finish her thoughts or ran out of pertinent material.
Good book, but left me wanting more information
Very interesting .... and very informative. I know life on the Estates of Victorian England was VERY different than life in the cities, and especially for the 'downstairs group' .... they also lived far better than their counterparts in the larger cities, were more healthy AND also seemed more 'well adjusted' ..... this book extolls life as it was and is well worth the time to read. I enjoyed it!
I liked the information presented in the book - it was a fairly easy read and entertaining (most of the time). However, the organization of the book was a bit confusing as it seemed as if there were random topics inserted into a particular chapter or section that didn't always "fit". It rather interrupted the flow of the chapter at times and left me puzzled and thinking that I had somehow skipped over a section (I was reading this via my ). Besides that, I enjoyed the book and found it very interesting.
This book really brings the "behind-the-scenes" aspect of Downton Abbey to life. It is full of information about how things really were back then, with all kinds of tidbits of fascinating detail. Highly recommend fans of Downton Abbey read, to extend the journey of English life 100 years ago, and the changes that occurred over the years.
I liked it very much. It totally makes sense when comparing the PBS series to the real-life daily tasks of the butler, lady's maid, and footmen in the British series. I was exhausted when reading their daily work loads that were expected of them and the fact that they also had to continue this work and routine into the late evening. I was really interested in the rank of various jobs in the mansion especially the nannies job and her relationship "upstairs" with the children and parents. Seems like she was in a totally different domestic class being that she worked and lived upstairs near the family and nursery compared to the other servants, as I am a nanny myself. We are considered very important, however still considered the "hired help" when the parents want to get rid of you.
This book had some very interesting and well-researched information. Unfortunately, it was repeated over and over again, in articles, quotations, bulleted lists, etc., to fill out the page count--with new information scattered through the repetitious matter to keep the reader from stopping a third of the way through. I would rather have read the pamphlet that a good editor could have made of it, and saved the time and frustration of wading through the very same information--often worded the very same way--that kept reappearing every few pages.
You do not have to be a fan of Downton Abbey to appreciate the meticulous research and presentation of social history which appears in this book. It is in fact social history and has very little to do with Downton Abbey other than the fact that the latter does play upon the social class distinction so explicitly explained in this- book. Maybe I was enthralled by the book because I have ancestors who were "in service" and the author supported their statements about how their young lives were affected by class distinction in the UK of their times. As an example, one of them actually said to me that they were slaves to their master; that they got little pay with one afternoon off a week and an occasional Sunday, that they worked extremely long hours, and that she took a job as a housemaid after WWI only to help support her many siblings and parents who were farmers. She was well educated but could find no other work at the time. Another was a governess for the same titled family and yet another a groundsman. In the book,the author openly states and confirms that being in service was in fact comparable to leading the life of a slave to a master. (For clarity, I must inject here that we all are aware that the terminology "slave" conjures up the slave of American history which is more severe than what is intended by its usage here.)

For me, this was a very fascinating presentation of the Edwardian era and the years to follow. It was extremely well written and easily read. In fact, I had trouble putting this book down.

In retrospect as well, I came to recognize that all classes were slaves to the demands of the time for even the masters had to adhere to challenging expectations that society demanded if they were to survive during the years of extreme class distinction. Many struggled to keep up financially and eventually estates were taxed so heavily that they were destroyed because they were no longer affordable. Class distinction continued for some time after the Edwardian era in the UK, and can still be found today at times or in individual personages, and this book cleverly explains all aspects of it.

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This easy to read book was interesting, however since the title is The Real Downton Abbey, it would have been more enjoyable if the author had actually used more examples of how the family and staff of the show reflected some of the things that is included in the book. For example, when the author talks of the oftentimes close relationship between the lady of the house and her lady's maid, it would have been hugely entertaining if she'd included reference to a scene between Cora and O'Brien or Baxter. I will defend the book from one reviewer who seemed upset that this was not an Edwardian novel. The book is not described as such so there should be no criticism in that regard.